The evolution of a reader's taste

I've loved reading for a very long time. The first book I remember having read to me is Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slodbodkina. I loved that story so much I could "read" it aloud before I could even read.

I don't remember much of the books I read from when I truly began to read until I was 12 to 13 years old, but I am able to remember a lot of the books, if not all, that I read during my early teens until the present and that is because I kept lists.

Reviewing these lists I have noticed a few books are absent (i.e. War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, and Frankenstein). I'm guessing I either forgot to write them down when I read them, or I read them before I began keeping lists.

For those curious you can see my reading lists from 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 by clicking on the hyperlinked year. As is evident by the titles and authors listed my earliest recorded years were dominated by Christian chic-lit. However, close observers will notice the occasional classic on each list. For example: I read a fare amount of Shakespeare during high school, though not all of it was required reading.

While posting these lists I read through the titles and quickly became aware of a few facts. First, and most obvious, my reading tastes have definitely evolved -- matured from what they were as a teenager. Second, during my college years and post college I read very little. I was really burned out on reading. Third and last, the biggest turning point in my reading came when I joined a book club. The ladies in that club have pushed me to read books I wouldn't have considered and that in turn has exercised my reading muscles and expanded my tastes. I still occasionally read chic-lit, but because of the book club I've learned to enjoy and desire more meatier works.

I think it will be interesting in another ten years to look back at the lists of books I've read and see how my tastes have changed once more.