Reigniting Desire (to read)

Have you ever felt like maybe your interest in a thing that is/has-been very much Your Thing was changing/waning… Only to discover something new (or new to you) that reignites the flame?

That was me, with reading, in 2022.

I think that most people would consider my ‘body count’ where books are concerned to be pretty high. Between Jan 1, 2017 and December 31, 2021, I averaged 63 books per year. But for the last two of those years (2020 and 2021), my yearly total was less than ‘typical’ (again: for me) and I was starting to feel like the kinds of books I *liked* — the authors/genres/storylines/content I gravitate to — were just… Not being written anymore.

And then came 2022.

And I discovered — not with surprise exactly, but definitely with pleasure — that {1} there were Golden Age writers whose catalogs I had barely skimmed the surface of, and that {2} there were contemporary writers who were doing delightful New Things with/about my Old Favorites.

Which led to a significant increase in [a] the amount of reading I did, and [b] my enjoyment of the reading did.

So if you happen to be in the same boat, happen to enjoy mysteries (which is my #1 go-to pleasure read), or are just looking for a ‘maybe I’ll try it out’ type of book rec (but not a *real* book rec, because I don’t do that), the following examples might be of interest to you:

• New Twists on Christie: Sophie Hannah has revived Hercule Poirot and writes the character into his original era (1920s), staying true to Poirot-appropriate settings (country manors appear in more than one book), and showing off his inimical peccadilloes with aplomb. The first of Hannah’s novels is titled The Monogram Murders, but there are four (so far) and they can be read in any order. Additionally, author Colleen Cambridge has invented a housekeeper-cum-sleuth character named Phyllida Bright, who works for [a fictionalized] Agatha Christie and solves murders at and around Mallowan Hall. (Christie’s second — and long-faithful — real-life husband was Max Mallowan.)
• Ngaio Marsh: I’ve long been a fan of P.D. James, whose character Adam Dalgliesh definitely has a predecessor. That predecessor’s name is Roderick Alleyn, and his inventor was Ngaio Marsh. I picked up her book Scales of Justice on a whim (this is the joy of used book shopping!) and promptly feel in love with this gentlemanly detective. So much so, that after reading around her catalog a bit (jumping about in a series is kind of my thing; first books are often bombs), I found a list of her books in order and have gone back to the beginning to read them all. There are only six left waiting on my shelf for me to read at this point (she wrote 32 total) and I am sad that my time with Handsome Alleyn will soon be at an end.

The other thing I discovered in 2022: ThriftBooks. (<— Full Disclosure: That is a referral link. If you use it and end up making an order of $30, I will get a free used book out of the deal.)

I’m not typically a fan of online book shopping, but that’s because I prefer the ‘feel’ of a real book store… And preferably a real Used Book store.

Since the ThriftBooks website is formatted to be shoppable — and searchable — in much the same way as my fave used book stores are… And since you get free shipping on an order as low as $15… And since you earn points towards free books every time you make a purchase…

Well.

It works, eh? 😉

For me, anyway.

If you think it might work for you too, I’d encourage you to give it a try. (And I’m happy to share some shopping tips — just let me know!)

SO

Having had my passion-flame for reading re-ignited in 2022, I burned through 187 books last year.

How about you?

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Are you a reader? What books did you love (or hate) in 2022?

Please let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear!