My inner geek is calling and demanding I analyse those 100 books (98 unique works, 26049 pages) read in 2011 in more detail. Just to make sure I’m not stuck in a rut or similar.
My main objective in 2011 was to ensure that 1 in 3 books was translated. To turn that much-bandied 3% to 33%. My final tally was 37%, split among the following languages thus:
All the books were European and it’s obvious and no surprise where my reading preference lies! I did intend to branch out a little more and head off to South America this year. I made a quick weekend trip via Anne Patchett’s Year of Wonder but never read anything by a native South American. From that derives a new reading objective for 2012.
Gender ratios: 64:36 male:female.
Fiction: Non-fiction: 95:5 (Hmmm, still I made my target of 1 non-fiction title per quarter.)
Original publication dates: 77 from the 21st century (48 of those published 2011), 15 from the 20th century and 8 from the 19th. That really surprised me! Still as I’ll be making a concerted effort to complete my twentieth century 100 books, 100 years, 100 authors challenge next year, there’ll be more emphasis on older books.
Genre: 58 literary fiction, 27 crime fiction, 5 historical fiction, 5 non-fiction, 4 comic fiction and 1 YA.
Fiction formats: 68 novels, 14 short story collections, 12 novellas and 1 play. I did read some poetry – Rilke, Heine and a little Goethe but I never reviewed anything. I’ll try harder in this respect next year.
Reviewed:not reviewed ratio: 80:20 – ha! So the much quoted rule holds true! A few more reviews to follow in January which should bring me to an 85% review rate. I call that a reasonable effort.
Rereads: 10 including 2 read twice in 2011. (Thus 98 unique works read this year.)
DNF: 7 of which I consider 2 abandoned. I shall sign up for the finish what you’re reading challenge next year.
Number of books owned pre-2011: 34
Keepers: 58
Ratings 5 star (10), 4 star (29), 3.5 star (17), 3 star (30), 2.5 star (6), 2 star (5) A 3-star rating from me means it is a good read. Thus 2012 was a good reading year but which are the best of the best? I shall reveal all tomorrow!
Effi Briest - Theodor Fontane (Readalong 
The Beauty Room - Regi Claire
My Mother's Lover - Urs Widmer
The Help - Kathryn Stockett
The Rule of Four - Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason
Noir - Robert Coover
The Taint of Midas - Anne Zouroudi
Housekeeping - Marilynne Robinson
The Duel - Anton Chekhov
The Duel - Heinrich von Kleist
Gillespie and I - Jane Harris
State of Wonder - Ann Patchett
Titus Groan - Mervyn Peake
CIty of Dreadful Night - Peter Guttridge
Shadow Sister - Simone van der Vlugt
A Far Cry From Kensington - Muriel Spark
The Assault - Harry Mulisch
Next World Novella - Matthias Politycki
The Water Theatre - Lindsay Clark
Water For Elephants - Sara Gruen
The Liberation of Celia Kahn - J David Simons
Nocturnes - Kazuo Ishiguro
Hotel Du Lac - Anita Brookner
Great stats lizzie wish I could keep mine so well all best for 2012 stu
Some good numbers there
I’m happy to announce that for the first time books originally published in a language other than English made up more than half of my reading this year – and it’s mostly your fault 
I take the blame for so many things but that’s one thing I’m happy to accept responsibility for!
You’ll see the effects in my yearly wrap-up in a couple of days
Ooh, great statistics! My inner spreadsheet lover is planning to keep a record like this in 2012 (though I won’t have your volume of books – I’m aiming for 40).
Indeed, spreadsheets rule!
BTW I won’t have the same volume of books next year either, Eibhlin. But more on that when 2012 arrives.