bookworms / reading community / writers life

This Writer’s Reading Round-up July to Dec 2021

Chris Hall34 Comments

As 2021 draws to a close, although there are aspects of the year I’d prefer to forget, I’m looking back with a happy and satisfied smile on the books I’ve enjoyed in this second half of the year.

I love to read almost as much as I love to write, and I firmly believe that the more good writing I read, the more my own writing improves.

Here’s what I read as our wet and windy winter gave way to a hot and breezy summer. The most recently read books are shown first.

The books I’ve read, listed on Goodreads

Once again I’ve enjoyed my half-year’s reading. Books I’ve frequently found via reviews and recommendations here on WordPress, including a nice helping of works by fellow indie authors. I’ve read a mixture of old books and new – mostly prose and poetry – a long, long history/geography of Africa, and a witty and instructive writer’s manual. Thanks to the latter, written by Kathy Steinmann, my latest MS is all the more sparkly and shiny!

More news on my new release coming soon.

As a writer I know how exciting it is to receive a review from a reader, and I offer a big, big thank you to my readers (and listeners, now I’ve two books published as audiobooks) who’ve taken the time and trouble to rate/review my books. That aside, to know someone has read one of my books is enough.

I continue to faithfully post a review of all the books I’ve read on Goodreads and usually on Bookbub, so long as the book comes up in a search. It’s good to recognise fellow writers and give something back for the enjoyment I’ve had from their words.

Happy reading, happy writing and a Happy New Year!

34 thoughts on “This Writer’s Reading Round-up July to Dec 2021”

  7. Yes you are very right, the more people read, the better they write. I used to tell this to my English learners all the time. You sure read more than I did this past year!😀 Although people say that one thing they remember about me as a teenager was that I was always reading. Hmm…

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  8. Great list, Chris, and I’m delighted to see my book there. Yay. I’ve read 8 of these and have a few in my kindle. What a treat to get your recommendations. And that Virginia Woolf quote is amazing. Lol. Have a wonderful year of reading and writing. ❤ Hugs.

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    • It’s a fascinating book, Matthew. I read it a chapter or two at a time over many months. I especially enjoyed the pre-history / early man chapters. It also filled in many gaps in my knowledge of the Scramble for Africa and the subsequent colonial period, which is jaw-droppingly dreadful but does explain a lot of the subsequent conflicts, especially in Central Africa. Well worth reading, and a book I’m sure you’d find interesting.

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