2020 Reading Challenge
2020 was a year unlike any other, with unprecedented global events and a dramatic shift in daily life. Despite the challenges of the year, one goal I set for myself was to read 40 books cover-to-cover by the end of the year. With a mix of audiobooks, re-reads, and new titles.
The rules of my reading challenge were simple: to be counted, each book had to be read cover-to-cover with no partial credit given. Re-reads were allowed, as were audiobooks and books read for class, work, or pleasure. I was also allowed to read multiple books simultaneously, which allowed me to tackle several titles at once.
2020 Reading challenge and the rules
To be listed, the books must be read cover to cover to count. No partial credit.
Re-reads count.
Audiobooks count.
Books read for class, work, or pleasure count.
Books may, of course, be read simultaneously.
Goal 40 Books
Here are some of my notable favorites:
"21 Lessons for the 21st Century" by Yuval Noah Harari: This thought-provoking book offers insights into some of the most pressing issues facing our world today, such as the rise of artificial intelligence, the future of work, and the role of religion in modern society.
"Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds" by David Goggins: This inspiring memoir tells the story of David Goggins, a former Navy SEAL and ultra-endurance athlete who overcame incredible obstacles to become one of the world's fittest men.
"Red Sparrow Trilogy" by Jason Matthews: This thrilling spy novel series follows the story of a young Russian intelligence officer who is sent to seduce a CIA agent in order to uncover a mole within the Russian government.
"The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women" by Kate Moore: This fascinating and heartbreaking book tells the true story of a group of young women who were employed as radium dial painters in the early 20th century, and who suffered horrific health consequences as a result of their work.
"Magicians of the Gods: The Forgotten Wisdom of Earth's Lost Civilization" by Graham Hancock: This book explores the idea that there may have been advanced civilizations on Earth in the distant past, and that their knowledge and wisdom may have been lost over time.
"America Before: The Key to Earth's Lost Civilization" by Graham Hancock: In this book, Graham Hancock continues his exploration of the idea of lost civilizations, focusing specifically on the pre-Columbian history of North America.
Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown: This series of fast-paced thrillers follows the adventures of Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon as he solves a variety of mysteries and uncovers hidden secrets.
Millennium series by Stieg Larsson: This gripping series of crime novels follows journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander as they investigate a variety of cases, from financial fraud to serial murder.
"Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1 and 2" by Douglas Adams: This classic science fiction series is a must-read for any fan of the genre, offering a humorous and satirical take on the universe and our place in it.
Another standout was "Reality Transurfing Steps I-V" by Vadim Zeland, which offered a unique and eye-opening perspective on personal reality and the ways in which we can take control of our lives and shape our own destiny. On the fiction front, I was hooked on "The Witcher" series by Andrzej Sapkowski, with each book drawing me deeper into the rich and immersive world of Geralt of Rivia. I also loved "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline, which was a fun and nostalgic tribute to 80s pop culture and video games.
Books Read in 2020
1. Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World By Timothy Ferriss
2. Reality Transurfing Steps I-V By Vadim Zeland
3. Love Me, Don't Leave Me: Overcoming Fear of Abandonment and Building Lasting, Loving Relationships By Michelle Skeen
4. Altered Carbon (Takeshi Kovacs, #1) By Richard K. Morgan
5. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life By Jen Sincero
6. A King’s Way: All Thoughts Lead to Success By James Derrickson Jr.
7. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century By Yuval Noah Harari
8. Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds By David Goggins
9. Red Sparrow (Red Sparrow Trilogy #1) By Jason Matthews
10. Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha By Tara Brach
11. The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women By Kate Moore
12. Magicians of the Gods: The Forgotten Wisdom of Earth's Lost Civilization By Graham Hancock
13. America Before: The Key to Earth's Lost Civilization By Graham Hancock
14. The Last Wish (The Witcher, #0.5) By Andrzej Sapkowski
15. Sword of Destiny (The Witcher, #0.7) By Andrzej Sapkowski
16. Season of Storms (The Witcher, #0.6) By Andrzej Sapkowski
17. Blood of Elves (The Witcher, #1) By Andrzej Sapkowski
18. Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, #4) By Jim Butcher
19. The Time of Contempt (The Witcher, #2) By Andrzej Sapkowski
20. Baptism of Fire (The Witcher, #3) By Andrzej Sapkowski
21. The Tower of the Swallow (The Witcher, #4) By Andrzej Sapkowski
22. Lady of the Lake (The Witcher, #5) By Andrzej Sapkowski
23. Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1) By Ernest Cline
24. The Aeronaut's Windlass (The Cinder Spires, #1) By Jim Butcher
25. The Magicians (The Magicians, #1) By Lev Grossman
26. Norse Mythology By Neil Gaiman
27. Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope By Mark Manson
28. The Magician King (The Magicians, #2) By Lev Grossman
29. The Magician's Land (The Magicians, #3) By Lev Grossman
30. The Secret History of Wonder Woman By Jill Lepore
31. The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra By Helen Rappaport
32. The Testaments By Margaret Atwood
33. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones By James Clear
34. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch By Terry Pratchett
35. The Shape of Water By Guillermo del Toro
36. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon By David Grann
37. Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood By William J. Mann
38. Scar Tissue By Anthony Kiedis
39. Wildflower By Drew Barrymore
40. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil By John Berendt
41. Death Masks (The Dresden Files, #5) By Jim Butcher
42. The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History By Robert M. Edsel
43. Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War By Tony Horwitz
44. Open By Andre Agassi
45. Wild Bill: The True Story of the American Frontier's First Gunfighter By Tom Clavin
46. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1) By Cassandra Clare
47. The Lost City of the Monkey God By Douglas Preston
48. Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France's Largest Spy Network Against Hitler By Lynne Olson
49. Lafayette in the Somewhat United States By Sarah Vowell
50. Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging By Sebastian Junger
51. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry By Neil deGrasse Tyson
52. Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon, #1) By Dan Brown
53. Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America By Annie Jacobsen
54. Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution By Neil deGrasse Tyson
55. Armada By Ernest Cline
56. 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created By Charles C. Mann
57. Man's Search for Meaning By Viktor E. Frankl
58. Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike By Phil Knight
59. 1924: The Year That Made Hitler By Peter Ross Range
60. Empire of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans By Gary Krist
61. Palace of Treason (Red Sparrow Trilogy, #2) By Jason Matthews
62. Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World By Eric Metaxas
63. The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2) By Dan Brown
64. My Week With Marilyn By Colin Clark
65. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1) By Stieg Larsson
66. Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love By Carl A. Anderson
67. Valkyrie: The Story of the Plot to Kill Hitler, by Its Last Member By Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager
68. Love Hurts: Buddhist Advice for the Heartbroken By Lodro Rinzler
69. Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art By James Nestor
70. The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts By Gary Chapman
71. The Girl Who Played with Fire (Millennium, #2) By Stieg Larsson
72. The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3) By Dan Brown
73. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly By Anthony Bourdain
74. Inferno (Robert Langdon, #4) By Dan Brown
75. The Zookeeper's Wife By Diane Ackerman
76. Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress By Steven Pinker
77. Circe By Madeline Miller
78. The Spy By Paulo Coelho
79. The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho
80. Origin (Robert Langdon, #5) By Dan Brown
81. The Basque History of the World: The Story of a Nation By Mark Kurlansky
82. The Girl in the Spider's Web (Millennium, #4) By David Lagercrantz
83. A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2) By George R.R. Martin
84. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millennium, #3) By Stieg Larsson
85. A Call for Revolution: A Vision for the Future By Dalai Lama XIV
86. A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3) By George R.R. Martin
87. The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past #1) By Liu Cixin
88. Mexican Gothic By Silvia Moreno-Garcia
89. Acid for the Children By Flea
90. The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye (Millennium, #5) By David Lagercrantz
91. Outlander (Outlander, #1) By Diana Gabaldon
92. Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1) By Tamsyn Muir
93. The Dark Forest (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #2) By Liu Cixin
94. The Year of the Witching By Alexis Henderson
95. A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4) By George R.R. Martin
96. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams By Matthew Walker
97. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1) By Douglas Adams
98. Water for Elephants By Sara Gruen
99. The Three Questions: How to Discover and Master the Power Within You By Miguel Ruiz
100. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI By David Grann
101. Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-To Book By Dan Harris
102. Black Klansman: Race, Hate, and the Undercover Investigation of a Lifetime By Ron Stallworth
103. The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner, #1) By James Dashner
104. A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5) By George R.R. Martin
105. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #2) By Douglas Adams