What T. Read in 2020
Best YA: A Heart in a Body in the World
Best Realistic: TIE - The Girl with the Louding Voice; Such a Fun Age
Best Suspense: You Are Not Alone
Best Sociology: TIE – Jesus & John Wayne; White Fragility
Best Memoir: Heavy
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy: The Midnight Library
Best Social Justice: We Were Eight Years in Power
Best Spirituality: An Altar in the World
Best General Non-fiction: We Were Eight Years In Power
Best Psychology: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Note: Where I list genre after author, these are how I would classify the books. YA stands for Young Adult (14+), although its worth noting that half of all YA readers are adults. MG stands for Middle Grades (ok for kids under 14). Anything without one of these classifications is marketed toward adults.
1. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: a therapist, her therapist, and our lives revealed (Lori Gottlieb, Psychology) After her boyfriend blindsides her with a breakup, Gottlieb – herself, a therapist – finds herself sitting on the sofa in another therapist’s office, bawling uncontrollably. With wit, humor, and gentleness, Gottlieb uses her own stories as both therapist and client to examine key issues of love, loss, and death. 1/19/20 – 4 stars
2. Such a Fun Age (Kiley Reid, Realistic/African American Experience) THIS BOOK!! The title makes it sound light and fluffy, but this book about the black babysitter for a white family is absolutely packed with nuance. When Emira takes 2-year-old Briar to the grocery store, she is held up by a security guard who assumes she has kidnapped the young, blonde girl. As he refuses to let her leave, a bystander captures the altercation on a cell phone. What I love about this book is it shows the different sides of racial micro-aggressions and ignorance. I devoured it in a single day, but it left me thinking long after. 1/23/20 – 5 STARS
3. Dry (Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman, Dystopia YA) In Southern California, no one has been taking the water crisis seriously: not the media, not the governor, and certainly not the residents. Then, one day, the taps yield nothing. Panic ensues as people flood Costco and the airports, seeking relief. The human body can only survive for 3 days without water, and 3 days is exactly how long it takes for complete anarchy and the breakdown of civilization. This book was chilling in its sheer possibility. 1/30/20 – 4 stars
4. You are a Badass (Jennifer Sincero, Psychology) This was my first Audible book! Sincero writes/talks about positive energy, believing and behaving as if something is already yours. That resonated with me because I’ve seen it happen a few times in my life. I also liked how she ended every chapter with a list, and the list always finished with “LOVE YOURSELF.” 1/31/20 – 4 stars
5. Cut (Patricia McCormick, Realistic YA) McCormick is a great author, and this quick read is no exception to her work. Callie is a high school student who has been committed to a treatment facility after a teacher discovers her cutting herself. The book is written in 2nd person, as a letter to her therapist, and teenagers will find the subject matter compelling and relatable, although not life-changing. 2/3/20 – 4 stars
6. When All Is Said (Realistic) Lauded as perhaps the next great Irish novel, When All Is Said is written in 2nd person. Maurice Hannigan is 85 and tired of this life. Over the course of a single night, he buys 5 drinks at a bar and toasts 5 people from his past, insodoing telling readers the story of his life. I read the whole thing in an Irish lilt in my head J 2/9/20 — 3 stars
7. Eight Dates (John Gottman and Julie Gottman, Sociology) When I read Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink, I was blown away by Gottman’s ability to predict with 94% accuracy couples who would eventually divorce. Then I listened to Dax Shepherd interview Gottman on a podcast, and I decided I needed to hear more about Gottman’s take on relationships. This book was okay, but definitely more relevant for married couples. 2/16/20– 3 stars
8. Long Walk to Freedom (Nelson Mandela, Autobiography/Social Justice) This was a difficult 700-page tome to slog through. I felt the ghost writer (a Times editor) goes into far too much detail about, for instance, every person Mandela ever met. But as a leader, Mandela is unparalleled. Of the struggle to end apartheid in South Africa, he writes, “Any man or institution that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose because I will not part with it at any price or under any pressure.” Once I got to the afterward and realized it was also supposed to be a history of South Africa, it made more sense. 3/4/20 — 3 stars
9. Evvie Drake Starts Over (Linda Holmes, Realistic) After a bunch of heavy books, someone recommended this light one. A washed-up ball player goes to midcoast Maine to hide out. He falls in love. The end. Quick read, easily forgettable but diverting. 3/7/20 — 2 stars
10. An Altar in the World (Barbara Taylor Brown, Spirituality/Religion) Found this book in a pile at Goodwill and LOVED her counterintuitive take on religion. “What is saving my life now is the conviction that there is no spiritual treasure to be found apart from the bodily experiences of human life on earth…What is saving my life now is becoming more fully human, trusting that there is no way to God apart from real life in the real world.” 3/12/20 — 4 stars
11. We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy (Ta Nehisi Coates, Social Justice) WOW. This book is part-memoir, part essay-collection. The author traces his journey from college dropout to becoming essentially the new James Baldwin, and he does so through his blog posts, which introduce 8 essays (+ an epilogue) he wrote for The Atlantic during the Obama administration. Each essay addresses an aspect of the black experience in America, and the epilogue addresses how Trump rose to power as a reaction against Obama. This author is way smarter than I, but what I understood was enough to give me chills. 3/13/20 —5 STARS
12. The Turn of the Key (Ruth Ware, Suspense/Gothic) A woman answers an internet ad: come be a nanny to 4 children in the remote Scottish highlands for a phenomenal amount of money! What could possibly go wrong? Everything, it turns out. The vivisected house itself is a monstrous character in this creepy book that will leaving you double-checking your locks and nervously glancing over your shoulder. 3/16/20 —4 stars
13. Where the Forest Meets the Stars (Glendy Vanderah, Realistic?) Jo rents a cottage in remote southern Illinois to continue her research on indigo buntings. One night a strange child shows up on her doorstep, claiming to be from the stars. Ursa says she has come to earth to see five miracles, and when she has found them, she will leave again. But who is she really? I didn’t really love this book. It is VERY highly rated though, so others might! 3/21/20 – 3 stars
14. You Are Not Alone (Hendricks & Pekkanen, Realistic/Suspense). “The average person will walk past 16 killers in his or her life.” This is the kind of data that quiet, dorky Shay collects in her notebook as she rides Manhattan’s subway system. What she doesn’t realize is how closely this statistic will hit home for her after she becomes a bystander in a suicide. Good book, these authors always do well! 3/25/20 — 4 stars
15. The Death of Mrs. Westaway (Rush Ware, Gothic Horror) Harriet Westaway is a Tarot card reader being chased by loan sharks. When she receives a mysterious note from a soliciter stating that she’s inherited Hester Westaway’s estate, it seems like Fate has stepped in to save her. It is problematic that they’ve tracked down the wrong person, but if anyone can play a grieving family, it’s a fortune teller. This book was not all that great. It seemed really over the top, but it got rave reviews on GoodReads. 3/28/20 – 3 stars.
16. Normal People (Sally Rooney, Realistic YA) This Irish author did a fantastic job painting a portrait of a broken young woman. “…so much is covered over in time now, the way leaves fall and cover a piece of earth, and eventually mingle with the soil. Things that happened to her then are buried in the earth of her body.” Connell and Marianne are the only people in the world who understand each other. He’s a popular jock, she’s a freak. His mother cleans her house. Exploring class and the ways our families harm us, Rooney tells the story of opposites not-so-much attracting as saving each other. Hated the ending, though. 3/31/20 — 3 ½ stars
17. Little Fires Everywhere (Celeste Ng, Realistic). This book about the different faces of motherhood was great! However, this is a rare example of the movie/mini-series being better than the book. I like the choices the Hulu series makes to add in race on top of class dynamics, a move Ng wanted to make but didn’t necessarily feel she was capable of. 4/4/20 — 4 stars
18. City of Girls (Elizabeth Gilbert, Historical Fic) 90+ year-old Vivian Morris looks back on her life in New York during the 1940’s and beyond. I don’t understand how a book with glitz and glamor and showgirls and newspapermen could be SO uninspiring. I didn’t care what happened to these characters. 4/15/20 — 2 ½ stars
19. A Heart In A Body In The World (Deb Caletti, Realistic YA) WOWWWWWW! No one knows better than high school senior Bella that young women are expected to be both strong AND kind; they are taught to be independent and forward-thinking, but only if it doesn’t hurt another person’s feelings or come across as mean. So what happens when both things are not simultaneously possible? That is for readers to discover with growing horror as they track Bella‘s manic 2,700-mile run from her past. Read this book! 4/16/20 — 4 stars
20. Ask Again, Yes (Mary Beth Keane, Realistic) Peter and Kate are best friends and next door neighbors. Their fathers started out in the NYPD together. An unthinkable event rips the two families apart, and from that time, their lives diverge. When they re-engage years later, it is to the dismay of both their families. And one of them is a ticking time bomb. This was a heavy book hit a little close to home but it was very well-written. 4/22/20 – 4 stars
21. Daring Greatly (Brene Brown, Psychology) Brown deals with the concepts of shame and vulnerability. This was a quick read, but I don’t really get why everyone raves about her. I didn’t feel like there was anything in this book that was new. 4/25/20 – 3 ½ stars
22. Heavy (Kiese Laymon, Memoir) Laymon tells the story of growing up poor, black, and emotionally isolated in Mississippi and the weight of the secrets he carried. "What if you didn't do the best you could? What if you have actually done better? I just think sometimes we don't do the best we could have one, and it's impossible to know that if we're scared to remember where we've been, and what we actually did." He writes in the style of James Baldwin and Ta-nehisi Coates. This is definitely a writer to expect great things from! 4/27/20 – 4 stars
23. The Dutch House (Anne Patchett, Realistic) There’s a house that used to belong to some Ditch people, but then a different family bought it, moved in, and never forgot about it. The end. Dumbest book ever. Cannot believe this is so highly rated. 4/29/20 — 2 stars
24. The Perfume Collector (Kathleen Tessarro, Historical) In 1955, British society wife Grace Munroe receives notice from a Parisian law firm that she has been named beneficiary of the estate of Eva D’Orsay — a woman unknown to her. The book alternate between Grace‘s story and that of Eva, in the 1920’s-WWII. I LOVED the descriptions of perfume and the way scents can be used to tell a story! I did not like the dozen or so typos I found in this edition. Still, if you can overlook those, it’s a good story. 5/2/20 — 3 ½ stars
25. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill (Abbi Wexman, Realistic). I liked Wexman’s writing style (unapologetic, self-deprecating run-on sentences galore). I also appreciated the anxiety and need to control everything of the protagonist. I even liked the cat named Phil. What I did not like was the fact that (SPOILER ALERT!) Nina had to spend weeks apologizing to her boyfriend FOR HAVING AN ANXIETY ATTACK. The narrative thread unraveled there. He refuses to speak to her until she humiliates herself in public AND PROMISES TO CHANGE. Cuz that’s how anxiety attacks work in this author’s mind. 5/9/20 — 3 stars
26. Tell Me More (Kelly Corrigan, Essays). Corrigan examines life, love, and loss through the lenses of 12 phrases humans say that draw us together. Both funny and sad, this is a quick read that made me think. 5/11/20 — 4 stars
27. The Broken Girls (Simone St. James, Supernatual). I saw this book billed as Mystery/Thriller (unsolved murders! whodunnit?!) and as Gothic Horror (family secrets! foreboding atmosphere tied to plot! apparent hauntings!) I love both of those genres. This book is fully neither. This is a supernatural story, which is not my cup of tea at all. Still, if you like ghostly tales, many other reviewers loved this one. I actually think teenage girls would like this, although it’s not technically YA. Part ghost story, part history, part feminist manifesto, The Broken Girls tells the story of three dead women and their place in the world. 5/13/20 — 2 ½ stars because I really don’t like this genre but you might!
28. The Light Between Oceans (M. L. Stedman, Realistic). When a baby washes ashore on the beach of a remote lighthouse in Western Australia, Isabelle believes all her prayers are being answered. Surely this tiny baby is a salve for the three miscarriages she and her husband Tom have suffered! The moral ramifications of the decisions made by the main characters reverberate for decades. Stedman’s writing was exquisite, as were the descriptions of Australia, and the sense of tension. The main character was unlikable; empathy can only carry a reader so far! 5/20/20 — 4 ½ stars
29. A Monster Calls (Patrick Ness, YA Realistic Fantasy? Myth Structure?) “Stories were wild, wild animals and went off in directions you couldn’t expect.” Also “ ‘Stories are important,’ the monster said. ‘They can be more important than anything. If they carry the truth.’” Finally, “What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.” This book was SO GOOD. It's all about grief, but kind of a fairytale. 4 stars
30. Happy and You Know It (Laura Harkins, Realistic). 20’s-something Claire needs to get her life together; but in the meantime, why not take a cushy job playing the guitar for a bunch of Park Avenue mothers and toddlers? This book was fine. It will not change your life, but if all you’ve read lately is social justice and self-help… maybe a mommy beach read is what you need. 6/6/20 — 3 stars
31. Interpreter of Maladies (Jhumpa Lahiri, Realistic/Cultural). This winner of the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, this book is a collection of stories about Indians and Indian Americans. I’m not sure why I liked it… Some of the stories seemed to end abruptly or without resolution of any kind. And I had a hard time finding thematic continuity amongst them all at first. Yet the writing was really strong! And the themes are universal: love, loss, displacement. Ultimately this is a quick, beautiful read about other cultures. 6/8/20 — 4 stars
32. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (Jason Reynolds & Ibram X Kendi, Social Justice). I did not like this book. I’m not sure why. I like to think that since I’ve engaged in underserved communities and read so many books on race-issues, I don’t have a “race problem.” The truth is more complex: I believe all of us have some degree of racism and “othering.” The question is — what are we going to do about it? For Reynolds and Xendi, the answer was creating a “not history” history book outlining racial ideology in America. There are some books that do this well, but I don’t think this one did. I realize I’m in the minority, as this book has stellar reviews. My fault-finding is three-fold: first, I don’t buy his premise that Harriet Beecher-Stowe, Booker T. Washington, Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston, and a slew of other Black writers and thinkers were racist. I understand his logic, and I don’t agree. Second, I love Jason Reynolds, but his writing style here KILLED ME. If you’re going to write a history book, write a history book, but don’t fill it full of chatty asides— I don’t need to read “ok, take a deep breath here” in the middle of a sentence about Lincoln or whatever. Lastly, the title is misleading. “Racism, Antiracism, and You” implies that readers are going to learn how they can effect change on these issues! No such direction was provided, however. These are just my opinions and I realize they are in the minority. 6/12/20 — 3 stars
33. Ghost Boys (Jewel Parker Rhodes, Social Justice MG). Such a quick read but such a powerful book!! 12-year-old Jerome Rogers is gunned down by a cop who mistakes his toy gun for a real one. Jerome’s spirit rises, restless, and walks the earth as he tries to bear witness and make meaning from his tragedy. This book is such a good tool for teaching kids about racism and personal responsibility. The discussion guide at the end is on point, too! 6/13/20 — 4 stars
34. Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson, Social Justice/ Memoir). This may be the rare book that pale in comparison to its movie. Stevenson tells many extraordinary stories of hope amidst a broken and corrupt justice system... but his legal mind works against him here! I suspect that readers with a background in law would like this book better than I did. I found the detailed play-by-play of legal cases hard to wade through as they slowed down the narrative. Still, I am left with astonishment at what one man can accomplish in the world when he sets his mind to right society’s wrongs! 6/20/20 — 3 stars
35. Wild (Cheryl Strayed, Travel Memoir) So many women I admire love this book. They promised me that I would too, despite hating the movie. The tale of Strayed’s mother dying and marriage ending forcing her to hike the Pacific Crest Trail is well-known by now. On the other hand, I didn’t realize quite how many people hate this woman! If you look at the PCT Association Journalist page, there’s a blog about it. There’s another blog I found entirely by accident called “I Hate Cheryl Strayed” in which the author —an actual thru-hiker— eviscerates Cheryl through scathing reviews of every chapter of Wild. I couldn’t help but agree. This woman strikes me over and over as being enormously self-involved. I just couldn’t get past that. 7/3/20 — 2 stars
36. The Vanishing Half (Brit Bennett, Realistic/ African American Experience) Founded as a safe haven for “light-skinned colored people,” Mallard prides itself on a citizenry that insists every generation is lighter than the one before it. And yet the “one-drop” rule ensures it is dangerous to be a white-looking man or woman who is really colored in the 1960’s, when the story is set. Twin sisters Stella and Desire Vignes watch the brutal murder of one of their own, and each sister chooses her own path: Desiree as colored woman, and Stella as a white one. The repercussions of each woman’s choices reverberate for decades. I found this book just okay — I didn’t feel particularly connected to any of the characters, nor did I find any of them especially likable. Also, it felt like the ending was rather abrupt. 7/11/20 — 3 stars
37. This Is How I Lied (Heather Gudenkauf, Suspense/Mystery) Twenty-five years ago, Maggie O’Keefe’s best friend Eve was murdered. The body was discovered by Maggie and Eve’s sociopathic sister, Nola. When a new lead in the cold case turns up, Maggie – now a detective – aims to solve this crime for good. Annoying writing style. Unrealistic storyline. Exactly like every other book of its genre. This is one of those books I read quickly but will also forget quickly. 7/21/20 – 2 ½ stars
38. White Fragility (Robin DiAngelo, Social Justice/ African American Experience). WOOOOAH. I’ve read a lot of books in this genre, but this one is a standout for sure. The book has been critiqued for having been written by a white woman about the experiences of POC – but that’s exactly the point: because of white fragility, sometimes only white people can call out other white people. This book gave me so much to think about. It also gave me actionable steps to take. I highly recommend it for anyone who is curious about why “everyone is making such a big deal out of racism these days!!” 7/22-20 – 5 STARS!
39. The Girl With the Louding Voice (Abi Dare, Realistic, Multi-cultural) This book is spectacular!! Narrated in the broken English of a Yoruba girl with an indomitable spirit, this story about one girl’s fight for books, for education, for her right to exist will leave you weeping and laughing. This is a triumph-of-the-human-spirit book by an up-an-coming Nigerian author, Abi Daré — she’ll be one to watch, for sure! I recommend this book for those who liked Yaa Gyassi’s “Homegoing,” Patricia McCormick’s “Sold,” and Laurie Halse Anderson’s “Speak.” 7/29/20 — 5 STARS
40. A Woman Is No Man (Etam Ruf, Realistic; Feminist Lit; Arab American Experience) This is the tale of 3 women: Deya, her mother Isra, and her paternal grandmother Fareeda. Told in alternating 3rd person perspective, the story focuses on — you guessed it — the Arab American feminist perspective. The first page of this book was POWERFUL. The ending, after I finally understood it, was similarly impactful. But not going to lie, my favorite parts were the descriptions of Middle Eastern foods, and there were many of these. Sadly, I found the actual narrative arc less compelling. It was an interesting premise: what does it mean for a woman to hold onto her culture, and is it possible to hold onto just part? But the actual storytelling, in my opinion, could have been better. It felt like the characters kept saying the same thing in different iterations, ad nauseam: a woman’s place is in the home! I got it the first time; I didn’t feel the subsequent 50 times were strictly necessary. Still, I appreciated the question, Can we change our naseeb, our destiny? Or is it written already? 6/6/20 — 3 1/2 stars
41. American Dirt (Jeanine Cummins, Realistic) Bookstore owner Lydia escapes Mexico with her young son as a drug lord pursues them to the United States. About 50 pages into this book, it occurred to me to look at the author’s name to see if this was a legit story. It turns out the book is highly controversial because it’s by a white author making a seven-figure advance off the story of brown pain… as I noticed from the fact that her last name is not Latinx. Turns out,, the author wrote this book after four years of research because her husband was undocumented and that strain was ever-present for them. That said, this book had some compelling bits but the stress of the journey was not exactly compelling reading. Also, hearing it repeatedly referred to as “trauma-porn” left a bad taste in my mouth. 8/17/20 — 3 stars
42. The Sin-Eater (Megan Campisi) After stealing a load of bread, young May is sentenced to being a sin-eater in a fictional which is obviously based in Elizabethan England. Sin-eating was actually a thing back until about a century ago. With Scottish and Welsh roots, it traveled over to Appalachia, too. In this religious mystic tradition, one member of the community is cursed and responsible for “eating the sins” of the whole. No one can look at or speak to the sin-water who is only called when it’s time for a dying person to confess. In this story, dear hearts appear on the coffins of some of the Queen’s ladies, symbolizing am especially grave sin that unsettles May. This book was good, but tried to do too many things at once, leaving several end undone. 8/22/20 — 3 stars
43. Field Guide To The North American Teenager (Ben Philippe, YA Humor) This book was funny. I actually stumbled upon it after searching for Young Adult humor books ( foolishly thinking that anything other than angst or snark might be a thing). 17-year-old Norris leaves Montreal for Austin, Texas, which he immediately hates. As he bemoans his life, he records his observations in a blank diary given to him by the guidance counselor at his new high school. Only thing I hated was how much the author overused the word “smirk.” We get it. They’re teenagers. 9/7/20
44. House Plants: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Growing, and Caring for Indoor Plants (Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, Gardening) I loved this book!! It contains all sorts of helpful hints about water, light, and propagation. Additionally, the author includes a glossary of indoor plants that are easy, moderate, and difficult to care for! - 4 stars
45. Transcendent Kindgdom (Yaa Gyasi, Multicultural, Realistic) From the author of one of the breakout bestseller Homegoing comes this new story of a first generation immigrant from Ghana and her struggle n faith and science. I didn’t realize this book would be as triggering as it was, but Gifty’s struggles have been my own struggles. It’s probably why I had to keep putting the book down. As the main character watchers loved ones descend into the unfathomable depths of addiction and major depressive disorder, she works tirelessly to find a link in the neural pathways of her lab mice while questioning the Pentecostalism in which she was raised. Who is God? Can everything be accounted for by science? Can science save us from ourselves in ways that God will not? This was a tough but beautiful read and sometime other than me wold love it. Hit a little too close to home. 9/29/20 —3 stars
46. The Book of Essie (Meghan Weir, Realistic) I knew this family that seemed to have a million children, biological kids of all ages. They were very well-respected and pious, and yet you’d here whispers. This book made me think of them. Essie — Esther Anne Hicks — is the youngest child of megachurch pastor Jethro Hicks. And not only is her father beloved by millions worldwide, but her cunning mother has ensured their family is beloved by all through the hit reality TV show Six for Hicks. After spending her entire life reciting Bible verses for the media, Essie decides to break free — and to bring down her family. She has been silently chronicling the atrocities of her double life for the past 8 years, and now it’s time to act. Loved this book. I wish it had been made more clear that Essie had equally viable options. 10/4/20 —3 1/2 stars
47. Sisters (Daisy Johnson, Psychological) This is a cross between “Identical” (Ellen Hopkins) and I Will Save You (Matt de la Peña). And I was caught somewhere in between that 5-star and 2-star review. The obsession, the violence, the living breathing house were top-notch; the resolution wasn’t that surprising. Wasn’t ever quite sure what happened to the dad, either...? 10/7 - 3 stars
48. Sounds Like Titanic (Jessica Hindman, Memoir) For Jessica Hindman, life as a concert violinist on tour with a famous composer is a dream come true... especially since Columbia University has left her broke, and no one is interested in hiring a 22-year-old as a foreign correspondent in the Middle East. Everything is fine— until Jessica realizes that it’s not. No one in the entire ensemble actually plays. The music wafting up through Carnegie Hall comes from a Wal-Mart CD player selling for $14.95. But if it sounds as good as the music from Titanic, it’s basically Titanic, right? This book had moments of brilliant insight but ultimately could not hold my attention at all. The second-person narration was clunky. 10/18/20 — 2 1/2 stars
49. (Dear Justyce, YA/African American Lit) I LOVED “Dear Martin,” so I was extremely excited to read Stone’s reasoning for writing this, to buy this book for my students, and to read it for myself. Massive disappointment. I normally read a book like this in a day or two, and this one took over a month because I had to force myself to pick it up again! It suffered from the same fatal flaw as Jason Reynolds’ “Stamped”— namely, an overabundance of asides from the narrator, (like yo but for real, dawg), which ultimately detracted from the message. I’ve known a ton of young men like Quan, and their/his story is a legitimate one that needs to be told... This particular narrative just wasn’t compelling enough to get the job done. 11/8/20 — 1 star
50. The Woman Before Wallis (Bryn Turnbull, Historical) Before King Edward VIII fell for American divorcée Wallis Simpson, he spent 4 years with a different American divorcée— Thelma, identical twin sister to Gloria Vanderbilt. It was the first relationship to threaten the monarchy and the one that introduced Edward to Wallis in the first place. Interesting read, nothing groundbreaking though. It made me love King George VI even more and think even less of “David.” For those who like The Crown. 11/14/20 — 3 ½ stars
51. Anxious People (Frederick Backman, Realistic) “We never know what we do to each order, how your life is affected by mine.” The 9 Norwegians involved in Backman’s hostage drama/comedy-of-errors have great personalities. From the writer of the amazing “A Man Called Ove” comes this non-linear tale of the hostages who tried to save their captor. This book was a mixed bag for me. I loved Ove, but Backman’s rabbit-trail style here got grating after awhile. It’s quite funny in parts and touching in parts, yet I was restless for large parts, too. 11/25/20 — 3 stars
52. Jesus & John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith & Fractured a Nation (Kristen Kobes Du Mez, Sociology/Religious Studies) It’s not often a woman in evangelical circles dares to question the establishment; but in “Jesus & John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith & Fractured a Nation” Kristen Kobe’s Du Mez does just that. What makes this even more shocking is that Du Mez is a professor at Calvin University — one of the nation’s leading Christian schools of higher learning. Impeccably researched, “Jesus & John Wayne” addresses far more than white resistance to true brotherhood... It actually spends more time exploring the issue of patriarchy as it relates to gender in the church. Starting with Teddy Roosevelt in 1901, Du Mez meticulously traces the Church’s commitment to patriarchy and upholding the established order. In time, this would lead to our current state of Christian Nationalism. This book has spoken to my soul. 12/8/20 – 5 STARS
53. A Year In Provence (Peter Mayle, Travel Memoir)A Year in Provence (Peter Mayle, Travel Memoir). I don’t think travel books are my genre of choice, but as far as they go, this one was delightful. The British Mayle and his wife but a home in Provence and document for readers one year of the “provincial” life. From the cruel Mistral of winter to the hot, lazy goat races of summer, to the grape-harvesting days of autumn, Mayle takes us on a very witty Tour de France. The descriptions of food will be your undoing! 12/20/20 — 3 1/2 stars
54. First There Is a Mountain (Elizabeth Kadetsky, Memoir)., an American journalist, waits for years to be accepted to the yoga institute of legendary B. K. S. Iyengar in Pune, India. While studying under his tutelage, she wins his grandfatherly affection and permission to use his library to research the history of Iyengar yoga. This book was almost 2 stories: one, the story of an anorexic Californian on a quest for wholeness; the other, the thousands-year-old mystery of how yoga came to be. I found the parts where the author focused on herself banal and frustrating; the parts where she stuck to the history and the myths and the legend was fascinating. 12/25/20 — 3 1/2 stars
55. Leave the World Behind (Rumaan Alan, Realistic & Apocalyptic) Some readers whose opinions and taste I admire really loved this book, but that just goes to show you that book ratings are purely subjective! I hated this book with the fire of a thousand suns. The writing style killed me. The old writer’s adage “show, don’t tell” completely bypassed this author. There are entire chapters without a single line of dialogue, just a narrator explaining to readers what all the characters are thinking and doing. There is zero resolution. It’s like the writer got a notification that his hard drive was full so he just typed “The End.” 12/28/20 — 1 star
56. The Midnight Library (Matt Haig, Science Fiction/ Philosophy). String theory and quantum physics suggest that each of us — like Schroedinger’s cat — live multiple lives in infinite universes. When Nora Seed decides to die, it’s only one iteration of herself that does so. Burdened with enormous regret, the not-dead/not-alive Nora wonders what choices she could have made differently to lead her to a better life. And unlike us, Nora is given the opportunity to experience those lives. Packed with Thoreau, Hume, and Sartre, The Midnight Library wrestles with the difficulties in being human — in our charge to make good choices although we can’t control outcomes. It’s like “Sliding Doors” meets “The Alchemist.” It took me 5 bookstores to find a copy, and it was worth it!! — 12/29/20 4 stars
