Wednesday, January 09, 2019

2018: My Year in Books




It's that time of year again when I look through my Excel spreadsheets (yes, I have those to track my reading) and go to ChartGo to make some pretty (and free) graphs so I can share last year's reading statistics with you. I've already shared my Best Reads of the year, so here goes with some of those other numbers!



Setting is important to me as I read. I love to learn about other parts of the world, especially those which I probably will never visit. I keep track of the setting of each book that I read on an online map service, ZeeMaps, and if you go to Book Travels by City 2018, you can follow my travels around the globe. You can enlarge the map, move it all around, click on the red markers to see the books I read that were set in that location, etc. It's something fun for me to do, and it can help me focus my reading.


How Many Books Did I Read Overall?



Online Graphing


As you can see, this is the first time in six years that I haven't read over 200 books. I chalk that up to all the eye procedures I underwent from August through November, many of which forbade me cracking open any books for a few days. But I have noticed that-- even before then-- I was more easily distracted than I have been in the past, so I've adjusted my Goodreads reading challenge for 2019. I tend to be competitive, which isn't always a good thing. If these distractions are trying to lead me in new directions, I want to be able to follow them without feeling guilty for neglecting one of my other goals. I know. I'm strange.


How Many eBooks Did I Read?


Online Graphing


Here's something that doesn't happen very often: I read the same number of eBooks this year as I did last year. I would've thought the number would be higher. Shows you what I know!



How Did I Rate the Books I Read?


Online Graphing


Compared to last year, I rated more books as "A" and I had more "C" and "D" books. I didn't rate any as DNF (Did Not Finish) although in hindsight, at least half those D's should've been consigned to that category.



Female vs. Male Authors, Old and New


Online Graphing


Last year, my reading was pretty evenly split between the sexes, and I even read the same number of new authors for each. I'm finding that, more and more often, the new books that are appealing to me are written by female authors. I don't know if that has more to say about me or about the caliber of women writers who are coming on the scene. What do you think?


Mystery Subgenres


Online Graphing


Compared to last year, my fondness for police procedurals is holding steady, while the number of cozies I read fell from 42 to this year's 27. The cozy number doesn't really surprise me as I realized that I wasn't enjoying them nearly as much as in the past. Series that I'd been reading faithfully had become stale, and if I could look at a title and honestly think that I could care less what happened in the next book, I decided not to read it. Life's too short, and all that!

Another subgenre showing a significant decrease was short stories, mostly because I'd overdosed on Agatha Christie in 2017. Which subgenres showed an increase? I read twice as many P.I. books as last year and historicals and thrillers were up, too.


Where Do I Get My Books?


Online Graphing

The numbers may be different than last year's, but the percentages are almost identical. Well... maybe not. The number of ARCs are down, and purchased ones up, which doesn't bother me.


Publication Dates


Online Graphing


This is a breakdown that has held steady since I started keeping Excel spreadsheets in 2010. It's obvious that I'm a reader that likes her books hot off the press.


Reading By Month


Online Graphing


There is a big change in this category of my reading. In years past, the summer months have been my major reading time when I've normally read thirty books per month in June, July, August, and September. More than anything else, I think this shows the problems I had with my eyes. Even though I was firmly ensconced in the shade, I think the brilliantly harsh Arizona sun caused me problems I wasn't fully aware of. And after all those eye surgeries (the last ones in November), you can see that I've started getting my reading mojo back.


oOo


I could dazzle you with more graphs and more breakdowns and more suppositions, but I think these are the main ones that those of you who like reading these kinds of statistics will want to see. It's going to be interesting to find out where my reading takes me this year. 

Here's to 2019!



10 comments:

  1. These statistics are interesting, Cathy, and I think you are right that your eye surgeries impacted your reading. But that's 2018 and 2019 will be a whole new ball game. I read a lot more women writers than men and have for a number of years. Not sure why, but there it is.

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    1. Our minds know what they're hungry for, I suppose.

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  2. As always, Cathy, I'm so impressed with the way you've kept track of (and depicted!) your reading. I wish you a very productive 2019 in reading!

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  3. I always enjoy looking at your past year's statistics. I always marvel at readers who read 100 plus books a year. Some on GR read over 300. It seems like I read every day and I read about 70 books a year. It must have to do somewhat with the speed of the reading besides the time spent.I feel that I spend the time. What I am looking forward to is seeing which book becomes the first on your 1st for best of 2019.

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    1. I am in awe of those who read over 300 books per year. I think they're true speed readers, and that's something I've never really wanted to learn.

      I was looking at my Best Reads graphic last night, wondering when I'd be putting up the 2019 version.

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  4. I love your charts and stats! How inspiring! Zeemap and Chartgo look really fun and easy enough to use. I probably need to work on my Excel spreadsheet skills, you have tracked lots of interesting categories! Mostly, aside from total, I can tell you I only read 5 non-fiction books, by counting them manually!

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    1. I used to include more categories and side-by-side year comparisons, but the post was unwieldy and took forever to put together, so I decided to streamline it. I'm glad you enjoy taking a look. One of these years, I may include a category or two that I've never shared.

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  5. Great charts. Much appreciated. Always fascinating to read them. Makes me miss Bernadette at Reactions to Reading, who also did charts.
    But your good books' recommendations add to my groaning TBR lists. I await your reviews of new books.

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    1. I was thinking of Bernadette when I put together this post.

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