A Book List for the Perfect Year for Books (The Big Board of Books - 2020, Part 1)

The year at home*, the year of the global pandemic, the year of record unemployment, the year of racial injustice and inequality coming to the forefront, the year of consistent and unyielding change, the year where we’re all wondering if it’s next year, yet – there’s a thousand different ways to describe 2020, and we’re just halfway**. 

With every event of 2020, it has reinforced for me the need for discovery, learning, understanding, and action. 2020 has also elevated and magnified my need to find a way to escape, if even for a moment, to allow myself the opportunity to reflect and recharge. 

Therefore, I’ll add one description to 2020: The perfect year for books. 

Below are the best books I read in the first half of 2020, followed by a full list of all 60+ books I read in the first half of 2020, arranged by general subject area, rating, and included with a quick overview. 

Hopefully, at least one book inspires and connects with you.

THE BEST BOOKS I READ IN 2020:

Non-fiction

• American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West - Nate Blakeslee – Blakeslee explores the successful reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park, while focusing on the multi-generational saga of O-Six, a charismatic alpha female beloved by Park Rangers and visitors. (Note: This is the only book I purchased this year and it was 100% worth it).
• Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America - Eliza Griswold – 2019 Pulitzer Prize Winner. This book tells the story of the fracking boom’s impact on a small town in Appalachia and one woman’s fight for the truth about the environmental and health damage that is being caused on her family and others.
• In the Land of Men: A Memoir – Adrienne Miller – Miller’s personal memoir as the first woman literary editor of Esquire at age 25. She covers her youth growing up in the Midwest (which felt in many ways similar to my own), moving to New York and dealing with a male dominated industry, while also diving deeply into her close, personal relationship with David Foster Wallace.
• King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa - Adam Hochschild – King Leopold II of Belgium cultivated a reputation as a great humanitarian. However, this book tells the true story of his brutal plundering of the territory surrounding the Congo River, the holocaust he caused – killing millions, and the individuals who opposed him. If you’re looking to understand more about imperialism in Africa or history in general, this is a phenomenal read.
• Lab Girl - Hope Jahren – Simply put, this is my favorite book of the year and the book I’ve recommended the most in 2020. A beautiful memoir full of science, hard work, and laughter. So much laughter, in fact, that I found myself crying I was laughing so hard. Hope Jahren reveals the science behind the flora all around us, while walking us through her journey from a childhood in Minnesota to renowned scientist. Oh, and we get to meet Bill, her lab partner for life. 
• The Making of the Atomic Bomb - Richard Rhodes – A 100% completely inclusive history of the pre, during, and post development of the Atomic Bomb. The fact that anyone was able to pull this much detailed information together is absolutely stunning. 
• On the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey - Paul Theroux – Travel writer Paul Theroux takes a car from the US / Mexico border all the way south to Oaxaca, meeting different people and organizations along the way, all in an effort to build a more deep understanding of Mexico. A very worthy read.
• Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed - Ben R. Rich and Leo Janos – Ben Rich’s biography and historical account of his time at Lockheed and leading Lockheed’s Skunk Works. This book was published in the early 90’s, but if you’re interested in engineering, aerospace, or high-performing small teams, this book is a perfect read.
• Silent Spring - Rachel Carson – The book that launched the environmental movement in the 1960’s. Carson does an amazing job integrating science with a very easily understandable narrative on the adverse impact of chemicals on our environment.
• Van Gogh: The Life – Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith – Due to the sheer amount of writing that Van Gogh himself produced, this book provides a nearly day-by-day outline of his life – from his early struggles, to his bouts of depression and mental illness, to his time in Provence, to his relationships, to his early death at thirty-seven.
• Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams – Matthew Walker – The most convincing and well-written book on the science of sleep I’ve ever read, and an absolute page-turner. The book dives into all the different aspects of our lives that are directly affected by the quality and quantity of sleep we attain.

Fiction

• Dear Martin - Nic Stone – Hands down the best Young Adult novel I’ve read since I was…well….a young adult.  The story follows student Justyce McAllister, who looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King for guidance, in a story of race relations and social injustice.
• Foundation - Isaac Asimov – Wow. Just wow. I know, I know - I finally got around to reading Asimov and this is absolutely something I should’ve read years ago. The first book (well, actually third…eventually) in the Foundation Series starts with Hari Seldon, the creator of psychohistory, which allows him to see into the future. To ensure the continued existence of civilization, he gathers the best and brightest at a sanctuary he calls The Foundation. The story goes from there.
• Interior Chinatown - Charles Yu – I wasn’t sure how to explain Interior Chinatown – satire, pop culture, a deep dive into race and immigration – either way, one of the best books I read this year. The novel follows Willis Wu and his dreams of being the Kung Fu Guy, the most respected role anyone like him can (supposedly) attain.
• The Mars Room: A Novel – Rachel Kushner – The book follows Romy Hall, who is serving two consecutive life sentences at Stanville Women’s Correction Facility in California, and her world before, during, and outside of prison. A finalist for the Man Booker prize and a top recommendation from me for 2020 as this book 1) explores a topic I’d never read much about (Women’s Prison) 2) has outstanding plot development, and 3) somehow seamlessly blends humor, violence, and tragedy.
• The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah. I read The Great Alone from Hannah in 2019 and it was absolutely one of my favorite books of the year. The same goes for The Nightingale in 2020. The novel takes place in WWII France, focused on the bravery of two sisters. Moving forward, if Kristin Hannah writes another book, I’m just putting that in my book queue immediately.
• The Silent Patient - Alex Michaelides – Easily the best thriller of 2020. You’re guaranteed to read this in a single day, so plan accordingly. Without giving too much away, a woman murders her husband and a therapist is driven to figure out why (and that’s all I’m going to say about that).
• The Water Dancer: A Novel - Ta-Nehisi Coates – The story of Hiram Walker, born into slavery, and the mysterious power he’s born with and his joining the Underground Railroad. The book flawlessly integrates Harriet Tubman as a key character as well. Everything that I’ve ever read by Coates is superb, and this is exactly that. 

THE BIG BOARD OF BOOKS 2020, PART 1:

For the last few years, I’ve published a Big Board of Books review on LinkedIn of everything I’ve been reading. In that tradition, here is the complete list of the 60+ books I read in the first half of 2020, arranged by general subject area, rating, and included with a quick overview.

The Big Board of Books Rating Scale:

***** = Run, don't walk, to the library immediately! (Best Books List)
**** = Excellent
*** = Good
** = Fair
* = Bleh

Non-fiction

Biography – Art

*****Van Gogh: The Life – Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith – Due to the sheer amount of writing that Van Gogh himself produced, this book provides a nearly day-by-day outline of his life – from his early struggles, to his bouts of depression and mental illness, to his time in Provence, to his relationships, to his early death at thirty-seven.

****I'll be your Huckleberry - Val Kilmer – I absolutely picked up this book because the title was one of my favorite lines in cinematic history. A thoroughly enjoyable and open account into Kilmer’s background, relationships (from Cher to Tom Cruise), philosophy, decision-making process, and world-view. 

Biography – Business

*****In the Land of Men: A Memoir - Adrienne Miller – Miller’s personal memoir as the first woman literary editor of Esquire at age 25. She covers her youth growing up in the Midwest (which felt in many ways similar to my own), moving to New York and dealing with a male dominated industry, while also diving deeply into her close, personal relationship with David Foster Wallace.

*****Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed - Ben R. Rich and Leo Janos – Ben Rich’s biography and historical account of his time at Lockheed and leading Lockheed’s Skunk Works. This book was published in the early 90’s, but if you’re interested in engineering, aerospace, or high-performing small teams, this book is a perfect read.

****Ride of a Lifetime - Bob Iger – This book could’ve been a masterpiece. Instead, it’s just very, very good, being both Iger’s biography and providing his business insight and philosophy into being the CEO of Disney for the past 15 years. There was so much depth here, from his connection with Steve Jobs, to his ascent to the Disney CEO position, to his acquisition of Pixar, Marvel, and LucasFilm – I just wanted more. I felt like we just were seeing the top layer of the iceberg and I’m very much hoping for a Part 2.

Biography - Health & Fitness

****Run the World - Becky Wade – Excellent biography and global insight guide into the different viewpoints and perspectives on the psychology and training of running around the world. If you’re into running, definitely pick this one up. I even changed up some of my own training based on East African philosophies espoused in this book.

Biography – Law

****Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption – Bryan Stevenson – Bryan Stevenson’s biography / history of his starting of the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice that focuses on the wrongly condemned, the poor, and those who are unfairly sidelined in our criminal justice system. 

Biography - Political / Historical

****Imperfect Union: How Jessie and John Fremont Mapped the West, Invented Celebrity, and Helped Cause the Civil War - Steve Inskeep – The history of wife and husband, Jessie and John Fremont, who were instrumental in the settling of the American West.

****The Splendid and the Vile: A Story of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz – Erik Larson – Biography of Winston Churchill focused on World War II.

Biography – Science

*****Lab Girl - Hope Jahren – Simply put, this is my favorite book of the year and the book I’ve recommended the most in 2020. A beautiful memoir full of science, hard work, and laughter. So much laughter, in fact, that I found myself crying I was laughing so hard. Hope Jahren reveals the science behind the flora all around us, while walking us through her journey from a childhood in Minnesota to renowned scientist. Oh, and we get to meet Bill, her lab partner for life. 

Business

****Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth - Rachel Maddow – An in-depth review of the oil and gas industry and it’s extremely destructive and adverse effects on our planet, people, and government. If you have an interest in the environment, government, or energy, it’s absolutely must read.

****Dark Towers: Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump, and an Epic Trail of Destruction - David Enrich – This is a painful and enlightening read into Deutsche Bank’s path of devastation, their extremely close relationship with Donald Trump (whom no other bank would do business with), and the laws and ethics they violated along the way.

****Good Economics for Hard Times - Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo – Winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Economics.  Banerjee and Duflo dive straight into some of the most anxiety driving issues of our time, inequality, immigration, climate change, and more, and use global success metrics and insights to help build proposed solutions.

 ***Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life - Nassim Nicholas Taleb – Taleb shares examples of why owning your risks is the key to decision making.

**Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less - Greg McKeown – Explains exactly what the title says it will. A useful book for individuals who are early in their careers.

Crime

****Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators - Ronan Farrow. Farrow, in a very personal diary-style, outlines the tactics of intimidation that wealthy and connected men use to threaten women, journalists, and silence victims of abuse. A very important read, yet much too lengthy.

***The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century - Kirk W. Johnson – I’ll admit that stay-at-home in 2020 has made me a bit of an ornithologist, but I still had zero idea of the value and obsession behind collecting feathers. This is a fun and engaging read through history, evolution, hobbies, and crime.

Health & Fitness

*****Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams – Matthew Walker – The most convincing and well-written book on the science of sleep I’ve ever read, and an absolute page-turner. The book dives into all the different aspects of our lives that are directly affected by the quality and quantity of sleep we attain.

History

*****King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa - Adam Hochschild – King Leopold II of Belgium cultivated a reputation as a great humanitarian. However, this book tells the true story of his brutal plundering of the territory surrounding the Congo River, the holocaust he caused – killing millions, and the individuals who opposed him. If you’re looking to understand more about imperialism in Africa or history in general, this is a phenomenal read.

 *****The Making of the Atomic Bomb - Richard Rhodes – A 100% completely inclusive history of the pre, during, and post development of the Atomic Bomb. The fact that anyone was able to pull this much detailed information together is absolutely stunning. 

****The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire - William Dalrymple – Indian history was a significant personal gap for me and I selected this to help build a greater understanding of the establishment of the East India Company and the direct effect on India, which is basically the story of corporate abuse on a massive scale. Highly recommended.

****They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us – Hanif Abdurraqib – The book is a collection of essays where Abdurraqib uses music and culture as the lens to view the world and current affairs. His essay "The Night Prince Walked on Water" in this book was absolutely one of the best pieces of writing I witnessed all year.

****The Boys in the Boat - Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics - Daniel James Brow – The story of nine American boys from the Pacific Northwest and their victory at the 1936 Olympics. A story of politics, sport, and individual drive.

****Underground: A Human History of the World’s Beneath our Feet – Will Hunt – Hunt, who developed his own fascination with underground worlds (subways, tunnel, underground cities), tells the stories of others who have a similar fascination, from NASA scientists to an Aboriginal family in the Australian outback.

***Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West - David Wolman – This book chronicles the history of Hawaiian cowboys and how three of them arrived in the mainland US and proved they were the best cowboys alive, all while overcoming prejudices along the way.

Nature

*****American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West - Nate Blakeslee – Blakeslee explores the successful reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park, while focusing on the multi-generational saga of O-Six, a charismatic alpha female beloved by Park Rangers and visitors. (Note: This is the only book I purchased this year and it was 100% worth it).

*****Silent Spring - Rachel Carson – THE book that launched the environmental movement in the 1960’s. Carson does an amazing job integrating science with a very easily understandable narrative on the adverse impact of chemicals on our environment.

***The Inner Life of Cats: The Science and Secrets of our Mysterious Feline Companions - Thomas McNamee – Thomas McNamee blends together a story of his own cat, Augusta, with the science behind why cats are the way they are. 

***The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming  – David Wallace-Wells – Outlines all of the horrible consequences that will occur in the near future due to Global Warming, from food shortages, economic devastation, and refugee emergencies.

Politics

*****Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America - Eliza Griswold – 2019 Pulitzer Prize Winner. This book tells the story of the fracking boom’s impact on a small town in Appalachia and one woman’s fight for the truth about the environmental and health damage that is being caused on her family and others.

****Front Row at the Trump Show - Jonathan Karl – Author Jonathan Karl provides an even, non-political account of his close relationship with Trump over the past 25 years. The book is very balanced and purely based on observations, with additional behind the scenes insights, but if you weren’t already concerned, be prepared to take that concern up a notch.

****Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope – Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn – A very personal story from Kristof and Wudunn. They use the area in Oregon where Kristof grew up to show the massive disparities that have arisen in working-class America, and the dire effect of government failure.

Romance

***Sweetbitter - Stephanie Danler – I picked this book up because it takes place in New York, in the restaurant business, and I was in a very Bourdain-esque*** reading mood. The novel follows Tess, a twenty-two year old, who moves to New York and becomes a server at a high-end restaurant and her experiences inside and outside the restaurant.

Self-Improvement

****Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know - Malcom Gladwell – An excellent book, but I felt like I was left hanging at the end without next steps; I wanted just a bit more. Gladwell argues the tools and strategies we use to make sense of strangers are wrong, causing misunderstandings and more.

**How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy - Jenny Odell – Self explanatory.

**Untamed - Glennon Doyle – Part biography, part self-improvement guide. Glennon Doyle tells her story of finally becoming honest with herself and who she is. 

Sociology

****Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline - Darrel Bricker and John Ibbitson – Ibbitson and Bricker deduce that we’re actually at the start of a global decline in Earth’s population, not an increase. The book talks about benefits, challenges, and parts of the world that are in the best position to succeed (good news if you live in Canada or the United States / bad news for parts of Asia or Europe).

**Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth – Sarah Smarsh – A working class memoir of farm life in Kansas and the structural inequalities that cause many to be unable to achieve the American dream.

Travel

*****On the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey - Paul Theroux – Travel writer Paul Theroux takes a car from the US / Mexico border all the way south to Oaxaca, meeting different people and organizations along the way, all in an effort to build a more deep understanding of Mexico. A very worthy read.

Fiction

Crime / Legal

****Broken - Don Winslow – The first collection of crime-based novellas from Winslow. Much like everything Winslow writes, it’s an excellent work, but also like everything Winslow writes, you wouldn’t mind reading 500 pages plus from him. The novella subjects range from high-level thieves, to corrupt cops, to drug dealers, to private detectives, with everything in between. 

**The Guardians - John Grisham. Follows the story of Guardian Ministries, a small non-profit that looks to overturn wrongful convictions. This was, admittedly, my first Grisham book in 20+ years and I’m aware of Grisham’s immense popularity, so I would assume this was just an “off” book for him.

Drama

*****The Mars Room: A Novel – Rachel Kushner – The book follows Romy Hall, who is serving two consecutive life sentences at Stanville Women’s Correction Facility in California, and her world before, during, and outside of prison. A finalist for the Man Booker prize and a top recommendation from me for 2020 as this book 1) explores a topic I’d never read much about (Women’s Prison) 2) has outstanding plot development, and 3) somehow seamlessly blends humor, violence, and tragedy.

*****The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah. I read The Great Alone from Hannah in 2019 and it was absolutely one of my favorite books of the year. The same goes for The Nightingale in 2020. The novel takes place in WWII France, focused on the bravery of two sisters. Moving forward, if Kristin Hannah writes another book, I’m just putting that in my book queue immediately.

****Dear Edward - Ann Napolitano – A 12 year-old boy is the only survivor of a plane crash and he tries to find his place in the world after losing his family and dealing with the burden of being the only survivor.

****Death is Hard Work: A Novel - Khaled Khalifa – In the middle of the Syrian Civil War, three people try to take their just passed father to be buried.

**Where The Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens – The story takes place in the marshes of North Carolina, where the “Marsh Girl” Kya Clark is involved in a suspected murder plot. It’s a multi-layered and character-driven story with some beautiful scenery visuals, and there were some scenes worthy of the amount of praise and popularity this book received, but the book's total narrative never quite caught me. 

Fantasy

*The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho – I’d heard repeatedly that this was a book that I needed to read and I finally read it this year. Much like Where the Crawdads Sing, I’m certain I’m in the minority here, but I just didn’t enjoy this at all. The story follows Santiago, an Andalusian boy, who travels the world in search of treasure.

Historical-fiction

*****The Water Dancer: A Novel - Ta-Nehisi Coates – The story of Hiram Walker, born into slavery, and the mysterious power he’s born with and his joining the Underground Railroad. The book flawlessly integrates Harriet Tubman as a key character as well. Everything that I’ve ever read by Coates is superb, and this is exactly that. 

****A Long Petal of the Sea - Isabel Allende – The journey of Roser and Victor Dalmau, who flee from Spain during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930’s and move to Chile.

***The Nickel Boys - Colson Whitehead – This book follows two boys who are sent to a reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. Although this was the Winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and a good novel, I'd recommend instead The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, which is outstanding.

Science-fiction

*****Foundation - Isaac Asimov – Wow. Just wow. I know, I know - I finally got around to reading Asimov and this is absolutely something I should’ve read years ago. The first book (well, actually third…eventually) in the Foundation Series starts with Hari Seldon, the creator of psychohistory, which allows him to see into the future. To ensure the continued existence of civilization, he gathers the best and brightest at a sanctuary he calls The Foundation. The story goes from there.

****Recursion - Blake Crouch – The typical fast-paced, intense Crouch narrative. It’s not as powerful as Dark Matter, but this time-travel, memory, and identity thriller is still a very enjoyable read. The perfect vacation or plane book (when that becomes a thing, again).

Thriller

*****The Silent Patient - Alex Michaelides – Easily the best thriller of 2020. You’re guaranteed to read this in a single day, so plan accordingly. Without giving too much away, a woman murders her husband and a therapist is driven to figure out why (and that’s all I’m going to say about that).

****American Dirt - Jeanine Cummins – The story of Lydia and her eight-year old son, Luca, as they escape from Acapulco to the United States via La Bestia. Regardless of everything you may have heard, positive and negative, this is a very good book.

****American Spy - Lauren Wilkinson – The first book from Lauren Wilkinson and an exceptionally good first book at that. The story follows Marie Mitchell, a young African American woman working for the FBI, in the 1980’s. This book was nearly 5 stars for me - nearly.

****Into the Fire (Orphan X Series, Book 5) - Gregg Hurwitz – If you’ve read any of my previous book list blogs before, you know I enjoy the Orphan X series (my current favorite of the spy / government / intelligence genre) – and I’m thrilled (pun intended) to report that the quality has returned after a slightly disappointing Book 4. Has anyone tried to call the Nowhere Man just to see if that number connects?

****Run Away – Harlan Coben – An exceptionally good Thriller from Coben. Story chronicles a father who has lost his daughter to drugs and an abusive boyfriend, sees her in Central Park one day, and tries to walk up and talk to her – yet, she runs away.

***Backlash (Book #19 of the Scot Harvath Series) – Brad Thor – Ever since I read Robert Ludlum years ago, I’ve always been intrigued by the spy / government / intelligence genre. This is book 19 of the Scot Harvath series and if you just need an exciting read from start to finish, this should work.

***The Girl Who Lived Twice (Millennium Series, Book 6) - David Lagercrantz – I will continue to read every book of the Millennium Series as long as they continue to be published, because the first three books from Stieg Larsson were such a masterpiece. With the author change at Book 4 and forward, the books have been consistently good, but never to the level of Larsson’s work. Book 6 continues to follow the story of Lisbeth Salander, genius hacker (and the fiction character I’d most like to meet), and Michael Blomkvist, reporter.

**Different Seasons - Stephen King – King’s collection of novellas published in the early 80’s and my first King book. I had difficulty engaging in any of the stories here, but I do want to give his regular novels a try in the future.

Young Adult

*****Dear Martin - Nic Stone – Hands down the best Young Adult novel I’ve read since I was…well….a young adult.  The story follows student Justyce McAllister, who looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King for guidance, in a story of race relations and social injustice.

(Uncategorized)

*****Interior Chinatown - Charles Yu – I wasn’t sure how to explain Interior Chinatown – satire, pop culture, a deep dive into race and immigration – either way, one of the best books I read this year. The novel follows Willis Wu and his dreams of being the Kung Fu Guy, the most respected role anyone like him can (supposedly) attain.

The End. Let’s see what the second half of 2020 brings****.

* The best “page turners” I read in 2020 to really escape while at home: Lab Girl, The Silent Patient, Why We Sleep, Foundation, and The Nightingale.

** If we needed any more proof that time is “relative”, 2020 has definitively proved that point.

***And yes, I’ll absolutely take this moment to plug Kitchen Confidential as still, and forever, one of my favorite books of the 21st century.

****If you’re looking for even more book recommendations, I’m more than happy to provide recommendations based on what type book you’re seeking. If you want a fantastic biography to read, Grant by Chernow is my all-time favorite. If you want my favorite history book to read, An Indigenous People’s History of the United States by Dunbar-Ortiz is flawless. The list goes on. Additionally, here was my book list for 2019: