I read. A LOT.

Many years ago when I mentored under Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen, I adapted their philosophy of reading one book a week and writing [several] a year. The reading is easy. The writing has changed over the years, to where I now publish 4 to 6 books a year.

To be well-read, you have to read. To stay current, to stimulate your mind, to expand way beyond the little space you take up on this earth, it’s important to gain as many perspectives as possible. And the best way to do that is read.

I’ve often thought about tracking what I read throughout the year. This year I’m going to do it. Right here on this page.

I love seeing what others are reading. Like Bill Gates. Or Barack Obama. Or JK Rowling. I get book ideas from everywhere.

Then I pick them up. I read the back. I choose a chapter at random and see if it holds my attention. I may have a half-dozen books going at any given time. If I pick it up and it holds my interest for more than a few minutes, I can easily finish it in a few days. If it doesn’t, I don’t. There’s too much to read.

Starting January 2019, here’s what has sat on my desk. Or nightstand. Or reading chair. Or floor by my bed. Or Kindle. [You get the picture.]

December

The Book of Gutsy Women by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton
The Art of Making Memories by Meik Wiking
Whose Story Is It by Rebecca Solnit
The Atlas of Happiness by Helen Russell

November

Talking To Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
AI Superpowers by Kai-Fu Lee
Super Ager by Elise Marie Collins
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott

October

Women With Money by Jean Chatzky
Sissy by Jacob Tobia
The Path Made Clear by Oprah Winfrey
The Winemakers by Jan Moran
The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson

September

Meet Me In Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
The Forbidden Door by Dean Koontz*
The Rabbit Effect by Kelli Harding
The Night Window by Dean Koontz*

August

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
The Crooked Staircase by Dean Koontz*
Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham
The Chain by Adrian McKinty

July

From Scratch by Tembi Locke
The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna
The First Mistake by Sandie Jones
The Whispering Room by Dean Koontz*
Shortest Way Home by Pete Buttigieg
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

June

Women In Sunlight by Frances Mayes
The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates
The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz*
The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker
Happier Than a Billionaire by Nadine Hays Pisani
This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

May

Wisdom @ Work by Chip Conley
Nomad Capitalist by Andrew Henderson
10% Happier by Dan Harris

April

In Love In Italy by Monica Larner
One Day In December by Josie Silver
Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
Run Away by Harlan Coben

March

Feeding You Lies by Vani Hari
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Dare To Lead by Brene Brown

February

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
The Whole Heart Solution by Joel Kahn
The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg
Life Reimagined by Barbara Bradley Hagerty

January

Becoming by Michelle Obama
Parisian Charm School by Jamie Cat Callan
Come With Me by Helen Schulman
Factfulness by Hans Rosling
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
The Common Good by Robert Reich
Love For Imperfect Things by Haemin Sunim

*My sister passed this series on to me as a great read at the beginning of summer. There are 5 books in this series, so I’ve been reading one every month. If you love thrillers, mysteries, conspiracies, suspense, I would highly recommend this series! 😉

What should I read? Have a suggestion? Have a list I should check out? Let me know.