2012 Books and Movies

As promised, here is some in depth analysis on my books and movies/tv consumed in 2012.

BOOKS

Memorable Books from this year: This is not a definitive list by any means.

Worse Books Read this year: I read the Fifty Shades of Grey and the two sequels at the urging of a friend so that we could make fun of it. Oh, we made fun of it for two weeks, but my goodness, these books were horrible.

New-to-me Authors I look forward to reading more of: Erin Morgenstern, Haruki Murakami, Henry James, Laura Moriarty, and Georgette Heyer.

Books I found challenging to read: Bel-Ami because it was in French.

Classics Club update: In the first seven months of the Classics Club, I’ve completed 12 books. Off to a fine start.

Stats!

Author that I read the most this year: Georgette Heyer with 17. That’s 26% of the books read. While some of her books are slightly repetitive, they are generally very fun and addictive.

Poetry: 0. I really should read at least one poetry book for 2013. That’s usually my average.

Authors Split by Gender: Of the 65 books, 49 (75%) were written or edited by women and 16 (24%) were written or edited by men. This is the norm that I read more books written by women, but it was a particularly female year though. I don’t go out of my way to read any books by one gender though, but this is my first time really counting the split.

Nonfiction Books: 4 (6%). That’s an abysmal number so I really need to up it to at least 10% in 2013. The four books were on: reading, relationships, travel, and maths. That’s more or less my usual topics except I usually have a food book in there somewhere.

Total number of books read: 65. This isn’t a bad number. Let’s compare all book numbers for the last ten years for statistical purposes:
2012: 65
2011: 50
2010: 67
2009: 20
2008: 83
2007: 52
2006: 61
2005: 83
2004: 71
2005: 66
2002: 66

I did better than last year which wasn’t that hard, but I’m surprised I read less than 2010. Then again, I think I read more classics this year. I seem to stay within the same twenty book range. I should aim to go back up to 83 again, but I just want to read just as much or more as the year before so I’m sticking to 65ish for 2013.

Also, I went back and looked at my reviews for the ones I feel particularly proud of writing whether because I invested a lot time in it or that it was very personal and reflective.

Book Reviews of Note: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami, Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, and Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.

MOVIES AND TV

I find it harder to write about TV than for books or movies. Perhaps I see that as even more escapist and distraction than movies or books. The latter of which is not only an escape but an exercise of the mind. Or maybe since I watch a lot of TV as it is airing, I have less time to write my complete thoughts on it.

Here are some TV shows from this year that I watched, followed, and in some cases, loved:

From America and the UK: “Homeland”, “Downton Abbey”, “Once Upon a Time”, “Hart of Dixie”, “Elementary”, “Switched at Birth”, “Boardwalk Empire”, “The Borgias” (S1) “Justice League” and “Justice League Unlimited”

From Korea: “Rooftop Prince”, “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” – Pretty much the only Asian dramas I saw this year. It was a low TV/movies year.

Memorable Movies from this year:

Labyrinth: No wonder this movie has a cult following.
Whisper from the Heart: Added to my ever growing list of Ghibli favourites. Definitely going to need a rewatch.
Shame. Just for the tone and Fassbender’s performance. It left an impression even though I don’t want to rewatch it.
The Secret World of Arrietty. Yet another lovely Ghibli film.
The Artist. Even though I had issues with the casting, I really loved this as a homage to an era that I really like.

Movie/TV Reviews of Note: Austen Adaptations, The Artist, and Sungkyunkwan Scandal

Finally, here is my complete list of books and movies read and consumed in 2012, ordered by month. If you want all the reviews of the books, go to the 2012 Books tag and for the movies, 2012 Movies.

I do not record the books reread, and the final counts do not take rewatch or rereads into consideration.

Books Consumed:

January
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
What Alice forgot by Liane Moriarty
The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel by Anthony Horowitz
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morgan
The 39 Steps by John Buchan
February
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander) by Diana Gabaldon
A Study in Sherlock: Stories inspired by the Holmes canon Ed. by Laurie R. King
The Fiery Cross (Outlander, #5) by Diana Gabaldon
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander, #6) by Diana Gabaladon
The Scottish Prisoner: A Novel by Diana Gabaladon
I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
March
You Deserve Nothing by Alexander Maksik
The Number Mysteries: A Mathematical Odyssey through Everyday Life by Marcus du Sautoy
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
April
Girl Reading by Katie Ward
Timeless (Parasol Protectorate, #5) by Gail Carriger
The Best American Travel Writing 2011 Ed. by Sloane Crosley
Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer
A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer
Tides of War by Stella Tillyard
May
The Walking People by Mary Beth Keane
The Maladjusted by Derek Hayes
The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer
These Old Shades (Alistair, #1) by Georgette Heyer
The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer
June
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer
Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Friday’s Child by Georgette Heyer
The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
April Lady by Georgette Heyer
The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht
The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer
Sylvester by Georgette Heyer
July
Frederica by Georgette Heyer
The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer
Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer
Cotillion by Georgette Heyer
Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty
August
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Shades of Milk and Honey (Glamourist Histories, #1) by Mary Robinette Kowal
Lady Susan by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith
Love and Freindship by Jane Austen
Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James
Fifty Shades Darker by E. L. James
September
Fifty Shades Freed by E. L. James
Where We Belong by Emily Giffin
Arabella by Georgette Heyer
Venetia by Georgette Heyer
October
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough by Lori Gottlieb
Lost Laysen by Margaret Mitchell
November
Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 1 by Gail Carriger and REN
December
Habibi by Craig Thompson
More Baths, Less Talking by Nick Hornby
Bel-Ami by Guy de Maupassant

Total: 65

Movies Consumed:

In Theatres
The Hunger Games (03 04 2012)
Magic Mike (29 07 2012)

January
Great Expectations (2011) (01 01 2012)
The Lovers (1994) (02 01 2012)
Downton Abbey S1 (14 01 2012)
Homeland S1 (15 01 2012)
Downton Abbey S2 (18 01 2012)
Emma 2009 (24 01 2012)
Cowboys & Aliens (27 01 2012)
The Help (28 01 2012)

February
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (01 02 2012)
Ladies in Lavender (10 02 2012)
The Artist (23 02 2012)

March
The Secret World of Arrietty (12 03 2012)
Captain America: The First Avenger (29 03 2012)

April
The Muppets (09 04 2012)
The Castle of Cagliostro (13, 15 04 2012)

June
Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (13,15 06 2012)
Black Swan (15 06 2012)
Shame (20 06 2012)
Cleopatra (21-22 06 2012)
Beginners (25 06 2012)
Death on the Nile (25 06 2012)

August
“Northanger Abbey” 1986 (24 08 2012)
“Pride and Prejudice” 1980 (27-8 08 2012)

September
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (08 09 2012)
Intouchables (09 09 2012)
Father Goose (23 09 2012)

October
The Avengers (28 10 2012)

November
Whisper of the Heart (04 11 2012)
My Neighbors The Yamadas (10 11 2012)
The Cat Returns (11 11 12)
Batman: The Mystery of the Batwoman (28 11 12)
Justice League: Doom (28 11 12)

December
Labyrinth (11-12 12 12)
Just a Gigolo (16 12 12)
From Up on Poppy Hill (27 12 2012)

Total: 38

For all the lists of my books and movies consumed since 2002 visit my blogspot Athena’s Journal of Books & Movies Consumed. Eventually, I will try to move them all over here, but I’m not sure when or how yet.

What were your highlights of 2012?

4 thoughts on “2012 Books and Movies

  • Susan

    wow that’s good you’ve been keeping track since 2002; those are good numbers! I should check out the Night Circus and I’m curious about the TV show Homeland. Is it quite good? cheers

    Reply
    • athena (Post author)

      Hi Susan! I love lists and always have. It’s quite useful to track what you read since I sometimes forget. I really enjoy Homeland. The acting is very good and I think people had mixed feelings about season two, but I still liked it overall. It’s like a smarter version of “24” basically. Have a good weekend! 🙂

      Reply
  • jessicabookworm

    Well done I think you had an excellent reading year in 2012. I hope 2013 is as good if not better!
    I am also really pleased to see we have such similar taste in television. I also watch Homeland, Downton Abbey, Boardwalk Empire, and The Borgias.

    Reply

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