2024: A Look At My Reading - Or Not Reading As The Case Maybe

 I had a look at my reading for 2024, and what is obvious to me is that during the last three or four months, I've been playing catching up. I scarcely made the 40 books. This result (for it is not achievement), is not that different to my results in other areas I was involved in, this year. So am going to give consistency priority this year, over every thing else. Maybe the reasonable time over the last 2-3 months I've spent on physical fitness, which is all about consistency, is starting to have an effect on other areas - I hope.

To get back to the reading:

Here's how it looks:

- Of the forty, I've read fourteen English novels, which include two audio books ( Moby Dick and The Longest Journey), and  a Y/A book (i.e. A Monster Calls) - a book I bought Thevidu, but one which I felt I need to read too, One Translation, and one novel from a Sri Lankan author (i.e. Vihanga). Of these fourteen, I think I enjoyed, Buddha of Suburia most, with Inheritance of Loss possibly as a runner up. The Prophet Song was very good too, and honestly a fear infusing read, but its dystopian nature nagged me from possibly holding it on a pedestal that other readers may keep it on. Is it just me, or are there to many modern dystopian novels about ? Is it a reminder of how we should not go back to a stage where a Nation was deemed more important than anything else - a notion which one can agree with - but are we having too much of a good thing ?  On the Road too was an enjoyable read, but if only that kind waywardness instills a sense of freedom and beauty in you, instead of a judgemental impatience. Fear of Gambling too has its attractions, as its self indulgent narration more often than not keeps the reader interested.

- I've read a total of seven novels, in my native Sinhalese, and honestly I don't rate any of them at a masterpiece level. Sudu Sevanali (සුදු සෙවණැලි) came the closest, while Girija, (ගිරිජා), and Hin Dhos Male (හින් දොස් මාලේ) could be rated next. The biggest disappointment was Thivanker Kathawa (තිවංක කතාව), since I seem to sense an inclination of one my favourite authors being self indulgent in his fiction writing of recent, resulting in aimless meandering, and far fetched semblances.

- Some excellent short story collection were read, which were possibly the most rewarding reads for me this year - Your Nostalgia is killing me, England and Other Stories, and Away From Her ( which also has the title Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage) were all excellent books.  I am truly glad that I read these, and it resulted in planning to include a couple of English short story collections going forward, besides the annual journey I have been enjoying with the late Mrs. Munro. On Sinhala short stories, although I read as much as five short story collections, I think the collections by Keerthi Welisarage and Ajith Parakum Jayasinghe were at a very high level. Eric, again showed signs of far fetched plots, while Amarakeerthi, for all his very readable writing carries a sense of the contrived, which one can't help noticing once one start to see it.

- Sinhala poems too had featured in a significant way in 2024,  since as many as seven poetry collections were attempted. I was most impressed with Wasantha Pradeep Hettiarachchi, and Priyalal Koggalage, while  Samitha B., and Bandujeewa's collections had sufficient rich moments to warrant their mentioning here.

Anyone interested in the reviews of any of the forty books I read in 2024, should be able to find them in these pages.

Here's to 2025 and consistency !