A Year of Reading with Community and Purpose

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with your family, loved ones, and friends. Mine was peaceful and quiet, and I did a lot of reading, but I also found 12 hours to watch the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) documentary The American Revolution by Ken Burns. If you are in the United States and want to learn more about this key event in U.S. history, then I highly recommend watching this documentary. It was excellent.

The only bad thing—no, really—was that as a result of watching it, an additional book was added to my 2026 reading list, which now stands at 23 books.

During the documentary, I learned about Phillis Wheatley, an American writer who is considered the first African American author to publish a book of poetry. So, I purchased The Complete Writings of Phillis Wheatley, and I’m looking forward to reading her poems and letters.

I was able to read 21 books in 2025—nine books over my original goal of 12. But that’s okay, because the additions were all wonderful, especially those written by authors from my community.

2025 Year in Books – Goodreads Screenshot

My goal for 2026 is to read 23 books. Today, I finished my first one, On Writing by Stephen King, which was outstanding, and I’m planning to publish my review next week. If you’re a fiction writer, you should read this book—it’s amazing. I don’t plan to write fiction, but I learned so much from it that it’s a great read for anyone creating content.

This year, I’m adding a few books from my community to my reading list: The Weight of Snow and Regret by Liz Gauffreau, Traveling Through History by Janet Morrison, and When Things Go Missing by Deborah Brasket.

My 2026 Reading Stack

Some of you noticed that I said I was planning to read 23 books, but the 2026 stack only has 22. Yes, there is a space reserved for Vicki Atkinson’s work-in-progress, which is coming soon.

There are some heavy reads on my 2026 stack that will challenge my slow reading pace, but I’m looking forward to it and will see how the year unfolds.

I’ll leave you with a couple of quotes from On Writing:

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous… it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well.”

My hope for this year is that we enrich each other through our writing.

76 thoughts on “A Year of Reading with Community and Purpose”

  5. Edward, I love this. Your passion for reading and for uplifting writers really shows. That documentary sounds great, and your 2026 reading list is impressive. I also need to figure out how to get a book to you, I’d truly love to hear your thoughts.

    Happy and Blessed New Year 2026 and Feliz Dia De Los Reyes

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      1. I know, every year I tell myself I’m going to spend Christmas in Puerto Rico, and yet it still hasn’t happened, it’s definitely on my bucket list. I would love to experience Christmas and Three Kings Day on the island; it must be absolutely magical.

        I remember you went a couple of years ago, and I can only imagine how amazing it was…

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          1. Nice… I haven’t been back in over 20 years. The only family I still have in Puerto Rico is my uncle, he lives in Ponce, but I would love to visit again.

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  7. A very ambitious list. The best book on writing is A Dash of Style by Noah Lukeman who isn’t a writer but a critic. Lukeman focuses on the joy of writing; of creating pictures with words, worlds for readers to live in. I have a feeling you will achieve your goal.

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  8. Wonderful post, Edward. I loved the Stephen King quotes. If I don’t manage at least a chapter or two a day, it usually means I’ve accidentally donated that time to my phone. Happy New Year and here’s wishing you many great reads in 2026!

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    1. Thank you, Robin, and Happy New Year! My issue is television. I’ll get lost binge watching shows or movies if I’m not careful. This year, I’m cutting that down so I can read more.

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  11. Wow, good for you! I love to read but I purposely have been staying away from books (hard copy & kindle) because I will not put it down. Once I’m in a good book, that’s it. 😊

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  13. Resonating deeply with Stephen King’s quote: “Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous… it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well.” And I am sure that that is exactly what we are doing here on our wonderful WP community. Enriching to the max!

    Very impressive reading lists, Edward, both the one already done and the one for 2026! I found the books on stoicism very interesting, but I must confess some of the others are too “heavy” for me. So, I will be waiting for your reviews, which are always very insightful.

    Wishing you the most wonderful new year, abundant in light, blessings, peace, insights, and growth. One step at a time! ✨🙏🍀

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    1. Thank you, my friend. I really enjoyed the three books on Stoicism, particularly the works of Marcus Aurelius, Zeno, and Epictetus in the Stoic Foundations. The one title, “Stoicism and the Art of Happiness” by Donald Robertson, was extremely helpful because of his easy-to-understand explanations of the concepts and the many applications to our daily lives.

      There are some heavy readings ahead, but like you said, I’ll tackle them “one step at a time.”

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  14. What a richly rewarding reading year you had, Edward! Thank you for sharing all the titles. I really admire your dedication and commitment to supporting your peers. Happy reading and writing in 2026! And good health and happiness, too!

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  15. What a beautiful hope for the year. I’ll second that!

    I’ve heard so much about On Writing – love that you included two great quotes. With all this reading, it’s no wonder you are such a great writer!

    Happy New Year, my friend!

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  17. Hi Edward, I’m looking forward to your reviews. You have quite an impressive list. I’ve only put 9 books on my reading list for this year and hope to do a few reviews. You’ve inspired me! I’m especially interested in hearing your thoughts on “The Righetous Mind” and “Introverts in the Church”.

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    1. Thank you, Joni. I’m really looking forward to reading “Introverts in the Church.” I watched a video of the author explaining the discipleship issues most churches have when it comes to creating a healthy environment for introverts to thrive, and it was very interesting.

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    1. Well, you know, some people like to take the brutality out of war when teaching history. The fighting between Americans was brutal, though the Civil War was worse, I think. They did a good job highlighting all aspects of that war from different perspectives, which I found to be the best part of the series. Happy New Year, my friend.

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  19. I love the beginning of the year and planning. It’s exciting to think of where your book choices will take you!

    My brother in law was reviewing American Revolution by Ken Burns at Christmas. He couldn’t say enough about it. It’s now on my list!

    I wish you a Happy New Year! Looking forward to all of your new material throughout these next 12 months! 😁😁😁

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    1. Thank you so much, my friend, and Happy New Year! The documentary was amazing, and it served as a good reminder of things we don’t often hear about, such as the participation of Native Americans, Germans, and Spaniards, just to name a few.

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  20. I’ve heard of Phillis Wheatley, but I haven’t read any of her work. I you will write a review when you’ve finished reading her book. I’m so glad you’ve added The Weight of Snow and Regret to your reading list! I hope you enjoy it.

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    1. I’ll definitely write a review for her book. The documentary highlighted portions of her writing, and I was impressed. I’m actually about to start reading your book, and I’m looking forward to it.

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  21. Edward, I read slowly too (and have low vision) so to me, 23 books is definitely an accomplishment. I couldn’t make out all the book covers, but I saw Fahrenheit 451 which is an old favorite of mine. Your 2026 stack looks promising. I’ll be curious as to what you think of Stephen King’s nonfiction book. (His prefaces to novels are sometimes exhausting, but he’s still amazing.) I love watching interviews with him. I agree with his quotes you shared too.) Happy New Year and happy reading. Hugs.

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    1. Happy New Year! Yeah, the screen capture wasn’t the best, but Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 by George Orwell were there, both excellent. The Stephen King book was amazing. If I were a fiction writer, I’d be using On Writing on a daily basis. The number of recommendations and examples he offers is invaluable. I read that it’s his best book, and I don’t doubt it. I finished it in five days and took a lot of notes because many of the things he mentioned can be applied to any kind of writing.

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  22. You have a nice variety of both old and new books, and a good variety of topics, Edward. I enjoyed your reviews last year and I’ll be looking forward to your 2026 reviews. I recently posted a list of our 2025 Nature Book Club books. I take notes when reading the nature books for discussion purposes, so it’s easy to go back over my notes to create the list. I read other books last year, not related to Nature Book Club, but I didn’t think to keep track of them. Maybe this year I should remember to do that…

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    1. Thank you, Rose. I’m using Goodreads to track my reading list. It has a nice feature where you can point your phone camera at the book cover, and it will find it for you. I like it because you can set a goal, and it helps you stay on track. Happy New Year, my friend.

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  23. Well, now! Two things. No – scratch that. Make it three!
    1. Thank you so much for your support of “Surviving Sue” in so many ways. Your fabulous review, your attendance at an event…you being you.
    2. Thank you for your continued interest in my novel! It’s off to my publisher and the fact that you’ve saved a slot for it in your 2026 line-up put a grin on my face. Honored!
    3. I can’t wait to hear what you think of Stephen King’s “On Writing”. My copy sits here at my desk with me and just yesterday I stumbled over a post-it with a quote (I think from that book) where King said, “If the stuff you’re writing isn’t for yourself, it won’t work.” So good!
    Happy New Year, my friend! ❤️😊❤️

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    1. You’re so welcome, my friend. I’m looking forward to placing your novel on top of that stack. Yes, that quote is, in so many ways, the main point of his book. One close to it is: “When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story.” That book hooked me, and I’m not even a fiction writer. It’s so good. Happy New Year!

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  25. That many books in a year is an excellent accomplishment and your new goal is impressive as well, Edward. If I read one or two books in a year, I feel that I’ve done well. I used to be an avid reader, but now, I’m so busy with so many other retirement activities that reading has taken a back seat. I’ve been chipping away at Texas by James Michener since last fall. I also made a plan last fall to read the entire Bible. That has been an arduous, yet at the same time, comforting task. I’m able to read only two chapters each morning, because usually, each two chapters in the scriptures leave me with many questions, so I’m continually researching various interpretations of the text at hand. As of this morning, according to my kindle reader, I’ve read 81% of it. Your writing book by Stephen King – is that the same Stephen King of the suspense and horror genre? If yes, I have to admit, that from high school until into my 30’s, I read almost every book he wrote. What got me hooked was his conversational writing style that pulled me right into his stories.

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    1. Thank you, Terry. Before retirement, my reading habits were horrible—just a couple of books a year on work-related subjects (leadership and war). Since retirement, I set a goal of at least one book a month, and I’m getting into a nice pace now and reading more. I hear you about the Bible. Many years ago, I did the “Read the Bible in a Year” program and read through it a couple of times. Now, my approach is to read one chapter from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament in the morning during my quiet time, exactly for the reason you mentioned. I need time to think, research, and internalize what I’m reading. It takes time, so now I just take it slow, giving myself space to dwell in the Word.

      Yes, that’s the same Stephen King. I started his book on the 1st, and his conversational style hooked me immediately. I read “It” when I was in college, and I’m thinking about reading more of his books after finishing On Writing.

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  26. Congratulations on exceeding your 2025 reading goal! Your 2026 stack looks both ambitious and meaningful, especially with so many books from your community. I imagine there are others in your circle who would love to read these classics together and connect online to exchange thoughts and perspectives—turning the experience into a shared, book-club-like experience. By the way, Beyond Conformity | Transcend and Transform the Conscience was posted today. I can’t say it will draw much of a readership, but based on your interests and work history, the commentary ought to be right up your alley.

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  28. I read King’s book as well and it is my favorite book on writing – here’s to another year of trading, watching, and writing. It’s all about telling the stories

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    1. Thank you, Brad. I’m adding more fiction to my reading to give my brain a break, but I’m really focusing on U.S. history and writings about the Founding Fathers. There is a lot of nonsense out there, so I’m trying to find facts instead of all the misinformation we’ve been getting lately. I think the book about Palestine is going to be a good one.

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