If you’re even a casual follower of this blog, then you’re probably well aware of my preoccupation with audiobooks this year. After I had a baby last October (has it really been nine months?!), I had no time to read, but I had plenty of time in a dark room trying to occupy my mind while comforting a newborn at 3 a.m. I already enjoyed audiobooks (Did I mention I was trying to finish one in the early stages of labor?), but once the baby came, I opened the audio floodgates. This year I’ve only read one physical book, but I’ve read 14 audiobooks.
Books by Women
I didn’t set a firm reading challenge goal like last year. But, in a way, one has fallen into my lap. Besides almost exclusively consuming literature through my ears, without making a conscious choice, I’ve only read books by women this year. From YA romance to thrillers to political memoirs to true crime to literary fiction, I have to say, the ladies are killing it. When I was younger, most of my favorite writers were men (Tim O’Brien, John Irving, etc.). Of course, there are some great men who write out there (David Sedaris will always be a favorite), but I don’t connect to their work on the same visceral level as I do when I read something crafted by a woman. This is, in part, why when we first conceived of Plume, we wanted to showcase the work of women and nonbinary writers. Not only did we want to uplift voices that often have a harder time breaking through the din, but we just connected to the work of women writers more. There is one book by a man I was thinking of adding to my list, but I think I’ll just put him off until next year. I’m enjoying this literary wave I’ve been riding in 2019.
What I’ve Read
Although all the books have been by women, they’ve been pretty diverse otherwise. In no particular order, here’s my 2019 in books so far:
- Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in 40 Questions by Valeria Luiselli (my one physical book)
- Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Life & Work by Victoria Ortiz
- You by Caroline Kepnes
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
- The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
- Far from the Tree by Robin Benway
- Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins
- To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
- P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
- Always & Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
- Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
- I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
- The Witch Elm by Tana French
- The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
At the rate I’m going, I’m hoping to read ten more books. I’m excited to read the sequel to You (narrated by Santino Fontana, which was the only reason I first borrowed it from the library. I’m also watching the Netflix adaptation now). There’s also a YA series about the modern descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson that I’m eager to start.
Mix It Up
I’m not saying you have to become an audiobook fanatic like I am, but if you find yourself wishing you had more time to read, why not download an audiobook and throw it on while you’re doing laundry or driving home from work? (Yes, there are podcasts, too, and I also listen to quite a few of those.) I think it can be a nice change of pace, especially if you find that magical synergy between a writer you love and a voice actor who blows you away.
Do you enjoy audiobooks? What are you reading, writers? Let us know in the comments or on any of our socials: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. We’d love to hear from you!
While you’re here, there are only a couple of days left to donate to Plume’s Kickstarter for our first anthology of women writers. Please consider donating and/or passing the link on to friends. There are a lot of fun reward levels, but just $15 pre-orders you a copy of the anthology, Dear Writer! And if you haven’t already, there’s still time to subscribe to Plume for August.