I love to read but don’t always make enough time. In 2016, I redressed this by planning to read 50 books. I blogged about the books (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3). I took on the same challenge in 2017 buoyed on by my 2016 success (53 books), and managed to read 62 books.

This year, blogging about the books fell by the wayside. But, like 2016, I did tweet short character reviews with #read2017. I’ve copied them below, along with links to the books on Goodreads. The maths books are indicated with (*). Teaching-related books are indicated with a (^). But first, a few statistics and lists.

A collection of statistics

Out of the 62 books:

• 33 books with Australian authors
• 29 books by women
• 25 fiction books
• 13 books about political/current events
• 13 memoirs
• 12 books about teaching or maths (or teaching maths)
• 6 authors, multiple books (Georgia Blain: 4, Helen Garner: 4, Geraldine Brooks: 2, Peter H Johnston: 2, Graeme Simsion: 2, Elizabeth Strout: 2)
• 4 books aloud (We resumed this habit in June, with books 35, 38, 41, 60.)

(Note that there is some overlap with political and memoir.)

A dozen books that drew me in (alphabetical order)

It’s not a ‘Best Of’ list, but twelve books that I either couldn’t put down or couldn’t stop thinking about afterwards. (There are probably more in this category on the long list.)

• Between a Wolf and a Dog, Georgia Blain
• Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks
• Light and Shadow, Mark Colvin
• Pushing the Limits, Kurt Fearnley
• Talking to My Country, Stan Grant
• Turtles All the Way Down, John Green
• The First Casualty: A Memoir from the Front Lines of the Global War on Journalism, Peter Greste
• Lab Girl: A Story of Trees, Science and Love, Hope Jahren
• Choice Words, Peter H Johnston
• Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension, Matt Parker
• The Paper House, Anna Spargo-Ryan
• Anything is Possible, Elizabeth Strout

The book with a real ‘wow’ moment

• A Pale View of Hills, Kazuo Ishiguro

One pronoun that I initially thought was a typo, and then it hit me. Wow. (Could have joined the previous list for this reason.)

The books (in the order I read them)

1. My Name is Lucy Barton, Elizabeth Strout.
   #read2017: A story of a mother who loves her daughter imperfectly. And of a daughter who accepts. It’s what isn’t said that lingers after.
2. Mrs Dalloway, Virginia Woolf.
   #read2017: Success! To be read patiently and perhaps as unhurriedly as the story unfolds.
3. Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett.
   #read2017: Part of my slow journey to re-read the Discworld novels in their published order. Not a fav, but still some great writing.
4. * Can You Solve My Problems?, Alex Bellos.
   #read2017: Brimming with an assortment of puzzles and their history. Filled with old and new favourites. A rich source for my classes.
5. Take it Easy, Danny Allen, Phil Cummings.
   #read2017: Convincing portrayal of an Aussie country kid, their experiences + their fears of moving to the big smoke. Surprisingly touching.
6. The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster.
   #read2017: A hero’s quest through a strange land. Ultimately a tale about learning. Delightful wordplay, wisdom and wit. Loved it.
7. The Paper House, Anna Spargo-Ryan.
   #read2017: The shape of new and old grief, loss and mental illness. The support of loved ones. Exquisite. A stunning debut novel.
8. True Stories: Selected Non-Fiction, Helen Garner.
   #read2017: More Garner. (Nearly through her oeuvre!) Her ability to illuminate what at first glance appears simple is magnificent.
9. Do Not Say We Have Nothing, Madeleine Thien.
   #read2017: A intricate generational tale of the Cultural Revolution and its effect on creative expression, music, free thoughts and love.
10. * Yes, But Why? Teaching for Understanding in Mathematics, Ed Southall.
    #read2017: A valuable resource for beginning maths teachers (and I learned a thing or two myself!).
11. Honour & Other People’s Children: Two Stories, Helen Garner.
    #read2017: One day I’ll run out of Garner to read. One day.
12. * Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension, Matt Parker.
    #read2017: A recreational maths book with a difference. @standupmaths is an unashamed nerd and his delight+playfulness leap off every page.
13. * Math on the Move: Engaging Students in Whole Body Learning, Malke Rosenfeld.
    #read2017: Some great ideas for using the moving body as a tool to make sense of and connections between mathematical ideas.
14. ^ Choice Words: How our Language Affects Children’s Learning, Peter H Johnston.
    #read2017: How our choice of words helps learners grow + develop agency. Set in a literacy context with many parallels to learning maths.
15. Wrong about Japan, Peter Carey.
    #read2017: A manga-anime pilgrimage to find ‘Real Japan’ in the enigmatic mix of old + new. Enjoyable read but felt Carey missed the point.
16. The Good Girl Stripped Bare, Tracey Spicer.
    #read2017: A ‘femoir’ from one of Australia’s best-known journalists. Spicer reveals gross inequities. Brutal. Insightful. Funny. Powerful.
17. ^ Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul, Stuart Brown, Christopher Vaughan.
    #read2017: Play as an integral part of how we learn, love and live.
18. ^ Embedded Formative Assessment — practical strategies and tools for K-12 teachers, Dylan Wiliam.
    #read2017: Provoked deep thinking on how I can improve my teaching. Full of practical ideas + concise integration of evidence-based research.
19. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life, Mark Manson.
    #read2017: After tolerating a blustery and vulgar start targeted at a specific audience, the message is strong and worth considering.
20. Between a Wolf and a Dog, Georgia Blain.
    #read2017: Slow to draw me in but I was eventually enveloped. So exquisitely beautiful. Sorrowful, but still joyful and hopeful. Affecting.
21. * A Mathematician’s Apology, GH Hardy.
    #read2017: I really wanted to like this but, on the whole, I found Hardy to be smug with an elitist view of ‘real’ maths.
22. The Secret Lives of Men, Georgia Blain.
    #read2017: Short stories done right — dipping for a moment into the lives of others.
23. Anything is Possible, Elizabeth Strout.
    #read2017: Unexpectedly for me, interwoven short stories linked to earlier book. I couldn’t put this down. Skillful character development.
24. Stoner, John Williams.
    #read2017: Hard to pinpoint why I liked this. A simple story of an ordinary life filled with setbacks and sadness, and yet still uplifting.
25. Astonishing the Gods, Ben Okri.
    #read2017: Mystical, with many koan-like statements. I’m not sure I understood anything. Strangely compelling.
26. Unpolished Gem, Alice Pung.
    #read2017: A self-deprecating coming of age memoir. Laugh-out-loud start which became rambling + introspective. Strong, vivid storytelling.
27. ^ Opening Minds, Using Language to Change Lives, Peter H Johnston.
    #read2017: A strong follow-on from the powerful ‘Choice Words’. Eye-opening examples of dialogic classrooms. Inspirational.
28. The Feel of Steel, Helen Garner.
    #read2017: The clarity of her writing is incredible. Another magnificent collection of essays.
29. Lab Girl: A Story of Trees, Science and Love, Hope Jahren.
    #read2017: An intimate and fierce memoir of science, plants and academia. Her writing is enlivening and beautiful.
30. True Girt (The Unauthorised History of Australia #2), David Hunt.
    #read2017: The way Australian history should be taught. @DavidHuntGirt makes you laugh, squirm, and think. Can’t wait for Vol 3.
31. People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks.
    #read2017: A good holiday read. I found Hanna implausible, but the interleaved stories of the People of the Book were enthralling.
32. Random Life, Judy Horacek.
    #read2017: The new collection from Judy Horacek. A perfect mix of irreverence, observation and sharp social commentary.
33. * The Joy of SET: The Many Mathematical Dimensions of a Seemingly Simple Card Game, Liz McMahon, Gary Gordon, Hannah Gordon, Rebecca Gordon.
    #read2017: A comprehensive and conversational look at SET. From simple to deep maths with accompanying exercises and projects. Recommended.
34. Why Men Are Necessary and More News From Nowhere, Richard Glover.
    #read2017: A witty collection of columns on ordinary family life. Breezy read.
35. Depends What You Mean by Extremist, John Safran.
    #read2017: When extreme becomes mainstream. The far left + far right have more in common than you might think. Written in true Safran style.
36. Booze Territory, Anna Krien.
    #read2017: I’ve tried and failed to find another word to describe this. A truly sobering read. The statistics are shocking.
37. Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy, Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant.
    #read2017: A hopeful and practical book about the kind of growth that can come out of deep grief and loss, with lessons for all.
38. One Halal of a Story, Sam Dastyari.
    #read2017: Part memoir, part manifesto. A glimpse of the many sides of the ebullient politician. A little uneven but a good read.
39. The Museum of Words: a Memoir of Language, Writing, and Mortality, Georgia Blain.
    #read2017: Loosely chronicles the devastating final chapter of Blain’s life. An important voice in Aust writing taken far too soon. Vale.
40. What Happened, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
    #read2017: Plenty of hubris and anger, but also deep hurt and bewilderment (and some snark!). A sorrowful reminder of what could’ve been.
41. Pushing the Limits, Kurt Fearnley.
    #read2017: ‘Kurt Fearnley gives life a good name.’ Lots to learn from his infectious attitude and gritty determination. Great read.
42. Moral Panic 101: Equality, Acceptance and the Safe Schools Scandal (Quarterly Essay #67), Benjamin Law.
    #read2017: Measured and clear writing. A timely and important read. Strongly recommended.
43. The Rosie Project, Graeme Simsion.
    #read2017: Wasn’t sure whether to like or hate this. In the end I was quite fond of it. A somewhat more satisfying way to spend the arvo.
44. What Alice Forgot, Liane Moriarty.
    #read2017: Found the first half painful and repetitive with mostly vapid characters. Second half picked up with some brighter moments.
45. Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage, Alice Munro.
    #read2017: Somewhat embarrassed that this is the first I’ve read of Munro (finally!). So much substance in her short stories.
46. Turtles All The Way Down, John Green.
    #read2017: Absorbing. Glad to see mental health tackled deftly and realistically. I love how it’s never quite perfect in Green’s books.
47. Births Deaths Marriages, Georgia Blain.
    #read2017: Saddened to have found Blain’s writing at the very end of her life. Slowly making my way through her work.
48. The Rosie Effect, Graeme Simsion.
    #read2017: A fun follow-up to the first book.
49. * How Not to Be Wrong: The Hidden Maths of Everyday Life, Jordan Ellenberg.
    #read2017: mpeccably researched. Meanders in a way that struggled to hold my attention. A shame; I wanted to like this more than I did.
50. Talking to my Country, Stan Grant.
    #read2017: A powerfully lyrical reflection on the past and present injustices towards Aboriginal Australians. A must-read.
51. Light and Shadow: Memoirs of a Spy’s Son, Mark Colvin.
    Can’t believe I missed writing a #read2017 review of this. Exceptional book by one of Australia’s finest journalists.
52. A Pale View of Hills, Kazuo Ishiguro.
    #read2017: Foreboding. The last few pages make you want to flip to the start and immediately re-read.
53. Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks.
    #read2017: I love the occasional historical novel. This was well-paced and engaging.
54. Rogue Nation, Royce Kurmelovs.
    #read2017: Making sense of the disconnect between ’ordinary’ Australians and mainstream politics to help explain the rise of One Nation + co.
55. Autumn, Ali Smith.
    #read2017: Interweaves the story of an extraordinary trans-generational friendship with post-Brexit Britain, and more. Wish I understood more of the delicate construction, but that’s not a criticism of Smith.
56. The Enchanted Wood, Enid Blyton.
    #read2017: The comfort of a childhood favourite. Given to me on my 7th birthday. First published in 1939 and still a delight.
57. Why Weren’t We Told?, Henry Reynolds.
    #read2017: Filling in the gaps of what every Australian should know about white Australia’s black history. This is a confronting but important book.
58. Black + White: Race, Politics and Changing Australia, Nyunggai Warren Mundine.
    #read2017: An absorbing memoir from one of Australia’s most opinionated and, at times, controversial Aboriginal leaders. A good blend of personal and political.
59. * The Magic of Math: Solving for X and Figuring Out Why, Arthur Benjamin.
    #read2017: A conversational look at some key ideas in maths: algebra, geometry, trigonometry, e, i, calculus, infinity, …. ‘Magic’ is overstated, but the book provides a useful introduction.
60. The First Casualty: A Memoir from the Front Lines of the Global War on Journalism, Peter Greste.
    #read2017: Combines Greste’s account of 400 days in an Egyptian prison on bogus charges with his insightful analysis of the attack on freedom of the press. An excellent book.
61. Community: Salad Recipes from Arthur Street Kitchen, Hetty McKinnon.
    #read2017: Read cover-to-cover yesterday — twice! — then started cooking. All hearty salads. Each showcases a core vegetable. First two dishes were amazing. Lots of hours of good eating here.
62. The Last Days of Chez Nous and Two Friends, Helen Garner.
    #read2017: Screenplays are quite a different story-telling device, driven mainly by dialogue. Garner expertly draws out the personalities of her characters.

As I’ve mentioned, I love books. Real books, with paper and ink. None of those fancy ebooks. I spend enough time each day staring into screens. Plus, I like to read in the bath and the idea of accidentally dropping a $1000 device doesn’t appeal. (I’ve only ever once dropped a book in the bath. It was a library book. Go figure.)

The busier I get, the less I seem to read for pleasure. To redress this, my plan is to read 50 books in 2016. Fiction, mathematics, Australian politics, biographies, non-fiction, anything. Some books are short novellas which you might think of as ‘cheating’. Whatever. Despite the fact that I am counting, the number doesn’t count. It’s just a target to get me to read more.

I am tweeting 140 character reviews with #read2016, but I’ll also post the books here in three parts, one every four months. The maths ones (*) might be the subject of separate posts.

There were 19 books in Part 1 (January – April), 16 books in Part 2 (May – August) and 18 books in Part 3 (September – December). That makes 53 books in 2016.

36. Black Rock White City, A.S. Patric. It took me ~50 pages to warm to the story, but then it was unputdownable. A decidedly worthy winner of 2016 Miles Franklin Award.
    #read2016: A couple almost unknowingly clinging to each other through deep wordless grief, and yet a hopeful book.
37. Commonwealth, Ann Patchett. Wonderful writing. Skilled in capturing moments and innermost thoughts in few words. As a promising relationship between a famous author and a waitress begins: ‘He patted the top of her hand, which she had left close by on the bar in case he needed it.’ A glimpse of a left-behind, overworked mother of four young children: ‘The speed at which their mother ran from work to school to the grocery store to home had doubled. She was always arriving, always leaving, never there.’ 
    #read2016: Vignettes spanning 50 years woven together to tell the story of complex blended family relationships.
38. Postcards from Surfers, Helen Garner. Eleven short stories in true Garner style.
    #read2016: Stories that never use more words than they need. Expertly constructed.
39. Dying: A Memoir, Cory Taylor. I first learned of Cory Taylor on the fabulous ABC ‘Terminally Ill’ program of the ‘You Can’t Ask That‘ series. Cory was frank — the same as in her memoir.
    #read2016: Clear-eyed. Unsentimental. A deeply reflective view of dying and of life. Moving.
40. Notes on An Exodus, Richard Flanagan. Richard Flanagan won the Man Booker Prize for his remarkable ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’. His ‘notes’, along with sketches by Ben Quilty (Archibald Prize winner), paint powerful portraits of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Greece and Serbia.
    #read2016 (1): Devastatingly moving portraits of Syrian refugees from two of Australia’s most acclaimed in their crafts.
    #read2016 (2): A slim volume but not at all light. Honours their dignity + courage. ‘Refugees are not like you and me. They are you and me.’
41. The Good, the Bad and the Unlikely: Australia’s Prime Ministers, Mungo MacCallum. More than 29 biographies, this also brings together the story of Australian politics.
    #read2016 (1): A lively and humanising view of each of Australia’s 29 PMs. Witty + concise writing that had me laughing (or snorting!) out loud.
    #read2016 (2): I learned many things, but am still struck by the news that we had a PM with the middle name of ‘Christmas’.
42. The Curious Story of Malcolm Turnbull, the Incredible Shrinking Man in the Top Hat, Andrew Street. I preferred the first book, ‘The Short and Excruciatingly Embarrassing Reign of Captain Abbott’, but only because Abbott was so laughably hopeless. The sequel certainly reveals some of the ineptitude of Turnbull.
    #read2016: Grab the popcorn and dig into the spectacle. (If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.) Street dishes out snark in spades.
43. Salt Creek, Lucy Treloar. An interesting blend of fact and fiction.
    #read2016 (1): Set on the South Australian Coorong in the 1850s as white settlers first encroach on the lands of the Ngarrindjeri people.
    #read2016 (2): A beautifully-told, heartbreaking shameful story that matches historical truths. Starts painfully slow; gripping past pg 90.
44. The Long Green Shore, John Hepworth.
    #read2016: Published 50yrs after writing of Australians in PNG during WWII. Banality alongside barbarity. Matter-of-fact yet almost poetic.
45. The Hate Race, Maxine Beneba Clarke. An Australian of Afro-Caribbean descent, Maxine Beneba Clarke tells what it is like to grow up as a person of colour in Australia.
    #read2016: Packs a powerful punch, right to the stomach. A difficult, but important read. Particularly now.
46. * Which One Doesn’t Belong? Teacher’s Guide, Christopher Danielson. The premise of ‘Which One Doesn’t Belong?’ is to consider four shapes, and ask the question. In the children’s picture book and its companion teacher’s guide, Danielson focuses on geometry and uses WODB to draw out rich mathematical ideas. The teacher’s guide provides convincing rationale and practical advice. There are plenty more WODB out there; try www.wodb.ca and the hashtag #wodb.
    #read2016: A delightful way to discuss + explore maths. The writing is crisp, purposeful, insightful + welcoming. A must-have for tchrs.
47. Girt: The Unauthorised History of Australia, David Hunt. Australian history like it should have been taught at school. The ABC Radio podcast Rum, Rebels & Ratbags with Dom Knight is also worth a listen.
    #read2016: Peppered with witticisms and dripping in places with sarcasm, this is a lively telling of Australian history like no other.
48. * Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You’d Had: Ideas and Strategies from Vibrant Classrooms, Tracy Johnston Zager. I have been madly awaiting this book for at least a year. It was so good I read it cover-to-cover almost as quickly as I could. It’s a beautiful, important book. Truly something special for all maths teachers. My full review is in this blog post.
    
49. * Avoid Hard Work!, Maria Droujkova, James Tanton, Yelena McManaman. There is a lot to like about this book, but ultimately I found it too light. I also have problems with the title.
    #read2016: A gentle approach to encourage mathematical problem solving with very young children.
50. All That I Am, Anna Funder.
    #read2016: A fictionalised biography of political activism against the Nazis in WWII. Crushing. Beautifully written. A page turner.
51. Our Souls at Night, Kent Haruf. The first book by Haruf that I’ve read. I’ll definitely be looking for more. From the back blurb: ‘Addie Moore and Louis Waters have been neighbours for years. Now they both live alone, their houses empty of family, their quiet nights solitary. Then one evening Addie pays Louis a visit.’
    #read2016: A tender, quiet and impossibly beautiful tale of growing old together with grace.
52. Victoria: The Queen, Julia Baird. Loved the narrative-style approach, particularly once I realised it was built around impeccable research.
    #read2016: A hefty portrait of a formidable + intriguing queen. Flowing, engaging, well researched. Fascinating details of V as a woman.
53. Monkey Grip, Helen Garner. Her acclaimed first novel. Reads like diary entries, with Garner’s perceptive view.
    #read2016: Explores addiction, to hard drugs + to love. Written in the 70s; curious to see where Garner started. Still wondering if I liked.

As I’ve mentioned, I love books. Real books, with paper and ink. None of those fancy ebooks. I spend enough time each day staring into screens. Plus, I like to read in the bath and the idea of accidentally dropping a $1000 device doesn’t appeal. (I’ve only ever once dropped a book in the bath. It was a library book. Go figure.)

The busier I get, the less I seem to read for pleasure. To redress this, my plan is to read 50 books in 2016. Fiction, mathematics, Australian politics, biographies, non-fiction, anything. Some books are short novellas which you might think of as ‘cheating’. Whatever. Despite the fact that I am counting, the number doesn’t count. It’s just a target to get me to read more.

I am tweeting 140 character reviews with #read2016, but I’ll also post the books here in three parts, one every four months. The maths ones (*) might be the subject of separate posts.

There were 19 books in Part 1 (January – April). Here is Part 2 (May – August) with 16 books.

20. After the Fire, a Still Small Voice, Evie Wyld. I raved (see Part 1) about her award-winning second book. This is a mind-blowingly good first novel. Can’t wait to see what’s next for Wyld.
    #read2016: Incredibly moving in a matter-of-fact kind of way. Sadness seeps from every character.
21. Stop at Nothing: The Life and Adventures of Malcolm Turnbull, Annabel Crabb. This is an update to her 2009 Quarterly Essay, which I finally read in December 2015. I enjoyed re-reading the previous material and looking out for the additions.
    #read2016: A snappy update to her 2009 Quarterly Essay. Witty and incisive, as always.
22. Teacher Man, Frank McCourt. From the bestselling author of Angela’s Ashes, which I read many years ago. Because Fawn Nguyen often mentions that Teacher Man is one of her favourite books, I’ve been looking out for it. I found three copies in a small secondhand book stall in the Penguin markets. (I resisted the urge to buy all three.) A fabulous read.
    #read2016: The honest account of teaching. Master teller of stories. Words of wisdom on every page.
23.  The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k, Sarah Knight. A parody of Marie Kondo’s book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (number 29 on this list). This was laugh-out-loud on every other page. I loved it. Great food for thought.
    #read2016: After the day I had I read it in one sitting … while not giving a fuck about a whole lot of other things.
24. Weekend Language: Presenting with More Stories and Less PowerPoint, Andy Craig and Dave Yewman. There had been a lot of buzz about this book in the MTBoS, so I wanted to check it out. I liked it (see below) but for a deeper read I suggest two important books on the same theme: Made To Stick and Presentation Zen.
    #read2016 (1): Snappy summary of elements of good presentations. Particularly liked chapter on mechanics of delivery.
    #read2016 (2): Mechanics of delivery (my clumsy phrase): vocals, pausing, pacing, gestures and the like. Important to get right.
25. Faction Man: Bill Shorten’s Pursuit of Power, David Marr. In the lead-up to the Australian election (and wasn’t that a debacle!), Black Inc republished updated Quarterly Essay profiles by Annabel Crabb (see Item 21) and David Marr of the leaders of the two main Australian political parties. Some insight by Marr, but I felt it missed the mark.
    #read2016: Adds detail to the sharp rise of the prime ministerial contender, but a rather disjointed piece of work.
26. The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul, Deborah Rodriguez. An impulse purchase at Cairns airport (with some encouragement from a companion) because I’d accidentally checked in my books and headphones. In places it was poorly written chick-lit, but the story stayed with me for many days — enough to buy the sequel.
    #read2016: Fascinating, fictional account of Afghan culture. A little corny in places but surprisingly moving.
27. The Natural Way of Things, Charlotte Wood. I can see why this book has an ever-growing list of awards, including the 2016 Stella Prize. An imaginatively dark setting for an unlikely but captivating story.
    #read2016: An engrossing dystopian tale of punishment and liberation. Almost unlike anything I’ve ever read.
28. Everywhere I Look, Helen Garner. This is a collection of Garner’s short stories, opinion pieces, diary extracts, essays and more. All but three have been published elsewhere, but the only one I’d previously read is still one of my favourites: The Insults of Age.
    #read2016: Gulped when I should have savoured. Master of acute observation.
29. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, Marie Kondo. I like to think that I’m an organised person who tries not to collect ‘stuff’, but I still like to read books on organising principles. After this I was inspired to get rid of half of my clothes. I can’t do the same with my books though!
    #read2016: Slightly kooky but ultimately worth contemplating. Do your possessions spark joy?
30. The Spare Room, Helen Garner. After Everywhere I Look (Item 28), I had to read more of Garner’s work. Loved this book.
    #read2016: An unflinching view of the complicated care of a dying friend. Deeply touching. Beautifully crafted.
31. The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenides. I’ve not seen the movie, and I didn’t know the premise of the novel, but I’d been curious about it for a while. Dragged on, with the occasional great moment.
    #read2016: Melancholic. Almost ethereal. Lyrical prose. Some intriguing moments but I never really connected.
32. * Thinking Mathematically (2nd edition), John Mason, Leone Burton, Kaye Stacey. This book changed the way I thought about mathematical thinking, so much so that I designed and developed a university course for pre-service maths teachers around it.
    #read2016: Readying myself for another semester with 52 pre-service teachers by re-reading this foundational book.
33. Cosmo Cosmolino, Helen Garner. Based on what I’d read about this book I was expecting something a little different to her other works. I was not disappointed, but it was certainly unusual.
    #read2016: Oddly engrossing with themes of new age, commune living and emerging from the shells of damaged lives.
34. * More Good Questions: Great Ways to Differentiate Secondary Mathematics Instruction, Marian Small, Amy Lin. Such an invigorating read.
    #read2016: Immensely practical + deeply stimulating. With examples of open tasks to use, adapt or be inspired by.
35. High Sobriety, Jill Stark. ‘I’m the binge-drinking health reporter. During the week, I write about Australia’s booze-soaked culture. At the weekends, I write myself off.’ Jill makes an unsparing assessment of her relationship with alcohol — it’s worth doing the same.
    #read2016: A frank look at Australia’s obsession with alcohol, along with a self-deprecating narration.