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Normally, I do a single reading round up each year in December, but I realized I am quickly approaching 50 books read in 2021 and it is only July. The thought of writing about 100-ish books all at once at the end of the year gives me stress hives, so here is part 1 for your enjoyment!
The main places I find my reads are:
As always, I look forward to hearing what you have read and loved so far this year! Fiction Classics The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie Persuasion by Jane Austen I am trying to read more classic literature. I find that my brain absorbs the older style of writing very differently than contemporary writing. Though it takes me longer to finish a classic, I think the forced slowing down is healthy and a great way to keep growing as a reader. Reading The Mystery of Mrs. Christie (historical fiction, below) highlighted the fact that I have never read an Agatha Christie novel! As the most widely published author of all-time (other than the authors of the Bible and William Shakespeare) there is no reason why that should be the case. There must be good reason for her fandom! I decided to start with Christie’s first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. I found the first 100 pages a bit too slow for my liking, but I enjoyed the rest of it and will keep working my way through her canon. I devoured The Age of Innocence. I was initially wary of how stuffy and outdated it might be, but reading the full contextual introduction included with my copy before I dove into the story helped place the book, characters, and Ms. Wharton in history. It also enabled me to catch the humour and social commentary that I may have missed on a blind read. I’m not sure that I was supposed to dislike Newland Archer as much as I did, so I am looking forward to reading further commentary. This is a book I will come back to over the course of my life, and I am glad I never read it as a teenager in an educational setting; I would have surely hated its measured pace and quiet profundity then. Persuasion was wonderful, as all Jane Austen novels are. I will not be swayed otherwise in my affections for her work. Contemporary Fiction Beach Read by Emily Henry Belgravia by Julian Fellowes China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan Exit West by Mohsin Hamid His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie I’m Glad I Did by Cynthia Weil Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan Seven Days in June by Tia Williams The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward The Midnight Library by Matt Haig I am a big fan of Kevin Kwan and his Crazy Rich Asians series – the final two of which are on this list (China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems). He writes such endearing characters and outrageous situations. Beach Read is the ultimate summer read: two authors find themselves living next door to each other in a small beach town as they attempt to write their next novels. Naturally, romance and hijinks ensue! Emily Henry has another book out this season, People We Meet on Vacation, and I cannot wait to read it (and neither can anyone else in Vancouver apparently; I am hold #103 at the library!). Reese’s Book Club came through yet again with several 5-star reads including His Only Wife, The Henna Artist, and The Jetsetters. All very different from each other, but a central theme is that of women awakening to themselves and ultimately choosing a different path than the one placed on them by their family and culture. Seven Days in June was also a 5-star Reese pick, but with a different theme and slightly similar premise to Beach Read (two authors reconnecting as adults after complicated romance as teens). Belgravia by Julian Fellowes was one sent to me by my Grandma Rose for Christmas. Like Downton Abbey in its exploration of class and romance and fate. Fellowes sure loves a lady’s maid/valet bribery trope! Not my favourite part of any of his stories. My favourite thing about it was that the two main characters were Lady Brockenhurst and Anne Trenchard, the mothers/grandmothers working to protect their families and their late children’s reputations. I had incorrectly assumed that the protagonists would be the young lovers, and though that would have been fine, Anne Trenchard made a much more interesting lead. I followed this read with a viewing of the TV version done on CBC Gem last year – delightful! Historical Fiction As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner China Dolls by Lisa See Five Wives by Joan Thomas Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson The Gown by Jennifer Robson The Huntress by Kate Quinn The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict I have learned this year that historical fiction is my ultimate literary comfort and joy, and I will continue to lean into it. Most of these picks came from Anne Bogel’s The Modern Mrs. Darcy blog from March 3 – see here. Not a single one disappointed and most ended up as one-sitting reads because I could not be stopped once I got into the plot. If I were to have to choose a top five, they would be: 1. The Gown 2. The Book of Lost Names 3. The Kitchen Front 4. Five Wives 5. The Huntress Fair warning, none of these books are light and fluffy because history is mostly not light and fluffy. Head to contemporary fiction if that’s more your jam! Horror Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant This is one I never would have picked up if it wasn’t for Laura Tremaine recommending it on her podcast, 10 Things to Tell You. She described it as “mermaid horror” and said, “this is weird, but hear me out.” I did hear her out, it was as weird as she described, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was different from what I usually read so it was a fun palate cleanser. You can listen to Laura’s conversation on this book with the ladies from the Currently Reading podcast here. I’ll be bringing Laura up again a bit further down on this post! Poetry A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver I see quotes from Mary Oliver’s poems all over Instagram, so I decided to read her work in context. I was not disappointed. Simple, profound, often very funny, and infinitely quotable, Oliver’s work is sublime. I look forward to reading more! History Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff The Season by Kristen Richardson You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington by Alexis Coe It only took me three years to finish Chernow’s epic Alexander Hamilton, having started it while I was in Copenhagen in 2018. It is both a masterpiece and way too long. Hamilton truly is a fascinating figure. It was comforting to read about the antics and partisan politics of the late 1700s and realize it’s all still the same and they were no less petty than we are now. The pithy tweets and opinion pieces of today are simply the pamphlets and “anonymous” newspaper articles of yore. I followed Hamilton with Alexis Coe’s George Washington biography, You Never Forget Your First. It was the perfect choice. Coe, the first woman to author a biography of Washington, comes for Chernow and his fellow “Thigh Men” – male biographers who tend to wax a little too poetic about the physiques of those like Washington (in good fun, though I’m sure she has succeeded in putting many knickers in a twist). Coe’s work is sobering, cheeky, and impeccably researched. If more history was written or taught like this, people might enjoy it more. The Only Plane in the Sky was equal parts devastating and fascinating. An oral history of 9/11, it is told through the words of the people who lived through it (gathered through years of interviews). I was nine years old on 9/11 and have a vivid memory of when my mom shook me awake that morning and parked me in front of the TV to watch the news. Because of my age and naivete to what the World Trade Center was, I knew almost nothing of what really happened over the course of that day, particularly outside of Manhattan on Air Force One, in the White House, and at the Pentagon. Because of this book, I have a more fulsome understanding of that day and how it changed our world forever. Spiritual Growth A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal edited by Sarah Bessey The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr The Universal Christ by Father Richard Rohr is one I am going to need to buy so I can come back to it over and over as I experience more of life and grow spiritually. Rohr explores the sacred in everything and the journey “learning to recognize the Creator’s presence all around us, and in everyone we meet.” (Quote pulled from the summary on Amazon.ca) Personal Growth Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First by Laura Tremaine The Dance of Connection by Harriet Lerner There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Akeson McGurk Women Food and God by Geneen Roth There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather confirmed that I am meant to be a Scandinavian parent, sending my children to forest school, and telling everyone I meet about the benefits of outside nap time. The more I read about the differences between North American and Scandinavian schooling and approaches to childhood, the more I want to leap off this continent and run screaming to Sweden. Perhaps this is a case of confirmation bias, but this book cemented my thinking that things would be better if we could take a hard turn out into nature, invest in childcare that keeps kids active, and generally loosen our collected terrified grip on our kids. Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First is the debut book from a writer and podcaster I have listened to every week for seven years now, Laura Tremaine. Share Your Stuff is comprised of ten questions designed to facilitate connection and deeper conversations, and just like the title suggests, Laura goes first by answering them. I read this book with a group of women whom I met on the internet last year in a Facebook group for Laura’s podcast, 10 Things to Tell You. We spent months meeting on Zoom every Monday night sharing our stuff and it was nothing less than magical. Laura even joined us one night and stayed for a full hour to chat!! Memoir Good Apple by Elizabeth Passarella Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg Night by Elie Wiesel The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper My Own Words was different than expected. I thought it was an official autobiography by RBG; instead, it was a collection of addresses and legal writings that encompass RBG’s incredible life and career. I most enjoyed the snippets of writing from her early life as a young student in Brooklyn. Miracles and Other Reasonable Things was a deeply moving read, Sarah Bessey’s account of a devastating car crash she miraculously survived. It’s a story of anguish, recovery, learning to live with chronic illness and injury, and how a single moment irreversibly changed her entire life, from the spiritual to the professional. Night by Elie Wiesel should be compulsory reading. One cannot read his story and not be plunged deep into contemplation of life, justice, God, and the lived horrors of fellow human beings. The Beauty in Breaking was my one disappointing read of the year so far. It was an NYU Alumni book club pick this spring. It’s tough to critique an account of someone’s lived experience and I by no means am trying to pass judgement on Dr. Harper. The premise, a series of reflective essays by a doctor experiencing a divorce and rebuild of her life at the same time as her residency, was enticing, and the first part of the book is wonderful. Unfortunately, I think her editors could have made some different choices. Overall, I found it to be a little too heavy-handed in triumphs over adversity, glossy silver linings, and convenient teachable moments. Sociology Strange Bedfellows by Ina Park The War on Normal People by Andrew Yang A history of sexually transmitted diseases and infections, Strange Bedfellows was gross, fascinating, and hilarious. Awesome for learning about various STIs and their impact on society, especially in the context of this COVID-19 pandemic where many of us are personally learning more about public health than we ever wanted to. I was intrigued by Andrew Yang’s presidential campaign and his backing of universal basic income (UBI). The War on Normal People was an interesting read, especially during this pandemic where UBI was implemented via stimulus cheques in the US and the CERB in Canada. I’m curious to learn even more about it as a viable principle to support people as automation becomes ubiquitous.
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For the second year in a row, it's the reading list that no one asked for and I am sharing anyway!
It is hard to remember that we had ten full weeks of 2020 before it went to hell in a hand basket. But we did! I started this reading year off strong, knocking off fifteen books in those ten weeks. I zipped through a book per day on my beach chair in Mexico in February. Life was mostly grand. And then on Thursday, March 12, I left the office to work from home the next day, fully expecting to return to my desk on Monday. And we all know how that went. The world locked down and I fled my condo (where it would be just me, myself, and I for an unknowable amount of time) to my parents' beautiful island home. Throughout my life, I have turned to books for company in times of stress, but this was different. I stopped reading entirely. My attention span was shot. I couldn’t handle anything longer than an Instagram story, the exception being Dr. Henry's daily briefings. And then, after almost a full month, a magical book appeared in the Libby app on my iPad: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. I fell headfirst into the story, reading the whole novel in one day. I was rescued from my reading drought. The rest of the year brought an interesting mix of books sourced from various places: my NYU alumni book club, my Kappa Kovid book club, Reese's book club, recommendations from friends and podcasters, and the always tried and true source - my mom's bookshelf. I read far less fiction than I usually do, leaning heavily on autobiography this year. I drew comfort and perspective from those stories, particularly ones featuring people going through struggles far worse than what we are experiencing in this present pandemic. As a millennial with a master’s degree working in a white-collar corporate management position and being asked to work from home, watch Netflix, and order Door Dash for a year, my frustrations with the pandemic were put into their rightful place. I like to think I maintain a relative grasp on reality and the depths to which my privilege extends, but it never hurts to get a smack in the face from history. As of today, December 8, I have made it through 50.5 books – I’m assuming I will clock out at 52 by January 1 but President Obama’s book is over 700 pages long and it is slowing me down! I've listed the full year of books in alphabetical order and loosely classified them by genre. In each section, I highlighted some of the books that stuck out to me more than others for whatever reason. Please enjoy my musings and let me know what books you read this year! Fiction: A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman & C.S. Lewis by Patti Callahan Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Hamnet & Judith by Maggie O'Farrell Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller The Cactus by Sarah Haywood The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz The Hamilton Affair by Elizabeth Cobbs The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier As far as historical fiction goes, this is top notch. Set in England in the aftermath of World War I, it’s a beautiful story of a community still reeling from the loss of so many of their young men and one woman in particular, who finds her way out of loneliness through an embroidery group at her local cathedral. As an embroiderer myself, I really connected with how sewing was portrayed as such a central aspect in her healing. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is my favourite book of all time. I re-read it every five years or so and it holds up every time. There is something magical about coming back to the same characters over and over and something new clicks with me every time. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman The Cactus by Sarah Haywood These were both Reese’s book club picks and could very well be the same novel but for a few small differences in plot points. I read The Cactus second and enjoyed it immensely but was startled at how similar the plots of both novels were so that coloured my experience. I’ve read that The Cactus is being adapted into a film, which makes sense; there is something slightly more cinematic about the characters in it than in Eleanor Oliphant. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins This one is not without controversy, but I found it to be stunningly universal in its emotional scope and masterfully crafted. There are important conversations to be had regarding who has the right to tell certain stories and those centred around this particular writer and piece of work are valid. However, I purposefully did not explore the commentary until after reading the full novel. I wanted to read with an unbiased mind and then go from there. My verdict: this is a gripping piece of fiction. I literally could not put this book down. I read the entire novel in one go, staying up past 2am until it was done, something I don’t think I have ever done before. I could not rest until I knew the main characters were going to be okay. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid This one was also a Reese’s book club pick and man does that woman (and team) know how to select a debut novel to promote. This is perfect contemporary fiction: fantastic characters, an unpredictable plot, and just topical enough to capture a moment in time but avoids proselytizing. Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid Another Reese pick and a perfect summer balcony read. Engrossing, electric, and so well written. Highly recommend tearing through this one while sipping your favourite cocktail – pairs well with rock and roll! This will be one to read again. Hamnet & Judith by Maggie O’Farrell This one is on most of the “Best of 2020” lists and for good reason. Beautifully written, completely surprising, and so so sad. Non-Fiction: Autobiography - A Promised Land by Barack Obama All That You Leave Behind by Erin Lee Carr From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown Just Mercy: A Story of Justice & Redemption by Bryan Stevenson My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family's Nazi Past by Jennifer Teege Open Book by Jessica Simpson Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cantú Truth Be Told: My Journey Through Life and the Law by Beverley McLachlin Unfollow: A Journey from Hatred to Hope by Megan Phelps-Roper Where the Light Enters by Dr. Jill Biden Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me by Adrienne Brodeur If you told me in January that the two best autobiographies released in 2020 would ones written by Barack Obama and Jessica Simpson, I would have only half believed you. But it’s true! A Promised Land, volume one of President Obama’s memoirs, is spectacular. Thoughtful, funny, eye-opening, and a true pleasure to read. The same can be said for Open Book by Jessica Simpson. For anyone who paid any attention to early 2000s pop culture and has an interest in the values and expectations we force on young women, it is essential reading. A Canada Reads pick from this year, Jesse Thistle’s memoir From the Ashes is artfully written. It is an eye-popping account of his experience of growing up Métis in Canada and the stunning obstacles he has faced and overcome throughout his life. I would also recommend Truth Be Told by Beverley McLachlin, a fellow Alberta girl who grew up to be the first female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. I always count myself lucky that I don’t know who every Canadian Supreme Court Justice is (a blessing that Americans don’t have), but Justice McLachlin is definitely someone we should all know. History - A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell First Ladies: The Ever Changing Role, from Martha Washington to Melania Trump by Betty Boyd Caroli Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda Mayflower Lives: Pilgrims in a New World and the Early American Experience by Martyn Whittock The Lives of Tudor Women by Elizabeth Norton The Temptation of Elizabeth Tudor by Elizabeth Norton Tudor Women: Queens & Commoners by Alison Plowden I was completely engrossed by the story of Virginia Hall in A Woman of No Importance. An American spy largely responsible for Allied successes in France during World War II, Hall experienced unthinkable horrors as she planted networks of resistors behind enemy lines. She also had a wooden leg and worked for the CIA after the War! Mayflower Lives was a random pick from the library and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Since I have never taken American history, I only really knew general cultural narratives about the “Pilgrims” and nothing specific about the actual history. It follows the stories of a handful of individual Mayflower pilgrims and was written just a couple of years ago so there is no effort to gloss over encounters with the Indigenous people already living on the land or to glorify the horrors that these people experienced on their mission to set up a utopia for themselves. And these people went through it ALL: fleeing religious persecution in Europe, travelling across the treacherous Atlantic Ocean, and then watching the majority of their party die around them on the regular for the rest of their lives. If it wasn't disease, it was the frigid weather. If it wasn't weather, it was childbirth. If it wasn't childbirth, there was a chance of making it to 40. Personal Growth & Health - Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski Daring Greatly by Brené Brown Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire by Jen Hatmaker Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image: Learning to Love Ourselves as We Are by Hillary L. McBride The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, & Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel A. van der Kolk Untamed by Glennon Doyle My favourite book under this genre was ALL OF THEM. Come as You Are is essential reading for any woman interested in the study of intimacy and the way her body and brain intertwine. It is written by the same researcher as Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, which was one of my favourites reads in 2019. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown was a re-read and I will probably read it twelve more times. Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire is the most recent book from one of my favourite thought leaders, Jen Hatmaker. I’ll probably read it twelve more times as well. Mothers, Daughters, & Body Image is quoted frequently in Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire, so it piqued my interest. The Body Keeps the Score was very long, very dense, and should be read by everyone. It explores the somatic experience of trauma and the research and treatments that have been developed to help people over the past few decades. Finally, Untamed by Glennon Doyle lives up to all the hype it has generated online. It’s a quick read but packs a serious, inspirational punch. Poetry - Home Body by Rupi Kaur I was disappointed by Home Body. Kaur’s first two collections, Milk and Honey and The Sunflower and Her Friends, were excellent so my anticipation for Home Body was high. I pre-ordered it and everything! And then when it arrived, I read the whole thing in about 30 minutes and was dumbfounded by how little I enjoyed it. The depth of writing demonstrated in Kaur’s first two books was almost nowhere to be found here, with the exception of a couple of beautifully constructed and thoughtful pieces about her father. The rest of it, sadly, read like a collection of inspirational Instagram quotes. Sociology - Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters by Anne Boyd Rioux The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell How to Be an Antiracist is a seminal text of the modern-day civil rights movement. I would recommend going past simply reading the great quotes from Kendi that people like to post on social media; read this book cover to cover. Kendi’s writing is unexpected in many ways, focusing an unblinking eye on the state of racism in America and reveling in nuance that is often thrown to the wayside in favour of inflammatory “us vs. them” statements and righteous anger on social media. Kendi is not afraid to contradict certain narratives that have been deemed socially acceptable, which is refreshing. This book will surprise, encourage, and challenge the assumptions of everyone who reads it. Here's how this is going to work: We are going to start with the FULL LIST, in no particular order. Fiction, then non-fiction. 34 books, all linked to the store that takes all of my money every time I go in so you can give your Visa card a good workout! Or your library card, if that is your style. Fair warning, some of these titles have hold lists in the hundreds. Keep scrolling down past the list for commentary. I will take pity on your eyes and only write about the real standouts, I promise. Fiction: Swing Time by Zadie Smith Bachelor Girl by Kim van Alkemade Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper The Wartime Sisters by Lynda Cohen Loigman An American Marriage by Tayari Jones The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer The Paris Wife by Paula McLain City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert The German Midwife by Mandy Robotham The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes Commonwealth: A Novel by Ann Patchett A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Normal People: A Novel by Sally Rooney The Finishing School by Joanna Goodman Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift Tiny Little Thing by Beatriz Williams The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng The Testaments by Margaret Atwood THE ULTIMATE #1 OF 2019 Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Where do I begin with this novel? I found it so profoundly moving. I am a movie crier, but had never cried from a book before (this includes Harry Potter - I KNOW I KNOW). But this one. It destroyed me in the best way. It was a Reese Witherspoon pick for her book club, which accelerated it to the top of the bestseller list, and became one of "the" books to read this year. It took me awhile to pick it up, because I just wasn't sure if it would live up to the hype, but I am happy to say it not only lived up to the hype, but surpassed it. The writing is stunning and paints such a vivid picture of the inner life of the main character, Kya; her pain and joy are visceral experiences for the reader. BEST "I LIKED THE MOVIE SO MAYBE I SHOULD READ THE BOOK" The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer I loved the film so much but I loved the book even more. Sometimes I am not a fan of the trope of a novel being written entirely in letters between the characters, but Shaffer did a spectacular job of weaving the story through each letter and developing every character's voice clearly. The details present in the book made me appreciate the movie even more; it became so clear how much character work each actor had done and even though some aspects were given the Hollywood treatment, I think they generally remained true to the core of the story. THE ONE MOST LOVED BY BOTH ME & MY MOM A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles A Gentleman in Moscow was the second read of the year from the NYU Alumni Book Club that I am a part of. It took me a couple of chapters to get into it, but once I was in, I was IN. The premise of the story is simple: the Count has been identified as a person of interest and is sentenced to house arrest. His house just happens to be the Grand Metropol Hotel in downtown Moscow and we get to follow his adventures in the hotel and experience all of the characters that he encounters in the hotel. I thoroughly enjoyed Towles' other big novel, Rules of Civility, and both have a way of quietly charming the reader so by the time you reach the end, you are completely taken by every character, no matter how flawed. Similar to Where the Crawdads Sing, I was once again moved to tears by the prose and the simple profundity of Towles' writing, displayed to perfection in the character of the Count. THE ONE I WAS CAUGHT OFF-GUARD BY HOW MUCH I LOVED IT The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall The Dearly Beloved was sent to me by my dear friend Annemarie; if she hadn't included it in the package, I don't know if I ever would have heard about it. Set over sixty years, we follow two couples through their lives, from the beginning of university all the way to old age. They meet sometime in the middle, when the two husbands are assigned to co-pastor a church in New York City. The characters are unexpectedly complex and the story is an exploration of the many facets of having (and not having) faith. A special moment for me while reading this novel was when the location of the church was revealed: Fifth Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets. I ran through my mental map of the city to place myself in the narrative and when my mind landed on the location, I was overcome with emotion. Their church was the one directly across the street from my freshman year dorm at NYU. I used to listen to its church bells ring every Sunday morning. So maybe I'm a bit biased on this one because of my emotional connection to the setting, but I would recommend it as an easy and enjoyable read. THE ONE I HAD THE MOST FUN READING City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert I heard Liz Gilbert talk about this novel on the podcast Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd and immediately put it on my list to read. It lived up to all expectations. In Gilbert's hands, 1940s New York City comes alive and is magical without being saccharine. This is twenty-something showgirls behaving badly and (mostly) getting away with it and it is delightful. City of Girls also features one of the funniest scenes I read all year, involving a doctor. If you've read it, you'll know. If you haven't, you'll know when you get there. THE ONE I COULDN'T PUT DOWN What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty This book came highly recommended by some of my favourite podcasters and they weren't wrong about not being able to put it down. I read Moriarty's other hit, Big Little Lies, last year in under a day because I needed to know what happened and What Alice Forgot was exactly the same. Not to be confused with Still Alice, this book is not a poignant and heart-wrenching story about Alzheimer's. We first meet Alice as a newlywed, excited about life, in love with her new husband, and just moving into a new home. A chapter later, we meet her again after she has fallen off a bike at spin class and realizes she has woken up 10 years into her future and her life looks nothing like she thought it would. I thought it was a deeply touching commentary on being careful about what we wish for and how easily we can turn on autopilot and let life just happen to us. We just might wake up one day and not recognize the people around us, or worse, ourselves. Non-Fiction:
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey by Fiona Carnarvon That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor by Anne Sebba What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton Educated by Tara Westover The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris Challenge Accepted! by Celeste Barber In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson ULTIMATE NON-FICTION FAVE OF 2019 Educated by Tara Westover One of the biggest hits of the year, Educated lives up to the hype. Educated is Westover's account of her upbringing as the only daughter of survivalist Mormon parents in Utah. Westover's first real time in a classroom is at the age of 17, when she starts at BYU, after teaching herself enough to pass the ACT exam. Difficult to read at times, this is a truly remarkable story of perseverance, the power of education, the meaning of home, and the gut-wrenching choices that must be made when faced with the truth of one's family. THE ONE I STARTED 5 TIMES BEFORE BUT FINALLY FINISHED THIS YEAR In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson In the Garden of Beasts is a terrifying look at the years leading up to World War II. What makes it so terrifying is that it is shockingly similar to many things that are happening in a certain country to the south. Larson manages to make American Ambassador Dowd as interesting as the larger-than-life figures existing around him in Berlin, including his fascinating and infuriating daughter. THE ONE THAT MADE ME LAUGH AFTER READING THE TWO BOOKS OUTLINED ABOVE Challenge Accepted! by Celeste Barber I follow Celeste on Instagram and regularly shed tears of joy as I watch her stories and double-tap her pics that she posts mocking the ridiculous photos that some celebrities post on their feeds. She is smart, self-deprecating, and hilarious. It is a quick read and I knew I had found a kindred spirit as soon as I read this line: "Drama school was a big fucked-up family dynamic that completely shaped my self-worth and also made me want to open a vein." Same, Celeste, same. THE ONE I DIDN'T EXPECT TO LIKE AS MUCH AS I DID That Woman: the Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor by Anne Sebba Before Meghan came along to shake up the Royal Family, there was Wallis. Many of us were introduced, or re-introduced, to Wallis Simpson through The Crown on Netflix. I, personally, had no knowledge of the Royal Family's connection to Nazi Germany before The Crown and it had me interested in learning more about "that woman." That Woman is a fascinating look at the woman who sparked fascination and ire wherever she went. Of course, Wallis was an intensely private individual, so we will never truly know everything about her, but Sebba does a wonderful job of humanizing the caricature of the Duchess of Windsor. Does the internet need another Best Books of 2019 post? DEFINITELY NOT.
Am I doing one anyway? DEFINITELY YES. I'm adding my voice to the cacophony already present for no other reason than it's a nice way to reflect on a year that was transformational in many ways. In 2019, I finished grad school, checked a professional goal off the bucket list, landed my dream job, and moved across the country to my original hometown. I traveled, made new friends, formed stronger bonds with old ones, and spent more time with family than I have in years (the bonus of moving closer to home). I laughed a LOT. I cried a LOT. But most importantly, I read a LOT. Grad school, no matter the discipline, is a reading grind. Most of the material in my program was interesting, but I found that I didn't want to open a book for pleasure outside of school. My brain was DONE by the end of each day. So it was a welcome change when 2019 dawned and I suddenly had the gifts of time and brain capacity to read. I got my butt back onto Goodreads and set a reading goal of 26 books. One book, every two weeks. Seemed doable. But since I am me, and I am your stereotypical, annoying Type 3 on the Enneagram, I ended up clocking in at 34 books (so far - it's December 1 and I will probably read two or three more before Jan 1). This is small potatoes compared to all the book bloggers and professional readers out there (hi Danielle) but ultimately, the number is not the point. The point is how moved I was by many of the books I read this year, and I was mostly moved in very unexpected ways. It's about how excited I am to dive into 34 more books next year. And it is also about the many meaningful connections that formed with new and old friends over books this year. We've been mailing books across the country to each other, exchanging titles over Instagram, gushing about characters and stories over iMessage, and debating the merits of certain series over others. Those conversations and connections have kept me going this year through the best and worst of times, just as much as the stories in the books have. So, here is to a wonderful year of literature and love, and cheers to the year (and decade!) ahead. Read on, everyone! And as always, please send your best book reccos my way! |
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