re: 2026 Reading Challenge

Updated:

39 so far in 2026:

1. Children of Ash and Elm, Neil Price
2. Team of Rivals, Dorothy Kearns Goodwin
3. No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy
4. Tom's Crossing, Mark Danielewski
5. Naked and the Dead, Norman Mailer
6. Grant, Ron Chernow
7. The Nightingale's Song, Robert Timberg
8. Annie Bott, Caragh O'Brien
9. Master of the Senate, Robert Caro
10. I Still Believe in Miracles, Lucas Jones
11. Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bugakov
12. Deep Cuts, Holly Brickley
13. The Secret Hours, Nick Herron
14. The Barracks Thief, Tobias Wolfe
15. A Separate Peace, John Knowles
16. Yesteryear, Caro Claire Burke
17. Echo Park, Michael Connelly
18. Angel Down, Daniel Kraus
19. Caught Stealing, Charlie Huston
20. A Violent Masterpiece, Jordan Harper
21. Idependent People, Halldor Laxness
22. Vigil, George Saunders
23. The Moon is Down, John Steinbeck
24. The Winter Soldier, Daniel Mason
25. Glyph, Ali Smith
26. Sorry for Your Trouble, Richard Ford
27. The Long Walk, Stephen King
28. Our Kind of Traitor, John LeCarre
29. Night of the Grizzlies, Jack Olsen
30. Theo of Golden, Allen Levi
31. London Falling, Patrick Radden Keefe.
32. Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
33. Saltwash, Andrew Michael Hurley
34. The Climb Up to Hell, Jack Olsen
35. Orbital, Samantha Harvey
36. White River Crossing, Ian McGuire
37. Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen
38. No Way Home, TC Boyle
39. Departures, Julian Barnes

15,948 pages
Mean length 408 pages
Median length 320 pages
Average pages per day 77 pages

That list is more or less in the descending order of how much I liked the book. Most recent is highlighted.

I'll add an update in here. Now that I'm out of DCC, going hard on Reacher and re-reads

1. Running Blind - Lee Child (Reacher #4)

2. The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook - Matt Dinniman (DCC #3)

3. Echo Burning - Lee Child (Reacher #5)

4. The Gate of the Feral Gods - Matt Dinniman (DCC #4)

5. Frankenstein - Mary Shelly (I can't believe people try to give this book credit as the first fantasy. It is not even sci-fi. I was very disappointed in my "classic" choice for the year. Tiny little 200 pages still took me 2 weeks. Like stfu and make the ugly arse monster a bride and you have all your friends and family still)

6. The Butcher's Masquerade - Matt Dinniman (favorite of the year so far) (DCC #5)

7. Without Fail - Lee Child (Reacher #6)

8. The Eye of the Bedlam Bride - Matt Dinniman (DCC #6)

9. This Inevitable Ruin - Matt Dinniman (DCC #7)

10. In a Lonely Place - Dorothy Hughes

11. A Parade of Horribles - Matt Dinniman (DCC #8)

12. Persuader - Lee Child (Reacher #7)

13. The Wild Robot - Peter Brown

14. The Enemy - Lee Child (Reacher #8)

15. a walk in the woods - Bill Bryson CURRENT (re-read and one of my favorites)

I always get the itch for a long trek through nature after reading it. Crazy thing about the movie, which I enjoyed the movie, it's not an all-timer by any means, but I like it, but they had this whole thing where Bill (Robert Redford) and this motel owner have a bit of flirty moment even though he is in a long, happy, healthy marriage. In the book, she's there like half a page and he talks about how shite the place is, but all good because they needed a break from the woods. Why does Hollywood have to do that shite? I'd be mad if I was Bill Bryson or his wife (Catherine? Cynthia? I've read a lot of his books and now her name escapes me)

Updated:

42 so far in 2026:

1. Children of Ash and Elm, Neil Price
2. Team of Rivals, Dorothy Kearns Goodwin
3. No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy
4. Tom's Crossing, Mark Danielewski
5. Naked and the Dead, Norman Mailer
6. Grant, Ron Chernow
7. The Nightingale's Song, Robert Timberg
8. Stoner, John Williams
9. Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vuong
10. Annie Bott, Caragh O'Brien
11. Master of the Senate, Robert Caro
12. I Still Believe in Miracles, Lucas Jones
13. Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bugakov
14. Deep Cuts, Holly Brickley
15. The Secret Hours, Nick Herron
16. The Barracks Thief, Tobias Wolfe
17. A Separate Peace, John Knowles
18. Yesteryear, Caro Claire Burke
19. Echo Park, Michael Connelly
20. Angel Down, Daniel Kraus
21. Caught Stealing, Charlie Huston
22. A Violent Masterpiece, Jordan Harper
23. Idependent People, Halldor Laxness
24. Vigil, George Saunders
25. The Moon is Down, John Steinbeck
26. The Winter Soldier, Daniel Mason
27. Glyph, Ali Smith
28. Sorry for Your Trouble, Richard Ford
29. The Long Walk, Stephen King
30. Our Kind of Traitor, John LeCarre
31. Night of the Grizzlies, Jack Olsen
32. Theo of Golden, Allen Levi
33. London Falling, Patrick Radden Keefe.
34. The Light Pirate, Lily Brooks-Dalton
35. Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
36. Saltwash, Andrew Michael Hurley
37. The Climb Up to Hell, Jack Olsen
38. Orbital, Samantha Harvey
39. White River Crossing, Ian McGuire
40. Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen
41. No Way Home, TC Boyle
42. Departures, Julian Barnes

16,946 pages
Mean length 403 pages
Median length 320 pages
Average pages per day 75 pages

That list is more or less in the descending order of how much I liked the book. Most recent is highlighted.

Updated:

43 so far in 2026:

1. Children of Ash and Elm, Neil Price
2. Team of Rivals, Dorothy Kearns Goodwin
3. No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy
4. Tom's Crossing, Mark Danielewski
5. Naked and the Dead, Norman Mailer
6. Grant, Ron Chernow
7. The Nightingale's Song, Robert Timberg
8. A Gathering of Old Men, Ernest J. Gaines
9. Stoner, John Williams
10. Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vuong
11. Annie Bott, Caragh O'Brien
12. Master of the Senate, Robert Caro
13. I Still Believe in Miracles, Lucas Jones
14. Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bugakov
15. Deep Cuts, Holly Brickley
16. The Secret Hours, Nick Herron
17. The Barracks Thief, Tobias Wolfe
18. A Separate Peace, John Knowles
19. Yesteryear, Caro Claire Burke
20. Echo Park, Michael Connelly
21. Angel Down, Daniel Kraus
22. Caught Stealing, Charlie Huston
23. A Violent Masterpiece, Jordan Harper
24. Idependent People, Halldor Laxness
25. Vigil, George Saunders
26. The Moon is Down, John Steinbeck
27. The Winter Soldier, Daniel Mason
28. Glyph, Ali Smith
29. Sorry for Your Trouble, Richard Ford
30. The Long Walk, Stephen King
31. Our Kind of Traitor, John LeCarre
32. Night of the Grizzlies, Jack Olsen
33. Theo of Golden, Allen Levi
34. London Falling, Patrick Radden Keefe.
35. The Light Pirate, Lily Brooks-Dalton
36. Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
37. Saltwash, Andrew Michael Hurley
38. The Climb Up to Hell, Jack Olsen
39. Orbital, Samantha Harvey
40. White River Crossing, Ian McGuire
41. Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen
42. No Way Home, TC Boyle
43. Departures, Julian Barnes

17,155 pages
Mean length 399 pages
Median length 320 pages
Average pages per day 75.2 pages

That list is more or less in the descending order of how much I liked the book. Most recent is highlighted.

Updated:

46 so far in 2026:

1. Children of Ash and Elm, Neil Price
2. Team of Rivals, Dorothy Kearns Goodwin
3. No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy
4. Tom's Crossing, Mark Danielewski
5. Naked and the Dead, Norman Mailer
6. Grant, Ron Chernow
7. The Nightingale's Song, Robert Timberg
8. A Gathering of Old Men, Ernest J. Gaines
9. Stoner, John Williams
10. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
11. Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vuong
12. Annie Bott, Caragh O'Brien
13. Master of the Senate, Robert Caro
14. I Still Believe in Miracles, Lucas Jones
15. Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bugakov
16. Deep Cuts, Holly Brickley
17. The Secret Hours, Nick Herron
18. The Barracks Thief, Tobias Wolfe
19. A Separate Peace, John Knowles
20. Lane Being Lane by John Talty
21. Yesteryear, Caro Claire Burke
22. Echo Park, Michael Connelly
23. Angel Down, Daniel Kraus
24. Caught Stealing, Charlie Huston
25. A Violent Masterpiece, Jordan Harper
26. Idependent People, Halldor Laxness
27. Vigil, George Saunders
28. The Moon is Down, John Steinbeck
29. The Winter Soldier, Daniel Mason
30. Glyph, Ali Smith
31. Sorry for Your Trouble, Richard Ford
32. The Long Walk, Stephen King
33. Our Kind of Traitor, John LeCarre
34. Night of the Grizzlies, Jack Olsen
35. Theo of Golden, Allen Levi
36. London Falling, Patrick Radden Keefe.
37. The Light Pirate, Lily Brooks-Dalton
38. John of John by Douglas Stuart.
39. Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
40. Saltwash, Andrew Michael Hurley
41. The Climb Up to Hell, Jack Olsen
42. Orbital, Samantha Harvey
43. White River Crossing, Ian McGuire
44. Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen
45. No Way Home, TC Boyle
46. Departures, Julian Barnes

18,230 pages
Mean length 398 pages
Median length 320 pages
Average pages per day 67 pages

That list is more or less in the descending order of how much I liked the book. Most recent two are highlighted.

48 so far in 2026:

1. Children of Ash and Elm, Neil Price
2. Team of Rivals, Dorothy Kearns Goodwin
3. No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy
4. Tom's Crossing, Mark Danielewski
5. Naked and the Dead, Norman Mailer
6. Grant, Ron Chernow
7. The Nightingale's Song, Robert Timberg
8. A Gathering of Old Men, Ernest J. Gaines
9. American Caesar, William Manchester
10. Stoner, John Williams
11. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
12. Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vuong
13. Annie Bott, Caragh O'Brien
14. Master of the Senate, Robert Caro
15. I Still Believe in Miracles, Lucas Jones
16. Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bugakov
17. Deep Cuts, Holly Brickley
18. The Secret Hours, Nick Herron
19. The Barracks Thief, Tobias Wolfe
20. A Separate Peace, John Knowles
21. Lane Being Lane by John Talty
22. Yesteryear, Caro Claire Burke
23. Echo Park, Michael Connelly
24. Angel Down, Daniel Kraus
25. Caught Stealing, Charlie Huston
26. A Violent Masterpiece, Jordan Harper
27. Idependent People, Halldor Laxness
28. Vigil, George Saunders
29. The Moon is Down, John Steinbeck
30. The Winter Soldier, Daniel Mason
31. Mad Mabel, Sally Heppworth
32. Glyph, Ali Smith
33. Sorry for Your Trouble, Richard Ford
34. The Long Walk, Stephen King
35. Our Kind of Traitor, John LeCarre
36. Night of the Grizzlies, Jack Olsen
37. Theo of Golden, Allen Levi
38. London Falling, Patrick Radden Keefe.
39. The Light Pirate, Lily Brooks-Dalton
40. John of John by Douglas Stuart.
41. Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
42. Saltwash, Andrew Michael Hurley
43. The Climb Up to Hell, Jack Olsen
44. Orbital, Samantha Harvey
45. White River Crossing, Ian McGuire
46. Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen
47. No Way Home, TC Boyle
48. Departures, Julian Barnes

19,398 pages
Mean length 396 pages
Median length 320 pages
Average pages per day 69 pages

That list is more or less in the descending order of how much I liked the book. Most recent is highlighted.