I've kept some version of these statistics since 2003, and they've just grown in detail and complexity almost every year. They also help keep me honest and encourage me to broaden out in terms of reading and movie watching. It's also just fun to go back and look at them at the end of the year to see if my perceptions are anywhere near accurate (usually not). I'm looking forward to next year when I get to put together the 20-year statistics. In the meantime, here are the numbers and lists (with some reflection at the end):
Statistics from 2021
Number of Books Read: 67
Number Read in the Bathroom: 3
Number Read on an Airplane: 0
Best Books I Read This Year (not necessarily published this year, of course): Brown; Klara and the Sun; How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America; Make Your Home Among Strangers; Hamnet; How Beautiful We Were; Homeland Elegies; Pew; Sissy; Seek You; Cloud Cuckoo Land
Worst Books I Read This Year: none!
Most Disappointing Books I Read This Year: Happiness; Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts; Thinking Inside the Box; At Night All Blood is Black; The Everlasting
Average Read per Month: 5.58
Average Read per Week: 1.29
Number Read in Worst Month: April (2)
Number Read in Best Month: May (11)
Number/Percentage by Male Authors: 28 (43.75%)
Number/Percentage by Female Authors: 35 (54.69%)
Number/Percentage by Non-Binary Authors: 1 (1.56%)
Number/Percentage by LGBTQ+ Authors: 16 (25%)
Number/Percentage that were anthologies: 3 (4.69%)
Number/Percentage by World (Non-American or British) Authors: 9 (13.85%)
Number/Percentage by American Racial/Ethnic Minorities: 27 (41.54%)
Number/Percentage by British Racial/Ethnic Minorities: 3 (4.62%)
Fiction as Percentage of Total: 41 (61.2%)
Non-Fiction as Percentage of Total: 19 (28.36%)
Poetry as Percentage of Total: 2 (2.99%)
Drama as Percentage of Total: 0
Graphic Novels as Percentage of Total: 5 (7.46%)
Number of Movies Watched: 80
Number/Percentage Watched in a Theater: 43 (53.75%)
Number/Percentage Watched on an Airplane: 0
Number/Percentage Watched by Myself: 50 (62.5%)
Number/Percentage Watched with Courtney: 24 (30%)
Number/Percentage Watched with Steve: 5 (6.25%)
Number/Percentage Watched with Courtney and Steve: 1 (1.25%)
Average Watched per Month: 6.67
Average Watched per Week: 1.54
Number Watched in Worst Month: 4 (October and November)
Number Watched in Best Month: 11 (May)
Fiction as Percentage of Total: 79 (98.75%)
Non-Fiction (Documentaries) as Percentage of Total: 1 (1.25%)
Best Movies I Saw This Year (not necessarily released this year or viewed for the first time): The Hurt Locker; News of the World; The Dig; Judas and the Black Messiah; The Courier; Minari; The Father; The Trial of the Chicago 7; Sound of Metal; Another Round; Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (twice); The Mauritanian; Undercover Brother; Hope Gap; I Am Not a Witch; Bodied; Roots (2016); Moonlight; Pig; CODA; Queen and Slim; Mogul Mowgli; Spencer; The Power of the Dog; The Matrix: Resurrections (I’m torn here; whenever I watched it (twice), I didn’t think it would make this list, but I just kept thinking about it, which is always a good sign)
honorable mention for Free Guy, which was much better than it had any right to be
Worst Movies I Saw This Year: The Devil Has a Name; Jungle Cruise
Most Disappointing Movies: Boogie; A Quiet Place, Part II; All is True; The Sparks Brothers; Black Widow; Legally Blonde; The French Dispatch; Doctor Strange
Number of Academic Presentations: 1
Number of Academic Publications: 1
Number of Creative Publications: 6 (3 poems; 3 essays)
Number of Books Published: 0
Number of Readings: 0
Number of Races Run: 5 (3 half-marathons; 1 10K, 1 5K); Carnival Frolic Half in Decatur, AL; Gallatin Shamrock Run (my fastest 10K: 43:57); 65 Roses (5K); Berry College Half; The Middle Half in Murfreesboro (my fastest half: 1:41:08)
I read fewer books and watched fewer movies this year, yet I didn’t feel that was the case throughout the year. I’ve discovered by keeping these statistics how often my perceptions are simply wrong. For example, I thought I read much more nonfiction this year than I did last year, but I didn’t (28.36% this year to 37.5% last year; in thinking about this later, I remembered that I was preparing to teach a creative nonfiction class last year, so of course I would have read more then). I also thought I spread my reading out over the course of the year better this year, but the statistics don’t bear that out, either. However, my feeling that that was the case is encouraging, as I didn’t feel like I was trying to cram books in to the Christmas break, as I often feel compelled to do.
The move, living arrangements, and new job all contribute to some of these changes, of course. First, with a solid vacation in July and the move at the beginning of August, I didn’t read as much or watch as many movies as I would have during that time. Because I’m living in a one-bedroom apartment in Nashville without a television or Netflix DVDs (yes, I still use them, as there’s way too many movies there that just don’t stream anywhere else), I’ve watched fewer movies at home. I understand that this new generation watches movies on their computers and their phones, but I just don’t enjoy that experience nearly as much. I did watch two movies on the computer, but I would prefer not to do that if I have other options. And I do have other options, as living in Nashville provides me with many more movie choices (thanks, Belcourt). Thus, I watched a much higher percentage of movies in a theater (53.75% this year to 18.6% last year; of course, there was a panedmic that closed the theaters for quite some time in 2020; this year's numbers line up pretty well with 2019).
I also simply had more time this fall to go to movies and read books during the week, something I always struggled with in my previous job. Because I have a more manageable teaching load, I have time to read, write, and watch during the week and on weekends. That’s helped with the overall feel, as I don’t feel like I’m having to rush through a book or a series of movies to get them finished before I have to go back to work.
This is the first year I kept statistics on how many books I read by LGBTQ+ authors, and I’m glad to see that at least a quarter of my total books came from writers who identify as such. Of course, such a number isn’t accurate, as many authors are unable to or don’t openly identify. In some cases, I couldn’t tell whether somebody was or wasn’t, as there was simply no information one way or another. I’m thankful the author is able to keep their life private, as that’s more important than any statistics I keep.
I’m also glad to see that I didn’t think any of the books I read this year were just bad. Even those I read that I thought were disappointing or didn’t resonate with me as they did with others says as much about me as it does the books (and movies, actually) themselves. I know all too well that I might feel differently about a book or movie if I read/saw it at a different time (and possibly in difference circumstances). Well, maybe not Jungle Cruise, but that one wasn’t my choice.
I’ve also been trying to write more often in the second half of the year, and that’s begun to pay off with some acceptances/publications. I’ll work on continuing that in 2022, and I’m even trying to branch out with some book reviews and guest blog posts (I’m open to offers/suggestions). I can’t ever count on these statistics, of course, as I can just write what I need to write as best I can, then send them out and hope somebody out there thinks they’re worth publishing. Or I can always put them up on a blog (ahem).
Last, the running went quite well this year, as I ran more races than I have run in 11 years. That led to my running my fastest 10K (when I didn’t expect to do so) and my fastest half marathon (I was surprised to do it on that day, as well). However, I’m ending the year with an injury that I just can’t figure out. I’ve been to two physical therapists and have another appointment on Jan. 3. I hope we can get it straightened out, as I’ve been really enjoying running over the past couple of years.
Statistics from 2021
Number of Books Read: 67
Number Read in the Bathroom: 3
Number Read on an Airplane: 0
Best Books I Read This Year (not necessarily published this year, of course): Brown; Klara and the Sun; How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America; Make Your Home Among Strangers; Hamnet; How Beautiful We Were; Homeland Elegies; Pew; Sissy; Seek You; Cloud Cuckoo Land
Worst Books I Read This Year: none!
Most Disappointing Books I Read This Year: Happiness; Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts; Thinking Inside the Box; At Night All Blood is Black; The Everlasting
Average Read per Month: 5.58
Average Read per Week: 1.29
Number Read in Worst Month: April (2)
Number Read in Best Month: May (11)
Number/Percentage by Male Authors: 28 (43.75%)
Number/Percentage by Female Authors: 35 (54.69%)
Number/Percentage by Non-Binary Authors: 1 (1.56%)
Number/Percentage by LGBTQ+ Authors: 16 (25%)
Number/Percentage that were anthologies: 3 (4.69%)
Number/Percentage by World (Non-American or British) Authors: 9 (13.85%)
Number/Percentage by American Racial/Ethnic Minorities: 27 (41.54%)
Number/Percentage by British Racial/Ethnic Minorities: 3 (4.62%)
Fiction as Percentage of Total: 41 (61.2%)
Non-Fiction as Percentage of Total: 19 (28.36%)
Poetry as Percentage of Total: 2 (2.99%)
Drama as Percentage of Total: 0
Graphic Novels as Percentage of Total: 5 (7.46%)
Number of Movies Watched: 80
Number/Percentage Watched in a Theater: 43 (53.75%)
Number/Percentage Watched on an Airplane: 0
Number/Percentage Watched by Myself: 50 (62.5%)
Number/Percentage Watched with Courtney: 24 (30%)
Number/Percentage Watched with Steve: 5 (6.25%)
Number/Percentage Watched with Courtney and Steve: 1 (1.25%)
Average Watched per Month: 6.67
Average Watched per Week: 1.54
Number Watched in Worst Month: 4 (October and November)
Number Watched in Best Month: 11 (May)
Fiction as Percentage of Total: 79 (98.75%)
Non-Fiction (Documentaries) as Percentage of Total: 1 (1.25%)
Best Movies I Saw This Year (not necessarily released this year or viewed for the first time): The Hurt Locker; News of the World; The Dig; Judas and the Black Messiah; The Courier; Minari; The Father; The Trial of the Chicago 7; Sound of Metal; Another Round; Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (twice); The Mauritanian; Undercover Brother; Hope Gap; I Am Not a Witch; Bodied; Roots (2016); Moonlight; Pig; CODA; Queen and Slim; Mogul Mowgli; Spencer; The Power of the Dog; The Matrix: Resurrections (I’m torn here; whenever I watched it (twice), I didn’t think it would make this list, but I just kept thinking about it, which is always a good sign)
honorable mention for Free Guy, which was much better than it had any right to be
Worst Movies I Saw This Year: The Devil Has a Name; Jungle Cruise
Most Disappointing Movies: Boogie; A Quiet Place, Part II; All is True; The Sparks Brothers; Black Widow; Legally Blonde; The French Dispatch; Doctor Strange
Number of Academic Presentations: 1
Number of Academic Publications: 1
Number of Creative Publications: 6 (3 poems; 3 essays)
Number of Books Published: 0
Number of Readings: 0
Number of Races Run: 5 (3 half-marathons; 1 10K, 1 5K); Carnival Frolic Half in Decatur, AL; Gallatin Shamrock Run (my fastest 10K: 43:57); 65 Roses (5K); Berry College Half; The Middle Half in Murfreesboro (my fastest half: 1:41:08)
I read fewer books and watched fewer movies this year, yet I didn’t feel that was the case throughout the year. I’ve discovered by keeping these statistics how often my perceptions are simply wrong. For example, I thought I read much more nonfiction this year than I did last year, but I didn’t (28.36% this year to 37.5% last year; in thinking about this later, I remembered that I was preparing to teach a creative nonfiction class last year, so of course I would have read more then). I also thought I spread my reading out over the course of the year better this year, but the statistics don’t bear that out, either. However, my feeling that that was the case is encouraging, as I didn’t feel like I was trying to cram books in to the Christmas break, as I often feel compelled to do.
The move, living arrangements, and new job all contribute to some of these changes, of course. First, with a solid vacation in July and the move at the beginning of August, I didn’t read as much or watch as many movies as I would have during that time. Because I’m living in a one-bedroom apartment in Nashville without a television or Netflix DVDs (yes, I still use them, as there’s way too many movies there that just don’t stream anywhere else), I’ve watched fewer movies at home. I understand that this new generation watches movies on their computers and their phones, but I just don’t enjoy that experience nearly as much. I did watch two movies on the computer, but I would prefer not to do that if I have other options. And I do have other options, as living in Nashville provides me with many more movie choices (thanks, Belcourt). Thus, I watched a much higher percentage of movies in a theater (53.75% this year to 18.6% last year; of course, there was a panedmic that closed the theaters for quite some time in 2020; this year's numbers line up pretty well with 2019).
I also simply had more time this fall to go to movies and read books during the week, something I always struggled with in my previous job. Because I have a more manageable teaching load, I have time to read, write, and watch during the week and on weekends. That’s helped with the overall feel, as I don’t feel like I’m having to rush through a book or a series of movies to get them finished before I have to go back to work.
This is the first year I kept statistics on how many books I read by LGBTQ+ authors, and I’m glad to see that at least a quarter of my total books came from writers who identify as such. Of course, such a number isn’t accurate, as many authors are unable to or don’t openly identify. In some cases, I couldn’t tell whether somebody was or wasn’t, as there was simply no information one way or another. I’m thankful the author is able to keep their life private, as that’s more important than any statistics I keep.
I’m also glad to see that I didn’t think any of the books I read this year were just bad. Even those I read that I thought were disappointing or didn’t resonate with me as they did with others says as much about me as it does the books (and movies, actually) themselves. I know all too well that I might feel differently about a book or movie if I read/saw it at a different time (and possibly in difference circumstances). Well, maybe not Jungle Cruise, but that one wasn’t my choice.
I’ve also been trying to write more often in the second half of the year, and that’s begun to pay off with some acceptances/publications. I’ll work on continuing that in 2022, and I’m even trying to branch out with some book reviews and guest blog posts (I’m open to offers/suggestions). I can’t ever count on these statistics, of course, as I can just write what I need to write as best I can, then send them out and hope somebody out there thinks they’re worth publishing. Or I can always put them up on a blog (ahem).
Last, the running went quite well this year, as I ran more races than I have run in 11 years. That led to my running my fastest 10K (when I didn’t expect to do so) and my fastest half marathon (I was surprised to do it on that day, as well). However, I’m ending the year with an injury that I just can’t figure out. I’ve been to two physical therapists and have another appointment on Jan. 3. I hope we can get it straightened out, as I’ve been really enjoying running over the past couple of years.