2021: The Year In Books

As we wrap up 2021, my first full year remote working, I managed to read a whopping 54 books, an increase of 31 books over last year and my first year completing the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge.  I surpassed last year’s total in mid-June, passed my best years, 2015 and 2016, in late August, and completed book 52 with two weeks left in the year.  I read (or listened) to 18,670 pages, by far my highest total of all time and only the second time I’ve passed 10,000.

Of those books, 16 were non-fiction and, of the 36 novels, 10 were tied to a TV show, either as the source material or as a tie-in.  None of the books came out of my dwindling “to-read” drawer, with 43 e-books and 4 audiobooks.  For the first time since I was a kid, I got myself a library card, which helped me procure 14 of the books.

Just less than half of the books I read this year were by authors I have read before. The 31 authors that I read for the first this year were:

  • Tegan Quin
  • Sara Quin
  • Lucy Foley
  • Jenna Fischer
  • Matt Haig
  • Eric Nusbaum
  • Jon Taffer
  • Charlotte Douglas
  • Susan Kearney
  • Fredrik Backman
  • Jeff Pearlman
  • Minka Kent
  • Alan Cumming
  • Megan Goldin
  • Molly Bloom
  • Barack Obama
  • Ali Wong
  • Timothy Ferriss
  • Issa Rae
  • Walter Tevis
  • Tess Gerritson
  • Gary Braver
  • Andy Weir
  • Matthew Walker
  • James Clear
  • Grady Hendrix
  • Simon Sinek
  • Jason Fung
  • Julia Spiro
  • Jon Pessah
  • Ruth Ware

Erle Stanley Gardner, Mary Kubica, Jeffery Deaver, Andy Weir and Karin Slaughter were the only authors that I read multiple titles from during 2021.

6 of the books I read were released this year, while 5 of them were released last century, with the oldest first published in 1933.

Finally, the breakdown by month, which was fairly consistent across the entire year.

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Book 6 (of 52) – The Actor’s Life

The Actor’s Life: A Survival Guide – Jenna Fischer

Actress Jenna Fischer, who charmed America for 10 seasons as Pam Beesly on The Office, checks in with her how to/memoir about surviving as a beginning actor, telling her story along the way.  She starts with moving to LA, finding an agent and/or manager, learning to audition, how to behave once you get cast, and to keep on going even when you have convinced yourself that it isn’t going to happen.

Fischer arrived in Los Angeles in 1998 as a fresh faced theater school grad, expecting to quickly make inroads in Hollywood and become a working actor.  It took 3 years before she booked her first speaking role, a three-line guest spot on Spin City in 2001.  That led to work in independent films and other guest parts before she hit it big in 2005, being cast in the American version of The Office.  In The Actor’s Life: A Survival Guide, she details her struggle, while giving helpful advice to those coming up behind her.  If you are a fan or are looking to make the leap into the entertainment business, then this is highly recommended.

Midseason Review – Tuesdays

old-tv-set1Today we hit the midway point in our look back at the offerings for the new fall season.

7:00

The Connors – Following last spring’s Twitter meltdown by Roseanne Barr and the cancellation of the reboot of Roseanne, the show moves on without her.  Will it be worth watching?  I’m honestly not sure.

You know, if this were a new show debuting in the here and now, I’m not sure I’d be watching.

The Flash – The gang returns for the fifth season.

Bringing Jessica Kennedy Parker onboard has given Barry and Iris a child without the problems that usually entails.

The Gifted – The series about Marvel’s mutants returns for a second season.  I still need to finish the first.

Yeah, I don’t know if or when I’ll get back to this.

8:00

Black-ish – For its fifth season, the show moves on without creator Kenya Barris.

The show is hanging on, but is starting to show signs of wear.

FBI – Missy Peregrym and Jeremy Sisto are FBI agents trying to keep New York safe.

I made it through a couple of episodes, but I didn’t see anything special here.

This Is Us – The emotionally manipulative hit is back for a third season, assuming I ever go back and finish the previous one.

I still need to catch up on this one.

Black Lightning – The Pierce family returns for their second season, which I will be happy to watch once I get done with season one.

This one too

8:30

Splitting Up Together – After a successful run last spring, the show, starring Oliver Hudson and Jenna Fischer, returns for another go-around.

It is amusing, mostly due to Fischer, but nothing particularly special.

9:00

The RookieCastle alum Nathan Fillion re-teams with his former EP for this tale about the oldest rookie police officer in the LAPD.

I haven’t gotten around to watching this yet, but the episodes are piling up on the DVR.

Now for some new entries coming this spring:

Roswell, New Mexico – The CW brings back another reboot of a WB show, making Liz and the aliens adults this time around.  I watched the first episode and didn’t see much of a need to continue.

2018 New Fall Season – Tuesdays

old-tv-set1Continuing our look at the new fall season, here are the offerings that I may find myself interested in for Tuesdays.

7:00

The Connors – Following last spring’s Twitter meltdown by Roseanne Barr and the cancellation of the reboot of Roseanne, the show moves on without her.  Will it be worth watching?  I’m honestly not sure.

The Flash – The gang returns for the fifth season.

The Gifted – The series about Marvel’s mutants returns for a second season.  I still need to finish the first.

8:00

Black-ish – For its fifth season, the show moves on without creator Kenya Barris.

FBI – Missy Peregrym and Jeremy Sisto are FBI agents trying to keep New York safe.

This Is Us – The emotionally manipulative hit is back for a third season, assuming I ever go back and finish the previous one.

Black Lightning – The Pierce family returns for their second season, which I will be happy to watch once I get done with season one.

8:30

Splitting Up Together – After a successful run last spring, the show, starring Oliver Hudson and Jenna Fischer, returns for another go-around.

9:00

The RookieCastle alum Nathan Fillion re-teams with his former EP for this tale about the oldest rookie police officer in the LAPD.

ABC Upfronts

ABC is shaking up their lineup this fall, with changes on every night save Thursday.  The week gets off to a familiar start with Dancing With The Stars, followed by The Good Doctor, a new medical drama about an autistic country doctor who moves to the big city.  Seriously.  The Tuesday night comedies get switched around somewhat, with black-ish moving over from Wednesdays, followed by The Mayor, about a young wrapper looking for his big break.  The night ends with The Gospel of Kevin, starring Jason Ritter, JoAnna Garcia Swisher, and J. August Richards.

Wednesday stays mostly the same, with American Housewife moving over from Tuesdays to take black-ish‘s place.  Thursdays stay exactly the same, with the three Shondaland shows remaining in place.  A revamped Friday kicks off with Once Upon A Time, which will be losing most of its main cast, followed by Marvel’s Inhumans, the most recent attempt to make the Inhumans happen.  Sunday goes mostly reality, with To Tell The Truth and Shark Tank moving over.  The night ends with Ten Days In The Valley, a new drama about a producer whose daughter goes missing.

Agents of SHIELD will take over for The Inhumans on Fridays after 8 weeks and Quantico will return at some point for an abbreviated 3rd season.  Also on the bench for mid-season are The Crossing, a drama about war refugees from America, Deception, about a magician who turns to the FBI which is in no way similar to The Mentalist, and For The People, about a set of new lawyers trying to find their way.  Comedies include Alex Inc, based on a podcast, and Splitting Up Together, starring Jenna Fischer.

Cancelled shows never to be seen again are The Real O’Neals, Imaginary Mary, The Catch, Dr. Ken, Last Man Standing, American Crime, Secrets and Lies, Time After Time, Notorious, and Conviction.