Book Plans 2016 and Review of 2015

Since previous years' book challenges have provided me with lots of motivation to make progress in the ever-growing stack of unread books, I'm making plans for the new year. Here's the list of what I'd like to get read in 2016, divided semi-thematically. Some books could easily slip into other categories.

Women's studies

• The Concept of Woman: The Aristotelian Revolution 750 B.C. - A.D. 1250 by Sister Prudence Allen
• The Flight from Woman by Karl Stern
• The Wisdom of Hildegard of Bingen compiled by Fiona Bowie
• Medieval Women Mystics edited by Elizabeth Ruth Obbard
• Heloise and Abelard by Etienne Gilson
• Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel

English-themed non-fiction

• English Catholic Heroines edited by Joanna Bogle
• Newton and the Counterfeiters by Thomas Levenson
• History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth 
• Richard III by David Baldwin
• Thomas More: A Portrait of Courage by Gerard B. Wegmer
• The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer

Philosophy/theology

• Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages by Umberto Eco
• The Art of Praying by Romano Guardini
• The Journey of the Mind to God by Bonaventure
• A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge by George Berkeley
• A Letter Concerning Toleration by John Locke
• On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Life by Friedrich Nietzsche

Fiction

• Two from Michael O'Brien's end time series--I didn't get to these last year, so I will try again.
• Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.--Why haven't I read this classic yet?
• The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun by J. R. R. Tolkien--I've always been interested in the Ring Cycle so I hope this fills in some holes.
• The Woodcutter by Kate Danley--a birthday present!
• Chasing the Phoenix by Michael Swanwick--a Christmas present!

I'm signing up for the 2016 Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge for another 52 reviews. I'll probably start the Fables series or Morning Glories.



 Here's the results from last year:

Books of fiction:

• Two from Michael O'Brien's end time series--I'm not sure which ones but I will list them.--Epic fail here, maybe in 2016.
• Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. Reviewed here! Lots of fun.
• Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. Reviewed here! Lots of pretension.
• In this House of Brede by Rumer Godden (which I started in 2014 over Christmas, so this will be the first to finish I'm sure--there's a discussion on A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast). Reviewed here! A great work, probably top ten or top twenty books of all time.
• Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor (which will be discussed by A Good Story is Hard to Find in early January). Reviewed here! Can't go wrong with Flannery O'Connor!
• The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. The trilogy is well-crafted and quite enjoyable.
• Mistborn. Reviewed here!
• Well of Ascension. Reviewed here!
• Hero of Ages. Reviewed here!
• City Beyond Time by John C. Wright--a Christmas present! Reviewed here!
• Hell House by Richard Matheson--a birthday present! Reviewed here!

Books on theology/religion:

• Jesus of Nazareth: Infancy Narratives by Benedict XVI--a Christmas present (how appropriate!). Reviewed here--will probably enter regular reading rotation for Advent.
• Fleeing Herod: A Journey Through Coptic Egypt with the Holy Family by James Cowan--also a Christmas present. Reviewed just yesterpost!
• Messiah: Origin by Matt Dorff--a graphic novel by the guy who wrote that awesome graphic novel of the Book of Revelation (and also a Christmas present). Reviewed here. I want more from this series!!
• Triumph: The Power and The Glory of the Catholic Church by H. W. Crocker III. I think I got this for Christmas a couple of years ago. Reviewed here! This made me smile and wince a lot, so I'm not sure I can recommend it.

Books on philosophy and science:

• The Meaning of Relativity by Albert Einstein--I'm dreading this a bit because it'll be tough and it may wind up a "read and donate" book.--I started this once and got bogged down in unfamiliar scientific terminology. I may try this again in a few years when I've forgotten how difficult it was.
• Unpopular Essays by Bertrand Russell--also close to the "read and donate" pile. Reviewed here! And donated to a book drop in Indiana.
• If Aristotle's Kid Had an Ipod by Connor Gallagher--intriguing idea for sure. Reviewed here! Well worth the read.
• Two books by Mortimer Adler--Like O'Brien above, I've had these books for a while and been meaning to get them. Not sure which ones I will choose, probably the shortest ones!
• Aristotle for Everybody. Reviewed here. An excellent book!
• Adler's Philosophical Dictionary. Reviewed here. Ditto!
• Two books by Josef Pieper--ditto above. 
• Divine Madness. Reviewed here.
• Only the Lover Sings. Reviewed here.

Book on writing:
Professional Blogging for Dummies--Leftover from last year, I keep meaning to up my game in blogging. Maybe without all the European wandering I can get caught up!--Still not caught up and getting dangerously close to being outdated. I should skim it this year but no guarantees.

So I didn't get to Michael O'Brien, Einstein, and the professional blogging book. Not bad for an ambitious list.

My other reading challenge was the Eighth Annual Graphic Novels and Manga Challenge 2015. I finished the Silver Age challenge, which is 52 books in a year, with room to spare. Here's my list:

1. Wolverine: Old Man Logan--reviewed here.
2. Saga Volume 2--reviewed here.
3. Saga Volume 3--reviewed here.
4. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise - Part One--reviewed here.
5. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise - Part Two--reviewed here.
6. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise - Part Three--reviewed here. 
7. Serenity Volume 4: Leaves on the Wind--reviewed here. 
8. The Last Airbender Prequel: Zuko's Story--reviewed here.
9. Messiah: Origin--reviewed here. 
10. Cartoon Guide to Economics: Vol. 1--reviewed here. 
11. The Book of Genesis Illustrated--reviewed here.
12. Anne Frank--reviewed here. 
13. Megillat Esther--reviewed here. 
14. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Search - Part One--reviewed here.
15. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Search - Part Two--reviewed here.  
16. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Search - Part Three--reviewed here. 
17. Dr. Horrible and Other Horrible Stories--reviewed here. 
18. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy--reviewed here. 
19. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Rift - Part One--reviewed here.
20. Free Comic Book Day issues--reviewed here!
21. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Rift - Part Two--reviewed here.
22. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Rift - Part Three--reviewed here.
23. The Walking Dead TP 22--reviewed here.
24. Green Lantern New 52 Volume 4--reviewed here.
25. Itty Bitty Hellboy--reviewed here.
26. Saga Volume 4--reviewed here.
27. Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai--reviewed here.
28. Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. 1952--reviewed here.
29. Contract with God Trilogy--reviewed here.
30. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Donner Dinner Party--reviewed here.
31. Baltimore: Passing Stranger and Other Stories--reviewed here.
32. Avengers: Rage of Ultron--reviewed here.
33. The Walking Dead TP 23--reviewed here.
34. The Best of The Spirit--reviewed here.
35. Twilight Zone: Deaths-Head Revisited--reviewed here.
36. Justice League: Trinity War--reviewed here. 
37. Fray--reviewed here.
38. Batman '66 Vol. 1--reviewed here.
39. Pride of Baghdad--reviewed here.
40. Animal Crackers--reviewed here. 
41. The Black Island--reviewed here.
42. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Big Bad Ironclad!--reviewed here.
43. The Sword Vol. 1--reviewed here.
44. The Sword Vol. 2--reviewed here.
45. The Sword Vol. 3--reviewed here.
46. The Sword Vol. 4--reviewed here.
47. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood--reviewed here.
48. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor--reviewed here.
49. Batman: The Long Halloween--reviewed here.
50. Avatar: Smoke and Shadow Part One--reviewed here.
51. The Walking Dead TP 24--reviewed here.
52. Secret Coders Vol. 1--reviewed here.
53. Batman: Hush--reviewed here.
54. Frankenstein Underground--reviewed here.
55. The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl--reviewed here.