32 Comments
User's avatar
Jono Hey's avatar

This is great!:

"Smash your phone or put it far from reach before you start reading."

John Dudley's avatar

Challenge accepted. More books in 2026!

Great post.

Andrea Stoeckel's avatar

Do I dare tell you how many I"be read? I'm currently in the middle of my 158th toward my goal of 200 for the year. Been doing this for almost 20 years an one year read over 350! Keeps me out of trouble

Grant Snider's avatar

Amazing! Still 22 days left for that goal!

Cannuscio + Feuerstein Simon's avatar

What a joy! I’ve been reading nonstop, and you’ve inspired me to keep track (in a minimalist way). I love what you do!

StaySEa's avatar

Love the comics for this! I started the Odyssey, I wonder how many others have done the same. You have inspired me to dig it up and give it another shot - and start a list of books I've read. I wish I had done so long, long ago. Keep thinking about doing so. Reading is addictive, I have to choose between it and sleep. My favorite this year, and maybe ever, was the memoir, "She Got up off the Couch" by Haven Kimmel. My mom was always my personal librarian and then I inherited her books. Had to get rid of a lot of them in a recent move and sorely regret not reading them all. This was one I kept, thankfully.

Grant Snider's avatar

I will check out the Haven Kimmel memoir, great title!

Myq Kaplan's avatar

Dear Grant,

Great piece!

Thank you for sharing!

Much love,

Myq

BRJ's avatar

I’ve read about 80 books this year too and they are all at least 350 pages and are fiction. I read before sleep. I rarely make it through a non-fiction book and have not read any of the books you listed. Lol! We have vastly different tastes, but it’s the reading that matters!

Grant Snider's avatar

Wow! I first read your comment as "I read but don't sleep," ha :)

Margreet de Heer's avatar

Hahaha - that dog on the subway reading a book! 😆

Kathy Halsey's avatar

Love all the reads! I read more poetry, a mystery and crime series w/my hubs over the summer (we were fighting each other for the next in the series) and some adult, plus PBs too many to mention! Read on in 2026. I need to find a neat way to catalog my reading, like you. Ty, Grant!

Diane's avatar

Love this. Love your list.

If you (or anyone) needs a middle grade author recommendation, may I suggest Jason Reynolds?

Grant Snider's avatar

Yes, Jason Reynolds is excellent! Love his books Ain't Burned All the Bright and Ghost, need to read more.

Molinos's avatar

A great list. I love The Arab of the future.

reading your post I just think that maybe you don´t know Cyril Pedrosa and his beautiful comic Three Shadows (Tres sombras in Spanish) or the French author Etienne Davodeau. I highly recommend them to you.

Grant Snider's avatar

Thank you for the recommendation, I was not aware of their work but looks right up my alley!

SSRK's avatar

From 21 in 2023, 25 in 2024, to 30 this year, I hope I can also leap to 50 and above in 2026! Slow, gradual, step-by-step progress. And yes, I too hope to make it through some challenging classics like the Iliad and Odyssey! Fingers crossed. Agree with you on "Smash the phone... "! I keep it in silent mode in another room to avoid its distraction. Happy Reading and Creating more Art. Thank you for the inspiration!

Hit Pause with Jess Cudzilo's avatar

Would love to know the ones you read and then read again! Maybe just one or two? Fantastic post!

Grant Snider's avatar

A Wrinkle in Time, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, The Little Prince, Odes by Pablo Neruda, poems by Billy Collins, short stories of Kelly Link, etc...

Danielle Martin's avatar

Ah hurray for Calvino!! I love the Baron in the Trees, and his Cosmicomics and collection of Italian folk/fairy tales have been my pre-bedtime reading for years! Thank you for these wonderful suggestions ❤️

Grant Snider's avatar

I need to check out Cosmicomics and the folktales, thanks!

The Bob's avatar

This is fantastic.

Minaz Ansari's avatar

I have been buried in research papers and academic books for my doctoral studies. But I did sneak out time to read a decent amount of fiction. Next year, I want to spend a few hours every month in a picture book store in my city :)

Grant Snider's avatar

Glad you found the time to escape with fiction! It's hard to find time to read among busy studies, but worth it.