72 Books Read in 2019

This year I read 20 books less than last year, but I read several thicker books, which I set out to do for 2019. For example, I read Isabel Wilkerson’s 640-page The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration, David W. Blight’s 912-page Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, and Jill Lepore’s 960-page These Truths: a History of the United States. I loved these three books.

I read mostly nonfiction in English and fiction in Vietnamese. I tried to switch back and forth between English and Vietnamese, but I could not get my hands on new Vietnamese books this year. As a result, I read more English than Vietnamese. Before the break, I went through all the Vietnamese bookshelves in Fairfax public libraries and just pick out any book I find interesting rather than the release date.

My goal for 2020 is to continue to read as much as I can. Reading has been a way for me to stay relax and focus, especially after a long day of work and taking care of my kids. I still prefer paper book over electronic. I still have two books on my phone that I haven’t finished for almost a year. Somehow putting my head down on a physical book seems less guilty than glueing my eyes to my phone. I still carry a book with me everywhere I go. When the kids napped in the car, I have a book on hand to keep me company. Waiting in line is less irritating with a book. With a book, I can go out without my phone and it is liberating. I am not sure if my interest in reading with fade in the future, but for now I enjoy my reading life. It is such a wonderful privilege.