2018 Reading List
I have compiled a list of books that I will be reading in 2018. They are not in the order I’ll read them but I have tried to include a mix of genres. I have included the Classics series that I have not finished, Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy and Non-fiction in the list.
The Hound of Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
I found this Sherlock Holmes novel as the shop had a discount and it cost 10 pence. Published in 1902, it is the third of the Crime Novels Doyle wrote featuring Detective Sherlock Holmes. I have not read a Sherlock Holmes book yet; the characterisation of Holmes and Watson should be interesting.
I know why the Caged Bird sings by Maya Angelou
This is the first volume of Maya Angelou’s biography and it was recommended to me on Goodreads based on the books I have in my reading list. This is about her early childhood in the American South in the 1930’s and discusses the discrimination she faced, her family life and discovering her talents.
The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands
In 2004 Mary Seacole was voted the Greatest Black Briton. A Jamaican born nurse, she became known for her work with the wounded in the Crimean Wars. Unlike Florence Nightingale who worked safely away from the battle scene, she went further to the frontlines to provide assistance, risking her own life. This is near the top of the reading list.
Dust Tracks on A Road by Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston is a well-known novelist from the Harlem Renaissance as well as a journalist and critic. This autobiography was published in 1942 and has compliments from other writers such as Alice Walker and Toni Morrison.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
A non-fiction book about the factors involved in success. It examines the influence of talent, wealth, persistence and fortunateness in becoming successful. He discusses perceived intelligence and the decision making involved in success.
Sing Unburied Sing by Jasmine Ward
This was the winner of the National Book Award 2017 and is the third novel by author Jasmyn Ward. When reviewing it, Ron Charles, who was writing for the Washington Post compared the novel to Toni Morrison’s Beloved.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
This was recommended by Ameriie, a singer and author, on her Goodreads account and her YouTube channel. The book is about a family that move into a new neighbourhood and issues they face with their background after they attempt the adoption process and the custody battle that ensues.
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
A historical fiction book set in Germany during World War Two. A young girl Liesel learns to read, steals books and gives them to a Jewish refugee hiding in the basement of the home where she lives.
The Rose Petal Beach by Dorothy Koomson
This book was a Christmas present and is the eighth novel by British author Dorothy Koomson. It was shortlisted for the British Book Awards In 2012.
Chasing the Stars
A fantasy book by Malorie Blackman, it was published in 2016 and involves twins heading back to earth on a spaceship, after a virus has wiped out their family and the crew on board.
The Hobbit by J.R Tolkien
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
One hundred years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Hard Times by Charles Dickens
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift