Books of 2019
I’m probably a few weeks late with a proper annual list, but I guess I can make up my own rules for my ~seven readers!
Reading is one of my most sacred, peace-filling hobbies; if for whatever reason I could no longer run, I might survive as long as I have a book in hand. (A real book — I can’t make the switch to digital!)
My morning routine consists of waking up (one would hope), making coffee, and reading for 30 minutes. It’s the best part of my day, and I’m usually snuggled up with Luna and/or Rosa
Sexy pose
I tend to gravitate towards memoirs and non-fiction books, so was surprised to see that last year was filled with a lot of the opposite: good ol’ fashion fiction. Here’s a list of what I read (I think I got them all) along with some quick thoughts.
I placed each book into one of three categories: books I’ve loved and would read again, others I really enjoyed but probably wouldn’t read again, and a handful that were just so-so. Overall, it’s hard for me to strongly dislike a book, and just because I wouldn’t read it again doesn’t mean I didn’t truly love it! Books that fell into the read-again category was often because it was dense and complex, in a good way. In a “I want to devour that again” way.
Note: For the first quarter of the year I was reading mainly yoga books for a Teacher Training program I was in! The books were generally good but I’m only including one below, since many were on anatomy, etc.
LOVED & Would Read Again
Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
I never thought I was a fan of fantasy until I was “forced” to read this in book club (thanks, Kelsey!). I’m not even into the circus! This was a page-turner that is great for fantasy-newbies or veterans alike. There’s love, drama, twists, and lots of magic — all encompassed in a fairy tale set near Victorian London via a wandering magical circus that is open only from sunset to sunrise (dun dun duuun…).
The Lost City of the Monkey God, Douglas Preston
This book reminded me how expansive the world is. It’s a real account of an expedition to the jungles of Honduras in an attempt to find the legendary "White City," or "The Lost City of the Monkey God.” I can’t believe I’ve never heard about the story’s plot until reading this book! It twists into many different directions, especially toward the end.
The Sadness of Beautiful Things, Simon Van Booy
Simon Van Booy is one of my favorite writers thanks to his language, deliciously poetic style, and storytelling. This is a newer collection of unique short stories — all in various settings but centered in one way or another around love. I swear each small story was better than the last. It’s a book I could pick up again and again.
The Line Becomes a River, Francisco Cantú
If you want a deeper and honest look at what is happening at our border, then you must read this non-fiction book written by a former border patrol officer. Cantú’s mother is a Mexican immigrant, and so he decides to become a patrol officer in order to wholly understand the harsh realities of the Southwestern landscape he grew up in. It’s an intense and immensely important read.
A Gentleman in Moscow, Amir Towles
I read this on our honeymoon and I remember being so sad when it was over. The story takes place in (pretty much) one location: a hotel in Moscow, where a man is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. It spans decades, introduces dozens of characters, and has beautifully depicted. It’s also quite funny, too!
There, There, Tommy Orange
Written by a Native American, There There is a fictional, but all-to-real story about a handful of Native Americans in Oakland and how all of their lives and stories weave together. It’s a powerful, poignant, violent, and captivating read.
The Overstory, Richard Powers
I plucked this one from the Harvard book store during a random 24-hour work trip to Cambridge. (It was 20% off!) I was BLOWN AWAY and I plan on rereading it again soon. If you care about climate and trees, but also want to read wrenching stories of love, loss, and life — read this! The book introduces nine characters in the first half, and then shows how their lives all bridge together to address the destruction of forests.
Abandon Me, Melissa Febos
Febos enamored me with her incredibly honest and brave memoir Whipsmart. She wrote a second memoir which I devoured, and need to reread. Her writing style combines personal essay with poetry, making you feel her thoughts on each page. She writes courageously about her dating/sex life, family, and childhood.
Really Enjoyed! But Wouldn’t Read Again
Love and Trouble, Claire Dederer
Claire Dederer wrote one of my favorite memoirs (Poser) and this one was also quite good! It was raw, revealing and explicit, but not in a Melissa Febos type way. It’s a little bit more accessible, which also makes it a bit less magical. But she dives into the story of her past-self: the wild girl she once was before getting married and having kids, and the gnawing feeling of realizing that young girl has never completely left her.
Everything I Never Told You, Celeste Ng
If you’re looking for a SOLID novel that entangles family drama with a murder mystery and a coming-of-age story, read this! The story begins by telling the reader that teenage daughter Lydia is dead, but her family doesn’t know it yet. It all unravels from there. Highly recommend if you want a compelling and quality fictional read.
Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reid
Another SOLID novel was this one, which my friend Dan (who works at Random House) graciously sent me back in 2019 before it actually hit shelves this year! I consumed this hearty novel in about 48 hours. The plot follows an affluent family in New Jersey and their young black babysitter. Right away the reader is confronted with racism, internal biases, and social hierarchies. I highly recommend this book and am glad to have read it, as uncomfortable as it often was.
An American Marriage, Tamari Jones
And so continues my string of really good novels written by women of color. An American Marriage has a fiery plot, strong storytelling, and important racial under — and sometimes over— tones. It’s based on the premise of a newlywed black executive wrongly convicted of rape, and dives into the issues about our criminal justice system and beliefs around loyalty and love.
Severance, Ling Ma
I gobbled this book up in two days right after getting it for Christmas. Ling Ma takes the reader through issues of capitalism, immigration, and … the apocalypse. Set in New York City, we follow a young Asian American woman as she dates in Brooklyn, lands a new job in Manhattan, and survives the spread of Shen Fever that slowly obliterates global civilization. I will say that I strongly disliked the ending. You’ll have to read to see what you think!
Everything is Fucked: A Book On Hope, Mark Manson
Unlike his first book (see below) I did enjoy Manson’s second! He drops some of his bro-language and gets more serious about why it seems like the world is falling apart as technology and civilization simultaneously advances. He draws from the pool of psychological research, cuts into religion and politics, examines our relationships with money, and defies our definitions of hope. This one read a bit slow (it’s dense!) but was worth the read.
The Yamas and Niyamas, by Deborah Adele
As I wrote above, this was a required reading from my yoga teacher training. I was craving a deeper discussion around the eastern roots and philosophies of yoga, so happily devoured this book. Without getting too deep in it, the Yamas and Niyamas are yoga's ethical guidelines, which are laid out in the first two limbs of the eightfold path. They are often seen as moral codes that form the foundation of our whole yoga practice. Honoring these ethics allows us to be mindful of each action — cultivating a more present and aware state of being.
The Great Believers, Rebecca Makkai
I’m reading this one right now, but I believe I started it in 2019…so it still counts :) Makkai takes the reader to 1980’s Chicago, right in the midst of the AIDS crisis. She also pulls us to present day Europe, which chronicles a mother's search for her estranged daughter — all against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis she grew up in. I’m still in the middle of it but can safely say it’s worth a read!
Pretty Good But Life Would Be OK If I Didn’t Read It
The Anatomy of Dreams, Chloe Benjamin
This book had a bit of sci-fi flair, mixed with a pretty interesting plot, undertones of science’s moral responsibilities, and the power of the unconscious mind. This story was so different from what I’ve read — which I appreciated. However the plot would often speed up but then quickly slow back down, leaving me a bit disappointed.
The Chronology of Water, Lydia Yuknativz
This memoir is not for the faint of heart. The story follows lifelong swimmer and Olympic hopeful Lidia Yuknavitch as she accepts a college swimming scholarship in Texas to escape an abusive father and an alcoholic, suicidal mother. From there, her story gets more merciless, though bold, rich, intense, raw. With stories of stillbirths, S&M, sexuality, and abuse, I found this memoir incredibly brave … yet exhaustive (which is probably the point) and difficult to read. In fact, I didn’t finish it.
Flight Behavior, Barbara Kingsolver
I almost gave up on this book. I was about 150 pages in when my friend and bookclub mate Sophia told me to keep pressing on — that it got better. And it did…sorta. Still, 150 pages is a long way to read before finally understanding where a novel is heading. The plot eventually unravels commentary on global warming and the failings of public education via a Tennessee woman whose life changes when 15 million monarch butterflies end up in the woods near her home. Overall it was a pretty good story but nothing to write home about.
To Love and Let Go, Rachel Brathen
Also known as “Yoga Girl,” I’ve been following Rachel Brathen on and off throughout the years. She is a Swedish yoga instructor/thought-leader living in Aruba, and at first glance might seem to be a “typical” privileged white woman and yogi. However, her story and philosophies ring so much deeper and I developed a strong respect for her. This is her second book and first memoir, and her life story is really compelling! However, part of me wonders if I would have been as enthralled if I hadn’t been a follower of her on the Internets/podcast.
Women Talking, Miriam Toews
I really wanted to like this book. The fictional story is based off of harrowing truth: between 2005 and 2009, more than 130 women had been repeatedly anaesthetised and raped in their homes at the ultraconservative Bolivian Manitoba Colony. In Women Talking, Towes follows eight Mennonite women who gather in the wake of the men’s arrests to decide what to do next. However, the book title is a little too close to the plot: the entire story is about the women…literally… talking to figure out their next move. I found the story and context to be gripping but the actual plot quite boring and slow.
City of Girls, Elizabeth Gilbert
I’m a big fan of Elizabeth Gilbert! Her novel Signature of All Things is probably in my Top 5 best reads of all time. Seriously! However, her latest beachy-read was not my favorite. Perhaps I’m not into fluffier stories? Or I’m not into the NYC-theatre-scene plot? But it took me awhile to get into the book. However, I did cry at the end, so it does pick up steam. Just not my favorite.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck, Mark Manson
A lot of the ideas in this book are good, but I could not get past the writing! Unlike his newer work, Manson’s debut self-help book was full of bro language that had me rolling my eyes. And while the concepts he lays out are thoughtful, they were regurgitations of other things I’ve read in various social science books, articles, etc. To me, this book could have been summed up in a lengthy Medium post.
Heroes of the Frontier, Dave Eggers
Oh Dave Eggers! You’re one of my favorites. His collection of short stories, How We Are Hungry, is also up there in the Top 5. But I was not a fan of this book. I read it right at the beginning of the year, so don’t remember too much — except for the fact I didn’t finish it. The story didn’t hook me like his story’s typically do. I think because I wanted something different I gave up more quickly than I would if it was a new-to-me author.
Ok wow. This post was long. If you’re local and want to borrow any of these books, let me know. I have them all! (:
