My Year in Books - 2019

Looking for your next read? I have some suggestions, based on the 69 books I apparently read in 2019. 22,028 pages. Wowee. (Yet not as much as 2018, which saw me read 34,746 pages across 105 books).

Nonfiction

Off the Map: Lost Spaces, Invisible Cities, Forgotten Islands, Feral Places and What They Tell Us About the World - Alastair Bonnett

This is the perfect dip-in, dip-out reader (aka bathroom book). Really short, stand-alone chapters that are each fascinating. Who knew that random places could be so interesting?

Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World - Deborah Reber

The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum - Temple Grandin

NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity - Steve Silberman

Much of my summer was spent obsessively poring over books about neurodiversity, as we started seeking a diagnosis for my 7yo son in earnest, and this trio of books really stands out. The first was truly transformative (and her TiLT Parenting podcast and website equally so) and I would highly recommend this to the parent of any kid, but especially those on the autism spectrum or other neurodivergent condition. The second gives a glimpse into one such (AMAZING) brain, written by one of my heroes. And the last is a surprisingly fascinating look at autism throughout history. I learned SO MUCH and a lot of it was SO COOL.  

Becoming - Michelle Obama

I didn’t think I could love the Obamas any more than I already did, but this book cemented it. Incredible.

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor - Adam Kay

Insight into what goes in NHS hospitals. Often hilarious, sometimes serious.

Fiction

The Other Mrs Walker - Mary Paulson-Ellis

One need only read the Prologue to fall in love with the writing, and the tale and characters end up just as interesting and complex. I kind of love when protagonists are ordinary, almost to the point of being dull, rather than dazzling.

Elizabeth is Missing - Emma Healey

This book was amazing in its insight into a mind succumbing to dementia. An important and interesting read.

The Summer of Impossible Things - Rowan Coleman

An odd tale about a woman who is able to go back in time to connect with her mother. Very atmospheric, with a bit of mystery and some difficult decisions. 

Young Adult

Far from the Tree - Robin Benway

A young adult novel that deals with some rather serious stuff, in a nice, digestible way. I'm relieved it was YA, actually, because otherwise this could have gotten pretty heavy, pretty fast.

Last Night I Sang to the Monster; The Inexplicable Logic of My Life - Benjamin Alire Sáenz

I’m just obsessed with this author. His characters are so believable, and his subject matter is so real. I wish I was reading stuff like this as a teen. Alas… still incredible as a grown-up. 

Poetry

Milk and Honey - Rupi Kaur

So lovely! So many great insights into several aspects of being a woman. Loved it, and have already started gifting it to some of the ladies in my life.

Some pearls:

“our backs tell stories no books have the spine to carry”

“ i didn’t leave because i stopped loving you i left because the longer i stayed the less i loved myself”

“people go but how they left always stays”

Audiobooks

What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions - Randall Munroe

Perfect to listen to on walks or commutes, as it's divided into many self-contained chunks. So many fascinating tidbits, and the author's thoroughly thought-out and calculated answers are both awe-inspiring and funny. Some chapters are definitely better than others, but overall, I would definitely recommend. Also worth visiting the website/blog this is derived from.

Discontent and Its Civilizations: Dispatches from Lahore, New York, and London - Mohsin Hamid

I've been recommending this left and right. A must for anyone who loves world politics, or who wants to learn more about Pakistan. But also great for writers and readers and...everyone. Hamid is really insightful without being pretentious and annoying. And his narration is great on the audiobook edition.