My 2018 To Be Read

This year I am determined to get my reading back on track, looking at the list below it is definitely weighted towards non-fiction. I feel some of that is to do with me wanting to be less ignorant about the world and be more informed.

In no particular order...

1. Balancing Acts by Nicholas Hytner
Before receiving this as a gift I had no idea this book existed. It is about Nichola Hytner's time as Artistic Director of the National Theatre. I will get to read about hugely successful productions such as Warhorse, but also about broadening the theatre audience and changing perception of theatre. Which are two things I am extremely interested in, working in theatre myself.

2. The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman
This book has extremely mixed reviews, something about the blurb and cover intrigued me. A magical realism novel set in New York around a side walk Freak Show. Coralie daughter of the impresario running the freak show and runaway photographer Eddie meet.

3. The F Word by Lily Pebbles
Potentially one of the books I'm most excited to read this year. This all about female friendship, something not hugely portrayed as important in the media, but yet is so central to mine and many other women's lives.

4. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
The book is a culmination of a massive research project looking at how people find love and relationships in the 2010's, following comedian Aziz Ansari's run in with a girl who didn't reply to his text about a second date, left him on a spiral of thoughts of why he didn't know how to deal with the situation. Yet years ago people seemingly found romance more easily.

5. What Happened by Hillary Clinton
Mainly out of curiosity I want to read this, like many people around the world I was shocked when she did not win. Yes, I'm aware she has been somewhat controversial and she wouldn't have been perfect. The questions is still how.

6. The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler
As the title suggests this is an episodic play, each monologue discusses and explores different parts of the feminine experience. I would love to see this performed live also. It was described by the New York Times as on of the most important  pieces of political theatre in the 1990's.

7. The Power by Naomi Alderson
Fiction alert! The premise of this is that girls, gain the power to produce electricity, switching from Men having power in a patriarchal society to women and the effects this has on all aspects of life. It sounds extremely interesting.

8. Everywoman by Jess Philips
I'd say compare to most I'm into politics, but not as much as I would like to be. Everywoman is written by Birmingham Labour MP, giving an insight in what it's like to be a woman in parliament, as well as how she got there and about being a woman in general. I got sucked in on the 'Look Inside' pages on Amazon.

9. Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
This featured in a few 2017 Book Favourite videos in the BookTube community. As a somewhat privileged white person I am ignorant about the issues and history of race and racism in my own country, and I shouldn't be, because whilst I am not a racist person my ignorance is still part of the problem.

I'm eager to get reading all the books on this list, I've actually taken the time to do some research, and now hopefully I am making myself accountable.