2017 Reading Challenge - Part 3

“So many books, so little time.” 
Frank Zappa

In 2017, I set a New Year’s resolution – a reading challenge to read 30 books in a year. By December 31, I had achieved my goal plus some – 38 books read.

Here is the list of books I read in 2017, along with a few closing reflections.

Business
Mentoring 101, John C. Maxwell
The End of Membership as We Know It: Building the Must-Have Association of the Next Century, Sarah Sladek
E-Lawyer: A Guide to Legal Practice Leadership in the Internet Age, Adam Newhouse
The Lawyer’s Guide to Succession Planning: A Project Management Approach for Successful Law Firm Transitions and Exits
The Start-Up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career, Reid Hoffman

Fiction
Prodigal Summer, Barbara Kingsolver
Small Great Things, Jodi Picoult
Vanishing Acts, Jodi Picoult
Second Glance, Jodi Picoult
Salem Falls, Jodi Picoult
Winter Street, Elin Hilderbrand
Winter Stroll, Elin Hilderbrand
Winter Storms, Elin Hilderbrand
The Barrowfields, Phillip Lewis

Non-Fiction
Christmas at Biltmore: Celebrating America’s Largest Home, The Biltmore Company
Biltmore: An American Masterpiece, The Biltmore Company
Gunn’s Golden Rules: Life’s Little Lessons for Making it Work, Tim Gunn
Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell
How to Life Like a Gentleman: Lessons in Life, Manners, and Style, Sam Martin

Health
It Starts with Food: Discovery the While30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways, Dallas Hartwig
The Whole 30: The Official 30-day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom, Melissa Hartwig
Food Freedom Forever: Letting Go of Bad Habits, Guilt and Anxiety Around Food, Melissa Hartwig

Memoir
What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton
Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy, Sheryl Sandberg, Adam Grant
A Long Way Home, Saroo Brierley
Open, Andre Agassi
One Light Still Shines: My Life Beyond the Shadow of the Amish Schoolhouse Shooting, Marie Monville
Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey Into the Afterlife, Dr. Eben Alexander
Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me?, Mindy Kaling
My Life on the Road, Gloria Steinem

Political
The Loudest Voice in the Room: How Roger Ailes and Fox News Remade American Politics, Gabriel Sherman

Self-help
Braving the Wilderness, Brene Brown
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organzing, Marie Kondo

Spiritual
Holy Bible, New International Version
Give God a Year, Change Your Life Forever, Carole Lewis
The Women of Easter: Encounter the Savior with Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene, Liz Curtis Higgs
When God Winks: How the Power of Coincidence Guides Your Life, Squire Rushnell
Lies We Believe About God, William Paul Young

Reflections

As I mentioned yesterday, setting the Reading Challenge made me intentional in my desire to accomplish my goal. I spent less time watching television, reading magazines and web stories to focus on books.

Another benefit of my reading challenge was a health challenge. Several friends and family members read the Whole30 health books in 2017 and we followed the Whole30 eating plan. The idea is simple – whole foods for 30 days. It is a nutritional reset where you avoid dairy, sugar, alcohol, grains, and legumes for 30 days. As a result, I lost weight and saw an improvement in several medical markers such as blood pressure and cholesterol readings. I am a big fan of Whole30 and love sharing tips and recipes.

One reason I decided to leave my reading goal at 30 books instead of increasing it is to spend more time writing. While I write plenty for work, I want to spend more time on recreational writing. My personal blog hasn’t seen any attention in recent years so I’m dusting off “Traveling Mercies” and I plan to dedicate hours to this writing project in 2018.

Reading is my favorite pastime and I enjoyed the many hours spent on my reading challenge. I know several of us have this in common and I hope you have countless happy hours reading in 2018.


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