So I have never had to write a concession speech before and yes, I did Google it. I wanted to see what makes a good, said speech.
The articles were long.
So I stopped reading.
Then, decided it didn’t matter, because here’s what I have to say…
Sometimes you get out-played.
And followers of The Book War, this general has been out flanked, out maneuvered, and overtaken at the finish line. And to such a situation I simply bow my head in admiration to Haddi’s fine, FINE strategy of adding ELEVEN books on the 31st of December.
What else can I do, but shake my head in awe and simply reflect on my own hubris? I thought I had it in the bag. I thought, there’s no way she has more than six books to add. She had tons of papers to read and grade, a class to prepare for in January, she was busy busy busy and I would be fine. I had those arms up, ready to take my victory lap and she SWOOPED in folks! She swooped in and I got my pride handed to me. (hangs head in respectful surrender and a dash of self-pity).
BUT! (now with that over and my head held high once again…) I will not let this loss distract from the fact that I read 65 books this year. Including the aforementioned (in Haddi’s post), Nelson Mandela’s A Long Walk to Freedom from which I received a very thorough education on South Africa. And though it may have set me back a bit in this war, A Long Walk has undoubtedly refined my perspective which will forever be…priceless.
So yes, this avid reader has lost the Battle 2018, but rest assured I may not play quite so nicely come 2019….you have been warned Sister.
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P.S. And like Haddi I will be working on a couple of posts over the next weeks both reflecting on my 2018 reading goals and articulating some new ones for 2019!
Happy reading everyone!