a friend's beautiful built-ins!
I love writing book reviews, talking books with friends (or let's be honest, complete strangers), and reading and attending my book club. One of my favorite ways to reflect on the past year also has to do with books; making a Top 10 list. I usually average about 60-80 books per year. I could up it if I listened to audiobooks, but they're just too long, and I love my podcasts for doing chores and driving instead.
I can usually easily hit 60 on my own, but the other 15-20 come from reading aloud to the kids, something I rarely miss per night. This past year we hunkered down with the hefty 4,000+ pages of Harry Potter, so we had fewer read-alouds than normal, but plenty of pages. Here are the favorite books I read over 2018; there's something here for everyone. I only included books on this list that I hadn't previously read (so, no HPs, is what I'm saying, though at least 3 would be on this list otherwise!). It's fun to see that I have so many categories listed in my favorites and honorable mentions including biography, memoir, non-fiction, humor, fiction, poetry, personal growth/parenting, YA, and classics. I think I'm missing a science-fiction somewhere in there...but there's always next year!
In no particular order:
*The Irrational Season by Madeleine L'Engle - I love memoir. I love Madeleine L'Engle. This is both. Although it's about the liturigical year, which isn't something that gets me overly excited, I always take so much away from her books in the realm of truth and beauty.
*Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan - Although Corrigan was new to me, I loved this book for its humor, sincerity, and practicality. Conversations that everyone needs or has to figure out how to adult well.
*Calypso by David Sedaris - This took me back to old Sedaris, when I first discovered him as a teen and laughed out loud during study hall. You might embarass yourself, but you'll be having fun in the meantime.
*Off the Clock by Laura Vanderkam - Vanderkam is the best writer I've read who talks about time management, because there is no BS involved. It's blunt, it's true, and we if we can get over ourselves and admit where we need help tweaking our mindset, we can learn to enjoy our lives a little more, no matter our situation.
*Peace Like A River by Lief Enger - This book was just as beautiful as Gilead (my fav), and had memorable characters, snark, and a little bit of magical realism. Probably my #1 favorite from the year.
*Educated by Tara Westover - The big hype could ruin this book for some, but just know it's a true story that is pretty unbelievable. See also: The Glass Castle. I just kept being surprised at what continued to happen to this poor girl.
*Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan- The unexpected underdog of the year. I don't usually read high-demand fiction, but I needed something fluffy and this was not only a page turner, but a glipse behind the curtain to one of the cultures I knew nothing about--Singapore. This book is filled with footnotes explaining context, history, etc. that make the book what it is. And in the middle is a ridiculous rom-com.
*The Gift of Being Yourself by David Benner - Going through this book with a friend was like getting that glorious pain after an intense workout. You're stiff for days and fall down when you intend to sit, but you feel like you really did something. One read through is not enough. I have a feeling I'll be comign back to this one very often.
*Kindest Regards by Ted Kooser - My favorite collection of poetry I read this year, by one of my favorite poets. I just feel calm and happy when I read him. That's good enough for me.
*The Two-Part Invention by Madeleine L'Engle - Again, see above. This one, about L'Engle's marriage to Hugh Franklin, was one of the most beautiful tributes to a spouse I'd read. See also: Joan Didion's Year of Magical Thinking but much less sad.
Honorable Mention:
Best YA: The Vanderbeekers of 141st St by Karina Yan Glaser - Adorable characters, illustrations, story. Perfect for a read-aloud or just for a 2-3 hour dose of cute.
Best Classic: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - Well-written and creepy dystopian novel. A little long, but one I had wanted to read for ages and now can celebrate that I have! Jury is still out on whether I'll invest in the hulu show...
Best Autobiography: Down a Sunny Dirt Road by Stan + Jan Berenstain - An dual autobiography on the author + illustrator team of some of my favorite childhood books. I just loved going through all of this and learning about who Stan + Jan were, their youth and marriage, and how the Berenstain Bears came to be.
Best Parenting: How To Talk So Your Kids Will Listen and Listen so Your Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish - Man, what a mouthful. Terribly long name but worthwhile if you have kids and are sick of negative interaction. Not a magic pill, of course, but sharp tools for the tool box. Includes comics (!) for the visual learners with anecdotes. Highly recommended, bought the Teen one, and Siblings Without Rivalry that I'm currently going through.
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