You see, here's the thing. I have trouble reading when there are distractions. I don't know when this developed but there you have it. I used to study with Lynyrd Skynyrd blasting into my ears through headphones when I was in high school but now I can't seem to read if the wind blows hard - otherwise, I have to pay attention to that. Makes it difficult to get reading done in any great chunks of time.

That's my disclaimer and it's why I can't read as prolifically as him or her. Sad, but true.

Without further ado, I give you my paltry list of the "Books I Read in 2005". (This list picks up immediately after the list of "Books I've Read Recently".)

1. On Being Born (and Other Difficulties) by F. Gonzalez Crussi

2. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs

3. Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson

4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

5. Plain Heathen Mischief by Martin Clark

6. The Unknowable Gurdjieff by Margaret Anderson

7. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

8. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

9. The Hollywood Dodo by Geoff Nicholson

10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

11. The God of Old: Inside the Lost World of the Bible by James L. Kugel

12. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory / Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl

13. Alone! Alone! Lives of Some Outsider Women by Rosemary Dinnage

14. Until I Find You: A Novel by John Irving

15. Sex and Drugs and Sausage Rolls by Robert Rankin

16. And So It Goes: Adventures in Television by Linda Ellerbee

17. Dean Koontz's Frankenstein, Book One: Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz and Kevin J. Anderson

18. Dean Koontz's Frankenstein, Book Two: City of Night by Dean Koontz and Ed Gorman

19. Gilgamesh by Joan London

20. Wild Ducks Flying Backward by Tom Robbins

21. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

So, there you go. Less than Madonna, more than Princess Di. I hope. (That may seem in bad taste, but I'm quoting from a movie, folks!) My goal for 2005 was to read more non-fiction books, which I did, and to discover some new authors, which I didn't do so much. I have my three favorites, and two of them released new books this year, much to my delight, and I didn't really pick up any new favorites. But I'll keep looking. Onward and upward into 2006 with a bevy of books just awaiting my perusal. My goal for 2006 is the same as for 2005 with one more thing - read MORE! I must figure out a way to get more reading done and not be so damn distracted.

Happy reading and happy new year to all!