What did you read in 2013?

What did you read in 2013?

Roulette

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Hi all,

In the last week of December and the first week of January, I saw some socialites posting the list of books they read in 2013. Some did it via their blogs, some via their social media accounts. As always I was happy to see people reading, and encouraging us to read.
Then I shocked some of my friends by telling them that I haven't read more than 5 books in 2013. One would think that it is not enough as this means that my average was lower than a book every 2 months. However I am happy with this number and here is why:

  • I travelled a lot this year, and wasn't able to carry books with me. So whenever I was home I started a books but by the end of the year I could only finish very few of them.
  • I read 5 books in 2013. (3 economic books, 1 biography and 1 fiction).
  • I read many articles online, especially news on politics, economy and security. I can't tell how many exactly as I wasn't keeping a record but I can say with confidence that it could easily be than 156 (taking the lowest possible average of three per week)
  • I read scholar articles, mostly on natural resources, development, conflicts and leadership.
  • I read very interesting blogposts. I have suscribed to more than 10 new blogs, and I have read 100% of post made by at least 6 blogers this year.
  • I read a couple of magazines (hard copies) on specific topics.
  • I wrote blogpost for my own blogs (28 posts in total) and was hosted by other blogs (4 posts).
  • I reviewed 2 books, out of which one was published in August (on State capacity)
  • I read pertinent analysis made by experts and amateurs on social media and mailing lists.

So yes, i could not make a list of books I read this year, but this doesn't mean I didn't read. In my opinion, the goal is not to increase the number of books/papers we read, but to build up quality knowledge and the capacity to analyse data from the material we read. I am sure I was able to achieve that through this mosaic of writtings. I would still try to read more books in 2014 and encourage others to do so, but I would also advise that we diversify and record other readings we had, in order to better evaluate the area of knowledge we are building.

So what did you read this year and what would you recommend we read? (My own list is in progress, it might not be accurate but pretty indicative)
Udadisi, Kiranga, AshaDii, The Boss, kingasti, @Woman of substance, Husninyo, Maxence Melo, @X-pastor, Mzee Mwanakijiji, Zitto, Rutashubanyuma, EMT, Kaunga, gfsonwin, Azimio Jipya, Nyani Ngabu, Gajungi, FaizaFoxy , Dark City na wengine wote, karibuni (if you think of someone else, just tag him in your response, tufaidike wote).
 
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Kusoma kwa watu tulio wengi ni janga....

Ila kuna watu watasema kuwa hawakukosa hata toleo moja la magazeti ya udaku....

Binafsi najivunia kusoma magazeti ya kiswahili...walau mawili kila Jmosi na Jpili....
 
Kusoma kwa watu tulio wengi ni janga....

Ila kuna watu watasema kuwa hawakukosa hata toleo moja la magazeti ya udaku....

Binafsi najivunia kusoma magazeti ya kiswahili...walau mawili kila Jmosi na Jpili....

I believe suala la quality ya unacho kisoma ndio muhimu kuliko lugha ya articles.
 
Ah, it's time for the yearly books thread.

I tried to finish a book a month, my tablets and constant long commutes helped a lot.

This last year I went heavy on memoirs and toned down on the science (Except for "Why Does The World Exist") and cranked up on history, with the occasional travelogue (India) and religious history/ philosophy (Zealot).

Of course the list wouldn't be mine if it didn't include Roman history, African colonization history, skepticism, mathematical geniuses, a Kennedy and a bit of religious reflection.

I thoroughly enjoyed each one of the below books.

I wish Tanzanian politicians would write about their lives.

Currently I am reading "Tito: A Biography"

Here goes

12. The Skeptic : A Life of H.L Mencken
11. Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything
10. The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan
9. The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy
8. India: A Million Mutinies Now
7. Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer
6. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
5. Zealot : The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
4. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany
3. Why Does the World Exist?: An Existential Detective Story
2. One Day I Will Write About This Place: A Memoir
1. Marcus Aurelius: A Life
 
Oh man...my reading is so varied. Basically it runs the gamut from science journals - history - to religion, from current events (newspapers/ magazines/ blogs) to sports.

From fitness (Flex magazine) to entertainment(worldstarhiphop.com, mediatakeout.com, bossip.com. sandrarose.com, etc). You name it, I've probably read it.

I believe in the broadening of horizons so I rarely discriminate when it comes to reading. Heck, I even read dictionaries. Who else does that?
 
Marcus aurelius:life, what a superb philosophical context...

I went as far as asserting the certainty of God's existance, i swotted stuffs as
If God were space aliens, a different kind of atheism...
How we believe, the search of God in ages of science...
Science and relogion in the fulness of life...
God is not great, how religion poison everything...
The end of religious faith...
Why god won' go away...
Holy bible, king james...

Why not elucubrate my field, chemistry...?
Fundamentals of chemistry, petrucci...
Physical and analytical chemistry...
Basis of chemical separations...
The formation of petroleum...
World's most valuable natural resource, petroleum...

Kwiii...
Nisisahau rasimu ya katiba, bhana...
 
Oh man...my reading is so varied. Basically it runs the gamut from science journals - history - to religion, from current events (newspapers/ magazines/ blogs) to sports.

From fitness (Flex magazine) to entertainment(worldstarhiphop.com, mediatakeout.com, bossip.com. sandrarose.com, etc). You name it, I've probably read it.

I believe in the broadening of horizons so I rarely discriminate when it comes to reading. Heck, I even read dictionaries. Who else does that?
Nyani Ngabu I think I read like you this year, mostly online article, rarely beyong 5000 words at a time. I also read a few children books, do they count? Some contained initiatic lessons in them, worth houres of dubitation (does this word exist?)
Kiranga maybe I should buy a Kindle (or download the app), maana hii excuse ya kwamba I travel light might not satisfy me next year. hahahahaha
AshaDii na MWANAKIjiji nawaona mkigonga likes tuu we need you to share bandugu! Na kama you wrote share it pia, tukawasomeni!
paparazii, your readings are very specific to 2 topics. Are you conducting a reasearch or is it just an obsessive curiosity in those fields?
 
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Nyani Ngabu I think I read like you this year, mostly online article, rarely beyong 5000 words at a time. I also read a few children books, do they count? Some contained initiatic lessons in them, worth houres of dubitation (does this word exist?)
Kiranga maybe I should buy a Kindle (or download the app), maana hii excuse ya kwamba I travel light might not satisfy me next year. hahahahaha
AshaDii na MWANAKIjiji nawaona mkigonga likes tuu we need you to share bandugu! Na kama you wrote share it pia, tukawasomeni!
paparazii, your readings are very specific to 2 topics. Are you conducting a reasearch or is it just an obsessive curiosity in those fields?

Nakumbuka mwaka jana ulipoanza uliweka uzi unaofanana na huu!! Kwanza hongera kwa kutukumbusha hili swala la kusoma!!!

Kwa msaada tu...ungetuwekea njia gan mnatumia mnafanikiamwa kusoma vitabu maana wengi naamini mda unakua shida maana wengi tunabanwa na classes au kazi za hapa na pale!! Na mwisho wa siku unakuta umeishia tu kwenye field yako!!!
 
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Daa mimi ilikuwa crime & Investigation novels na mapenzi (yenye crime ndani yake)

Bravo two Zero (Non -fiction) By Andy McNab
Crisis Four (Fiction) - By Andy McNab
The Client - John Grisham
Architectural jounals
SAS open Journals na magazeti kwa sana....

2013 ulikuwa mwaka wa changamoto nyingi hivyo sikupata muda wa kuchimbua sana vitabu....
 
Nakumbuka mwaka jana ulipoanza uliweka uzi unaofanana na huu!! Kwanza hongera kwa kutukumbusha hili swala la kusoma!!!

Kwa msaada tu...ungetuwekea njia gan mnatumia mnafanikiamwa kusoma vitabu maana wengi naamini mda unakua shida maana wengi tunabanwa na classes au kazi za hapa na pale!! Na mwisho wa siku unakuta umeishia tu kwenye field yako!!!

Asante kwa kunipongeza, ingawa na mimi mwaka huu sikutimiza malengo yangu katika idadi ya vitabu nilijipangia kusoma.
Binafsi nasoma jioni. Mara nyingi narudi nyumbani kwenye saa kumi na moja, nalala around saa nne. hapo kati kati nasoma. Pia sina gari. Nikiwa ndani ya bus au nikipewa lift natumia muda huo kusoma. Hapa kama una tabloid au Kindle ndio mwake.
Unaweza pia kutenga siku maalum ya kusoma, mfano kila weekend unakua na masaa kadhaa special kwa ajili ya kusoma. The most important thing, isiwe karaha, ufurahie unacho kisoma.
Kama una classes zinakuziwia kusoma vitabu vingine kwanini usisome vitabu vya bibliography yako? sometimes articles ni just one chapter of a larger book, take the knowledge deeper by reading the entire book.
Pia jiweke karibu na watu wanao penda kusoma, they will motivate you kwa kukupa vitabu na ku-discuss their content.
 
Daa mimi ilikuwa crime & Investigation novels na mapenzi (yenye crime ndani yake)

Bravo two Zero (Non -fiction) By Andy McNab
Crisis Four (Fiction) - By Andy McNab
The Client - John Grisham
Architectural jounals
SAS open Journals na magazeti kwa sana....

2013 ulikuwa mwaka wa changamoto nyingi hivyo sikupata muda wa kuchimbua sana vitabu....

The client ni kizuri sana. kwa mtazamo wangu John Grisham hana kitabu kibaya, ila the client ni moja katika vitabu vyake bora. I have a collection, na in my collection The Client na A Time To Kill vipo katika kitabu kimoja. I read it in 4 days! hahahaha
Hopefully this year utasoma vitabu vingi zaidi, but also keep a record of all the good articles you read. Just for reference baadae. Maana nahisi huku tunako elekea maybe vitabu vitakua ni a mere complilation of articles/short novels etc. Watu tumekua wavivu sana kusoma.
 
The client ni kizuri sana. kwa mtazamo wangu John Grisham hana kitabu kibaya, ila the client ni moja katika vitabu vyake bora. I have a collection, na in my collection The Client na A Time To Kill vipo katika kitabu kimoja. I read it in 4 days! hahahaha
Hopefully this year utasoma vitabu vingi zaidi, but also keep a record of all the good articles you read. Just for reference baadae. Maana nahisi huku tunako elekea maybe vitabu vitakua ni a mere complilation of articles/short novels etc. Watu tumekua wavivu sana kusoma.

A TIME TO KILL ninacho ila sijapata muda wa kukisoma....but nikiri nilipata homa wakati kale ka Mark Sway kalipokuwa kanapata maswahiba,mdogo wake kupata comma,contena lao kuchomwa moto na yule ''the blade'' alivyokuwa anamharass...

Bt all in all nikiangalia confidence kalikokua nayo huyu mtoto nasema oooh, i wish Mark angekuwa mwanangu,ila ningemdunda maana mtundu sana...

Frankly Library yangu imesheheni vitabu ila nimetaja tu nilivyopitia mwaka jana,mfano Nina karibia vitabu 30+ vya James Hadley Chase, Grisham nina vitano,na outher mmoja mmoja vingi vingine...napenda sana kusoma novel/journal kuliko kuwatch the same story kwenye movie!
 
you guys mmenipa changamoto sana kuhusu usomaji wa vitabu, am doing my Masters right now nimegundua nahitajika kusoma vitu vingi zaidi ya vile vya masomo. Thanks Roulette for the topic
mkuu huo ndio ukweli....ila ntajitahidi na mimi nianze!!
 
Unaweza pia kutenga siku maalum ya kusoma, mfano kila weekend unakua na masaa kadhaa special kwa ajili ya kusoma. The most important thing, isiwe karaha, ufurahie unacho kisoma.
hili ni wazo zuri... ngoja nianze weka mikakati!!
Kama una classes zinakuziwia kusoma vitabu vingine kwanini usisome vitabu vya bibliography yako?
na hii nitajitahidi iwe ni starting point!!!
sometimes articles ni just one chapter of a larger book, take the knowledge deeper by reading the entire book.
Pia jiweke karibu na watu wanao penda kusoma, they will motivate you kwa kukupa vitabu na ku-discuss their content.
nashukuru sana kwa mawazo yako!!! na mimi ntajitahidi ukileta tena uzi(next time) niwe na vitabu vya kuchangia tofauti na vya class....
 
A TIME TO KILL ninacho ila sijapata muda wa kukisoma....but nikiri nilipata homa wakati kale ka Mark Sway kalipokuwa kanapata maswahiba,mdogo wake kupata comma,contena lao kuchomwa moto na yule ''the blade'' alivyokuwa anamharass...

Bt all in all nikiangalia confidence kalikokua nayo huyu mtoto nasema oooh, i wish Mark angekuwa mwanangu,ila ningemdunda maana mtundu sana...
hiki kitabu kinaonekana kizuri sana ...jina lake tafadhali!! au kama una soft copy yake ntashukuru sana!!
 
This past year I read mostly Tanganyika independence history books and some detective novels; I'll share my list in a little while. Thanks Roullete...
 
hiki kitabu kinaonekana kizuri sana ...jina lake tafadhali!! au kama una soft copy yake ntashukuru sana!!

Ni story iliyotokea Memphis USA ambapo bwana mdogo mmoja Mark Sway na mdogo wake walikuwa wameketi vichakani wakivuta sigara kinyume na taratibu kwa kuwa umri wao ulikuwa hauruhusu...

Wakati wakiendelea na zoezi hilo ghafla wakaona gari lililokuja kusimama maeneo waliyokuwa wanayaona,kwenye gari akiwepo mwanasheria aliyetaka kujiua(kwa kuwa alikuwa anajua siri) ambaye hata hivyo alijiua na kuacha siri nzito kwa Mark kuhusu ulikofichwa mwili wa Senetor aliyeaminika kuuawa na mob fulani(iliyokuwa inamtumia mwanasheria aliyejiua) ila mwili wake haukujulikana ulipo hivyo kesi kukosa nguvu...

Kitendo cha Mark kujua siri (ulipofichwa mwili) kikamweka katika hatari kuu mbili,moja ya kusakwa na mobb killer (ili asitoe siri) na pili kusakwa na vyombo vya usalama ili atoe siri....mtu pekee Mark aliyeweza kumwamini ni mwanasheria wake(ambaye Mark alimtafuta Mwenyewe) ambaye ndiye aliyemname mark 'The Client' mwanamama Regie Love ambaye hata hivyo alijitolea kumsaidia Mark...

Mitihani anayokumbana nayo Mark ni pamoja na waendesha mashitaka kutaka kukiuka vifungu vya sheria ili Mark aseme siri aliyobeba kifuani wakati huo huo maharamia wakihaha kumnyamazisha milele Mark huku Bi Regie Love akifanya kila linalowezekana kumwokoa Client wake...
Kakitafute kama upo Dar nenda duka la Vitabu Scholastica lipo ndani ya Jengo la Mlimani City mkabala na Sam Sung!
 
Ni story iliyotokea Memphis USA ambapo bwana mdogo mmoja Mark Sway na mdogo wake walikuwa wameketi vichakani wakivuta sigara kinyume na taratibu kwa kuwa umri wao ulikuwa hauruhusu...

Wakati wakiendelea na zoezi hilo ghafla wakaona gari lililokuja kusimama maeneo waliyokuwa wanayaona,kwenye gari akiwepo mwanasheria aliyetaka kujiua(kwa kuwa alikuwa anajua siri) ambaye hata hivyo alijiua na kuacha siri nzito kwa Mark kuhusu ulikofichwa mwili wa Senetor aliyeaminika kuuawa na mob fulani(iliyokuwa inamtumia mwanasheria aliyejiua) ila mwili wake haukujulikana ulipo hivyo kesi kukosa nguvu...

Kitendo cha Mark kujua siri (ulipofichwa mwili) kikamweka katika hatari kuu mbili,moja ya kusakwa na mobb killer (ili asitoe siri) na pili kusakwa na vyombo vya usalama ili atoe siri....mtu pekee Mark aliyeweza kumwamini ni mwanasheria wake(ambaye Mark alimtafuta Mwenyewe) ambaye ndiye aliyemname mark 'The Client' mwanamama Regie Love ambaye hata hivyo alijitolea kumsaidia Mark...

Mitihani anayokumbana nayo Mark ni pamoja na waendesha mashitaka kutaka kukiuka vifungu vya sheria ili Mark aseme siri aliyobeba kifuani wakati huo huo maharamia wakihaha kumnyamazisha milele Mark huku Bi Regie Love akifanya kila linalowezekana kumwokoa Client wake...
Kakitafute kama upo Dar nenda duka la Vitabu Scholastica lipo ndani ya Jengo la Mlimani City mkabala na Sam Sung!

Kisa kizuri sana!!! Nna prac hapo dar...nadhan soon as i get ntaingia kwenye hiyo bookshop ..naimani ntapata na vingine vizuri!!! BTW..thanks for sharing...na muwe changamoto kwa wengine...
 
Kisa kizuri sana!!! Nna prac hapo dar...nadhan soon as i get ntaingia kwenye hiyo bookshop ..naimani ntapata na vingine vizuri!!! BTW..thanks for sharing...na muwe changamoto kwa wengine...


Karibu kiongozi, nakumbuka mwalimu wangu mmoja wa shule ya sekondari alikuwa anapenda kutukumbusha kuwa kichwa kitupu ni karakana ya shetani,tafsiri yake isiyo rasmi ni kwamba once unaruhusu kichwa kuwa kitupu unatengeneza mianya ya kujaza na yasiyofaa kichwani....

Mwingine wa Physics akawa anatuambia ubongo uko elastic kwa maana uki ustretch kwa kujaza machapisho mengi hauwezi kurudi tena kwenye state uliyokuwa kabla hujaloadi material so kadiri unavyozidi kuchimba ndivyo unajitanulia wigo wako wa uelewa.....
 
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