I set a goal in 2017 to read 52 books and fell short at 37. Thinking I'd set myself up for success this year, I set a goal to read 36 books and with a few weeks left in 2018 I am at 54. Most of were checked out from the library, some were from my Book of the Month subscription, but a few were audiobooks (listened at 1.5x speed). All were good (I stop reading if a book isn't clicking) but a few were AMAZING. I wanted to share the amazing here with you.
FICTION:
We Were The Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter - this is the true story of what the author's grandfather and his four siblings went through during WWII. It was masterfully told. I couldn't put it down.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - if I judged books by their cover I would never have picked this up. In fact I saw it on the shelf at the library and didn't think twice, but then I got a message on Instagram recommending and so I gave it a shot. I am glad I did. It's a surprising love story and a great read.
Circe by Madeline Miller - this was a story as told through Circe, daughter of Helios, the sun God in Greek mythology. Embarrassingly, I didn't realize that going in and found it strange that I kept remember snippets of freshman year mythology. This was entertaining and smart and a very fun book. I hope they start letting freshman English classes read it.
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff - I remember this book getting a ton of buzz last year and I finally picked it up myself early in 2018. I really enjoyed it. It's a decades long story about a marriage and is told through first the husband's and then the wife's perspective. I wasn't expecting the narrator change and loved getting the mirror image of the same events.
Kindred by Octavia Butler - this was written in 1979 but could have been written today. The main character is an African American woman who inexplicably finds herself time traveling back to the early 1800s to a plantation in the deep south. I knew nothing about this book going in - it was recommended - and so I don't want to say too much else...just that I would recommend it to you.
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett - another sprawling story, this one with two intertwined families. Honestly, I picked this up because I loved this article written by the author. I am glad - I loved the book.
NON-FICTION:
Becoming by Michelle Obama - surely you've already heard of this memoir? This was the only book I pre-ordered this year. I am in awe of her honest and relatable story-telling. I didn't know much about Michelle Obama's life pre-Whitehouse before reading this and it was delightful getting to hear more about her background, education, marriage and parenting style. I am curious to see what will be next for her.
Calypso by David Sedaris - the most recent memoir from David Sedaris did not disappoint. This might be my favorite of his yet. So much stuck with me but the most hilarious was picturing him out there getting all his steps each day. Or the stuff about how you have to act as a couple when guests are over.
Educated by Tara Westover - now this was a BOOK. I listened on audiobook and couldn't get over it...often having to skip back to make sure I heard correctly what disastrous thing had just occurred. The author was born to survivalists in rural Idaho and had nothing resembling a formal education but she got through it and tells us about it. I am not hyping this book very well, but I am sure most of you have read it already. If not, do.
Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan - legit perfection from Kelly Corrigan. Twelve essays about the things that Kelly has learned to say. I loved them all and it made me think about my own list...
Bad Blood by John Carreyrou - this is the deeply researched and entertainingly told true story of the Theranos scandal and it played out like fiction. Listening (this was another audiobook) to the creation of this start-up and then hearing it ultimately unravel was fascinating.
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - another excellent memoir. I knew from watching The Daily Show these past few years that Trevor Noah was brilliant. But hearing about his childhood was on another level. His story-telling is entertaining, of course, but his way of looking at the world is important. I read this in paper form, but have heard from many that the audiobook, read by him, is great.
This will sound dramatic (because it is) but when I put together this list I just wanted to cry with joy. How lucky are we that, ages ago, humans figured out how to put sounds together in such a way that stories are possible. What a gift for us all.
