Introduction – why I read?
Simple reason, a life without reading sounds not right, so I read. Reading has increasingly become an important part of my everyday life because it defines discipline and leadership for me.
I read for the obvious reason of widening my scope and the seeing viewpoints of others. Of appreciating the storytelling or narration prowess of writers and to enjoy myself – ‘kill time,’ for the right reason.
Look back at 2019 – failures, successes, lessons
2019 reading was planned out till half-way. Things fell apart and I felt "No Longer At Ease" at a point. I struggled to meet deadlines, I stampeded plans some times and did more than expected elsewhere.
The plan to read two books per month turned out to be undoable despite success in some months. This year, I revert to the single read per month, all else passes as bonus.
Roundly, it was a good 2019 that straddled exciting fictional pieces, from African and foreign authors, historical accounts through to present day settings etc. Good reading year, we move!
Peek into 2020 – the plan and ploy
The plan to read more African authors in 2019 did not go as planned, could have been much much better. 2019 left me with a deluge of pdf books inching towards 200 at last count.
What is sure is 2020 will be a book per month as stated above but with a rule of an African author each other month.
I’d also make it a point to buy hard copies of at least three African writers, very highly; one by Chimamanda Ngozie-Adichie, given that I have read three (freely gotten) eBooks of hers in the last three years.
Tips on keeping track during reading
1. Keeping a dedicated record of main points in each book amongst others: persons, places, themes, expressions, new words, comparative instances etc.
2. Randomly sharing experiences during discussions and or in social media posts, blogging each book.
3. Rereading portions of a book be it paragraphs, pages even whole chapters.
4. Have a reading pal that you can share perspectives with.
5. Mental notes in the case of soft copies, to take screenshots.
Signing out and in
2019 is out of the way, we look to build on for 2020. Hopefully we can blog reviews of all twelve plus books that we set out to read.
Here is how 2019 went down.
January – Show Me The Money (Nuhu Ribadu), Inside Al-Shabaab (Harun Maruf)
February – Nurul-Anwar, The Light of Lights (Abdul Mannan Yusif), Islam In Africa Throughout History (Sh. Mohammed Aman Al-Jami)
March – Born a Crime (Trevor Noah)
April – Kintu (Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi)
May – My Reflections on Life (Sh. Ishaak Ibrahim Nuamah)
June – The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
July – Anthills of the Savanah / You Must Set Forth At Dawn / The Monk Who Sold His Ferari - FAILED
August – Manchester Happened (Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi)
September – Animal Farm (George Orwell)
October – Calling Sehmat (Harinder Sikka)
November – Two Weeks in November (Douglas) - FAILED
December – This Thing Around Your Neck
January 9, 2020 = Jumadal Uulaa 14, 1441
Simple reason, a life without reading sounds not right, so I read. Reading has increasingly become an important part of my everyday life because it defines discipline and leadership for me.
I read for the obvious reason of widening my scope and the seeing viewpoints of others. Of appreciating the storytelling or narration prowess of writers and to enjoy myself – ‘kill time,’ for the right reason.
Look back at 2019 – failures, successes, lessons
2019 reading was planned out till half-way. Things fell apart and I felt "No Longer At Ease" at a point. I struggled to meet deadlines, I stampeded plans some times and did more than expected elsewhere.
The plan to read two books per month turned out to be undoable despite success in some months. This year, I revert to the single read per month, all else passes as bonus.
Roundly, it was a good 2019 that straddled exciting fictional pieces, from African and foreign authors, historical accounts through to present day settings etc. Good reading year, we move!
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The plan to read more African authors in 2019 did not go as planned, could have been much much better. 2019 left me with a deluge of pdf books inching towards 200 at last count.
What is sure is 2020 will be a book per month as stated above but with a rule of an African author each other month.
I’d also make it a point to buy hard copies of at least three African writers, very highly; one by Chimamanda Ngozie-Adichie, given that I have read three (freely gotten) eBooks of hers in the last three years.
Tips on keeping track during reading
1. Keeping a dedicated record of main points in each book amongst others: persons, places, themes, expressions, new words, comparative instances etc.
2. Randomly sharing experiences during discussions and or in social media posts, blogging each book.
3. Rereading portions of a book be it paragraphs, pages even whole chapters.
4. Have a reading pal that you can share perspectives with.
5. Mental notes in the case of soft copies, to take screenshots.
Signing out and in
2019 is out of the way, we look to build on for 2020. Hopefully we can blog reviews of all twelve plus books that we set out to read.
Here is how 2019 went down.
January – Show Me The Money (Nuhu Ribadu), Inside Al-Shabaab (Harun Maruf)
February – Nurul-Anwar, The Light of Lights (Abdul Mannan Yusif), Islam In Africa Throughout History (Sh. Mohammed Aman Al-Jami)
March – Born a Crime (Trevor Noah)
April – Kintu (Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi)
May – My Reflections on Life (Sh. Ishaak Ibrahim Nuamah)
June – The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
July – Anthills of the Savanah / You Must Set Forth At Dawn / The Monk Who Sold His Ferari - FAILED
August – Manchester Happened (Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi)
September – Animal Farm (George Orwell)
October – Calling Sehmat (Harinder Sikka)
November – Two Weeks in November (Douglas) - FAILED
December – This Thing Around Your Neck
January 9, 2020 = Jumadal Uulaa 14, 1441
Oh wow. I think you should add outliers by Malcolm Gladwell to your list, if you haven't read it. Great book.
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