A Mostly Weekly Review of Remarkable Reading
Coming January 1, 2022: A Personal Project with Public Benefits
Let me explain. I read a lot. But I retain less than I like, especially when it comes to audiobooks. With paper, I read with a pen in hand but rarely consolidate my notes or thoughts after the fact. Along with that situation, I’ve had requests from friends and others to share more of what I’m reading.
So in 2022, I’m going to try something new: For every book I finish I’m planning on writing an informal but detailed review and sharing it here at Miller’s Book Review 📚.
I read between fifty to seventy-five books a year. Slowing down to write a review will probably drop my total, but I’ll still win because I’ll retain more of what I read. My guess is I’ll run a number between forty and fifty. I’m shooting for one review every week or two, depending on work, kids, and all the rest.
You’ll win because you’ll run across some books you might have otherwise missed, or you’ll get to see what someone else thinks about a book on your nightstand right now. Plus, we’ll get to discuss all these books in the comments section—whether you’ve read them or not.
Along with reviews of remarkable reading, I’ll also share occasional essays on books, book history, and the impact of books on our lives. This is a personal passion of mine, and I’m working on a larger project about this subject, so this is a chance to share bits and pieces of that.
If that sounds up your alley, subscribe now. This little experiment launches on January 1, 2022. I can already tell you about four reviews that should hit that that month:
Leidy Klotz’s Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less
Michael Blastland’s The Hidden Half: How the World Conceals Its Secrets
Seb Falk’s The Light Ages: The Surprising Story of Medieval Science.
Christina Thompson’s Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia
That, by the way, is an indication of the kinds of books I’ll be reviewing each week—a mix of history, science, business. I’ll also cover biography, innovation, social stuff, and the like. My selections won’t always be new books, or even newish. I think it might be fun to reach back and see how well some books from prior decades have held up. It just depends on where my whims take me.
Subscribing is free. And if you sign up now, I’ll shoot you an email with my current top-ten list of quotes about books and reading.