Books I’ve Read (in the Past): 1997
I first started keeping track of the books that I read in 1997 when I was already in my ’40s. What a foolish woman I was to not have started in my teens. How I’ve wished (over and over) that I had.
And my early records are incomplete, and some of the brief comments are laughable. But, inspired by JoAnn of Lakeside Musing who has shared her older journals in a series that she has named Pages from the Past, I’d like to share my journals with you. Herewith, a small sample from that first year, 1997.
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (fiction, play, drama, tragedy) Viking Press 1948/1970
Pulitzer Prize winner
** Very dark–not just about aging, but also madness. Would like to see it performed when in a better state of mind.
[2016 notes: Most everyone will have heard of Willy Loman and his family around whom this play is centred. Hard work and chasing the American dream have not rewarded Willy; neither have his sons turned out as he had hoped.]
The Illustrated Garden Book by Vita Sackville-West (non-fiction, essays, gardening)
** An anthology of her newspaper columns from the 1940s and ’50s.
A window on a different life–English gentility; and a different climate, where she could arrange some plants to cut for indoor ‘flowers’ every month of the year!
[2016 notes: I remember that I immensely enjoyed this book, which I dipped into an essay at a time, and fell in love with Vita Sackville-West’s writing.]
And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer (fiction, saga, drama)
** My second time through this – the first over 10 years ago. I still enjoy the development of multi-generational characters; and I think I was more touched this time by the fleetingness of life. The U.S. politics still could not hold my interest, though.
[2016 notes: This story centres around two women (and eventually their families) in the years before, during, and after the American Civil War. I’m not sure why I was intrigued enough with this to reread it since it’s over 1300 pages.]
That’s all I recorded for 1997 although I know I read lots more than that. What do you think: shall I continue posting these old reading journal entries?
P.S. The links are affiliate links so I will receive a small percentage of any purchase you make after clicking through from this blog.
That’s so cool that you’ve keeping track for so long. I don’t remember most of the books I read before Goodreads :/
“Daisy”, it may be cool that I’ve kept track of my reading for 20 years – but it’s the decades that I missed that make me want to cry. 🙁
What a fun thing to share Debbie. I started my records in 1996 or 1997. I might copy this idea. I’ll credit you!
Thank you, Sue – and I would love to have you copy this idea. JoAnn may have really started something here!
BTW I love And the ladies of the club. Fantastic read about a place and time. And yes, do keep doing this.
I did keep rougher records before my spreadsheet but in diaries, which would necessitate reading through them again to extract the info. Hmmm …
I love posts like this… so glad you decided to share your old reading journal. And Ladies of the Club is an old favorite of mine, too. Several years ago I bought a new copy at the library sale in hopes of rereading. But, as you say, it IS 1300 pages…
JoAnn, I’m really surprised at the number of people who’ve commented on And Ladies of the Club. I had no idea it was so widely known. Hold on to that copy – you just never know when the urge to reread will take hold. 😉
I started keeping track of the books I read in 1992 when I kept taking out books from the library and realizing I had already read them. Now I have 12 notebooks filled with my thought about the books I read. It is fun to go back and look at what I was reading in any given month or year. Then I started my blog in July, 2005 and have kept it up ever since. So, yes! Keep up these posts. They are interesting to me and probably would be to any dedicated reader.
Oh, Judy, I am so envious of those notebooks. Why don’t you share some with us? And thanks for your kind words. 🙂
I first started to list what I’d read when I was about 10 or 11 – but not for long, unfortunately. I had a few attempts later on and then began again in 2002 but didn’t manage to list everything. I listed books on and off until 2006, when I began in earnest using a book journal and then when I began my blog in 2007 I found it much easier to jot down every book.
I say, yes keep doing these posts – and I may do the same too! I love seeing what other people were reading years ago
Thank you for the encouragement, Margaret – and I’d love for you to post your older journals too!