Writing and Reading Through the New Year

2015 has been an incredible year for me, full of development, both personal and professional, world travel, and big changes. I can already tell that the new year will bring more of the same.  I think it’s time for a rest during this holiday season and so I bring to you now my annual year-end blog post. As always, I will look back and list all the books that I have read (and as always, and with great embarrassment, excluding poetry collections which somehow get shelved and not recorded — forgive me poets. Do know that I read you always, and my heart is always yours).
In the name of change, though, I would like to do one thing differently with my year-end blog this year, and that is to unashamedly point you in the direction of this link. With that simple click you can read all about the creative writing charity I founded this year, Writing Through, and the plans we have for next year and beyond. Our work is taking us well beyond Cambodia now, and we need everyone’s help to bring the workshops to all the organisations and schools who are requesting them. You, my readers, understand more than most the importance of story telling, and the way language fluency and conceptual thought can positively affect self-esteem and change lives. We at Writing Through believe that these are some of the most forceful antidotes to poverty. At this time of  year especially, do consider helping us increase literacy throughout the world with a donation of any size (and US tax payers take note — we are a registered 501c3 and so your gift will be tax-deductible). Help us help everyone find their voice!
And with that, here are the books I’ve read in 2015. Note the unusual ones, too, many of which have helped me to start writing the next novel!
Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage, Haruki Murakami
Mr. Bazakgette’s Agent, Leonard Merrick
Lucky Child, Loung Ung
Towers of Trebizond, Rose MacAulay
River of Time, Jon Swain
Some Luck, Jane Smiley
Storm Warning, Jane Smiley
Our Souls at Night, Kent Haruf
The Paying Guests, Sarah Waters
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage,  Alice Munro
The Keepers of the House, Shirley Ann Grau
Temple in the Clouds: Faith and Conflict at Preah Vihear, John Burgess
All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr
Ed’s Wife and Other Creatures, Vanessa Gebbie
Beautiful Trees, Nik Perring
Creative Schools, Sir Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica
Being Mortal, Atul Gawande
 
Next up….Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping and Elizabeth Baines’ Used to Be
 
And now all that is left to do is to wish you all a wonderful holiday season, and a new year full of writing, reading, health, peace and international understanding.
 
Love and thanks,
Sue