At the start of 2020 I decided for the first time to sign up for the Goodreads reading challenge. I set my goal for 30 books. And then Covid life arrived. Unlike many who said they could not read, I buried myself in books. I had made myself read 60 pages before I could look at any news each day. It helped me start my day without the stress of all that was wrong. By the end of the year ( or almost) I have ready over 60 titles. Some were ok and good distractions and some were favorites. Here are my top picks from what I read in 2020.
My favorite book for all of 2020 would have to be This Tender Land. When I first read the synopsis it really did not sound like my kind of book but after seeing it on many lists and having friends suggest it I decided to give it a try. The characters are so easy to care about and during a year filled with disappointments it was nice to escape into a book where people really helped each other out and were a community for each other. Another book that I also wouldn't have guessed I would like based on the description was Shiner by Amy Jo Burns but it was also a great read.
My favorite non fiction book was Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia to Zion Journey Through Every National Park- Conor Knighton . I am a sucker for travel memoirs in nature. But I really liked the lens of this one. Every entry had really interesting reflections and there was always some tidbit that I had never known before. And of course it made me more than ever want to start my vanlife adventure visiting many of the places he referenced.
Here are some other stand outs from my 2020 list:
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup- I started 2020 reading Shoedog- an inspiring memoir by Phil Knight telling the blood, sweat and tears that went into building Nike. As much as Shoedog was inspiring on how to follow your passion and start a company, Bad Blood was infuriating as to how greed and narcissism can fool many. To make it even more interesting, the trial is now starting so I will be very curious to see how it turns out for Theronos and Elizabeth Holmes.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle- There is a quote from Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society “Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true.” I feel like Untamed landed in my lap at the perfect time. While I did not love every page, there are enough gems in here to make it well worth my time for a rare re-read, which I hardly ever do because there are just so many other books out there that I want to read. If you liked Untamed, I also suggest Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb and Life Will Be the Death of Me: And You Too by Chelsea Handler.
Breath- James Nestor I listened to this one as an audiobook. It was around seven hours long and worked really well as audio because at the end there are breathing exercises. I am very aware of my open mouth breathing now and found it to be a fascinating listen and important reminder of how important proper breathing is for a healthy life.
The Awakened Family- I was listening to an Oprah meditation series and she referenced a quote from this book. So I wanted to know more and read the whole thing. I wish I had come across this book five years ago but it was still a very worthwhile read.
Book of Two Ways- I have always enjoyed the way Jodi Piccoult weaves so much fact into her stories. This book had a lot about Egyptian archeology and the present day work of a death doula- both topics I know little about. Piccoult continues to be one of my favorite fiction authors.
Favorite New Author discovery: Matt Haig- I first saw him mentioned in reference to his new fiction book, The Midnight Library but then I also came across his memoir Reasons to Stay Alive and NonFiction book Notes on A Nervous Planet. And then, while waiting for these holds to be available, I read How to Stop Time- All of these books were great and I am glad I stumbled upon his works.
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