Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe wins the Top 100 Books countdown — as it happened

1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 8:10am Want more Top 100 Books? On Monday, Radio National’s The Book…
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Over the past few years, I’ve tried to set myself a goal of reading a certain number of books in a calendar year. Usually, that goal is 52 books so I average a book a week. Life hasn’t always let me do so, however. Last year, for example, I was only able to read 19 books. This is by no means a failure on my part, but I do think I need to change my goal focus. Instead of a set number of books in the year, I’d like to build the habit of reading every day, even if it’s just a few pages.

The books I plan to read will come from the following:

• Books from my local library
• E-books, audiobooks, and graphic novels from the Libby and Hoopla apps
• Books I purchase locally, from either Black Cat Books & Oddities (new books) or The Bookshelf (used books)
• Books, e-books, audiobooks, graphic novels, and manga I’ve purchased from various Humble Bundle events

To track my reading progress, I have an account on Bookwyrm, a federated social media service for reading. I’ll also try to write reviews of the books I read, both here and on Bookwyrm. If you’re also tracking your reading, let me know where I can follow you so I can see what you’re reading.

https://medi-nerd.com/2024/01/01/2024-goal-read-every-day/

#2024Goal #BlackCatBooksOddities #BookWyrm #Hoopla #Libby #MedinaCountyDistrictLibrary #ReadEveryDay #TheBookshelf

I finished #Willowman by #IngaSimpson (#Hachette Australia Books 2022) on Wednesday, and I'm sure it will remain one of my favourites for 2023.

I loved Simpson's interrelated tale of the older batmaker, coping with the break-up of his marriage and reconnecting with his daughter through the crafting of willow bats and a shared love of cricket.

And the young cricketer, destined for greatness but who faces the trials and tribulations all cricket fans will recognise. While his sister seeks to make her mark in a traditionally male-orientated sport.

Yes, I'm a #cricket fan, but I suggest Willowman transcends sport. But then, the same could be said about cricket.

In a fitting coincidence, I finished the book and read Simpson's acknowledgements after watching the episode of Amazon Prime's #TheTest, dedicated to #PhillipHughes:

Thank you to Phillip Hughes, who should have played a hundred Tests, for the motivation to write this story. I loved watching you bat.

Here's a link to a special Book Club episode of ABC RN's #TheBookshelf, with host Kate Evans and guests discussing Willowman and The Bodyline Fix: How women saved cricket by Marion Stell:

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/the-bookshelf/the-bookshelf-cricket-book-club-feat-inga-simpson-willowman/14110772