Happy New Year! Welcome, 2019, I am
so glad you are here. 2018 was another sluggish and isolated year for me. Again,
books nurtured and sustained me through an emotionally difficult year. My
reading goal was 61 books, which was only a slight stretch from the actual
number I had read over the previous few years. Even though reading physical
copies of books took a back seat to knitting (during which I listened to
audiobooks and podcasts), I managed, finally, to crush my goal.
As always, one of my reading goals
is to read more shelf-sitters (or books that I’ve owned for longer than six
months). To that end in 2018 I made a list of 12 books, which would account for
about 20% of my annual total and only the smallest dent in my personal library.
One of these books a month didn’t seem unreasonable or undoable. I managed two—American Fried from Calvin Trillin’s Tummy Trilogy and Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend. I won’t be making a
similar list in 2018. My favorite way to read is to let one book lead to
another organically.
Several themes developed in my
reading over the year. One was travel, where my related reading involved
preparing for trips to New Orleans and France as well as staying immersed in
place after I returned home. You might also notice several books about Alaska
on the list. My oldest son spent 40 days this summer hiking north of the Arctic
Circle in Gates of the Arctic National Park. Accordingly, I attempted to
vicariously experience our largest state without actually stepping foot in it.
Some day.
Another theme was reading the first
book in a series that I forward to continuing by reading book 2 in the upcoming
year. Also, I will endeavor to make a significant dent in the Inspector
Gamache/Three Pine mystery series by Louise Penny.
For the third consecutive year, I
have participated in the (possibly unofficial) National Short Story Month
wherein I read a short story a day. In 2019, I’d like to find a way to indicate
these here. The page count for 31 stories is at least one novel’s worth of pages.
And, I’d like to be able to refer back to these as I participate in this year’s
challenge, if for no other reason than to repeat reading stories as I did at
least twice this year.
For 2019, I will continue to aim
high by reading another 65 books with a subgoal of 16 shelf-sitters, which
would be a record number, but I have a good feeling about this.
1. House
of Spies (Daniel Silva): Gabriel Allon, #17 in the series. Kicked off the
new year with a gripping thriller set in St. Tropez and Casablanca. My favorite
Gabriel Allon book yet. I would like to go back and read the rest of the
series, starting with book one.
2. Endurance
(Scott Kelly): Audiobook. Scott Kelly reads his memoir about the path to
becoming an astronaut as well as the year he spent at the International Space
Station. It was a smart and thoughtful and interesting book. If you like
science or technology or a good story about human achievement, I recommend this
book.
3. L’Appart
(David Lebovitz): Easy reading memoir about buying and renovating an apartment
in Paris written by one of my favorite food bloggers and social media diarists.
I am a sucker for stories like this and should probably read more.
4. Paper
Girls 1 (Brian K Vaughn): Graphic novel. After seeing the three-volume
bound set everywhere at the end of 2017, I had to check out the individual
volumes from the library. Set on Halloween 1988, the nostalgia factor is high.
5. Manhattan
Beach (Jennifer Egan): I had such high expectations for a new Jennifer Egan
novel. After A Visit from the Goon Squad,
I vowed I would read the phonebook, if Egan wrote it. This historical novel was
largely disappointing, but I loved the descriptions of deep-sea diving and the
drama of recovering things from the ocean floor. The stories, photos, and
research Egan shared as part of the Pen Pals series motivated me to finish.
6. Paper
Girls 2 (Brian K Vaughn): Graphic novel. More coming of age and aliens.
7. Paper
Girls 3 (Brian K Vaughn): Graphic novel. Two more volumes remain, but I have
read as much as I’d like.
8. Curry
(Naben Rathnum): I picked Curry up
first for the jacket and the trim size, but second for the subtitle—Eating, Reading,
and Race. Under 100 pages, this is a long-form magazine piece that looks at curry
and the subcontinent diaspora through literature, pop culture, and history.
Fantastic!
9. The
Power (Naomi Alderman): Audiobook. Not as big a fan of Alderman’s novel as
Natalie Portman was. It was mostly fine and a little gripping but absolutely
marred by a gratuitous rape scene.
10. My Private Property (Mary Ruefle): Book
group read. Lovely poems with great imagery that made me temporarily think I should
read more poetry.
11. Her Royal Spyness (Rhys Bowen): Her
Royal Spyness, #1. As a sales rep,
I sold Rhys Bowen mysteries for years without ever reading her. I don’t
understand the appeal. This mystery was only okay—a little too cozy, Georgiana
(our protagonist/sleuth) a little too bumbling, the reveal absolutely thin.
12. American Fried (Calvin Trillin): Such big
love for Calvin Trillin, especially when he’s writing about food. He’s not up
for pretentious food but writes in a lush style with keen and funny
observations. American Fried is the
first in the Tummy Trilogy so I’m looking forward to more.
13. Little Fires Everywhere (Celeste Ng):
Audiobook. One of the hottest literary novels of fall 2017, which I read mostly
to see what the fuss was about. Rich character studies, slow-paced plot of
suffocating suburbia. I wish I had read a physical copy rather than listen to
the audio.
14. Decision at Delphi (Helen MacInnes): Started
reading this in Seattle while on spring break last year, which, with too many
distractions, proved to be the wrong time to enjoy another MacInnes. But I’m
glad I picked it up again, skimming the first 300 pages and finally finishing.
The midcentury time period and richness of place (Greece) amplified this gripping
and stylish old-school spy thriller that is also rich in place.
15. A Rule Against Murder (Louise Penny):
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #4. As promised, Louise Penny hit her stride
here in Book 4.
16. Mrs. (Caitlin Macy): This modern-day House of Mirth for the hedge fund set
was smart and darkly funny on audio.
17.
Dear Fahrenheit 451 (Annie Spence): A
lighthearted set of love letters and break-up notes from a librarian to her
favorite and least favorite books. Cute, funny, fast but the author’s schtick
and style got tiresome quickly. That said, I came away with one book
recommendation—The Virgin Suicides,
which is the author’s All-Time Favorite Book.
18. Annihilation (Jeff Vandermeer): Southern
Reach, #1. Even though I still haven’t managed to see the movie version, I
really enjoyed this atmospheric and creepy sci-fi novel. Book 2 is up in 2019.
19. Need to Know (Karen Cleveland):
Audiobook. I listened to the audio and may have been distracted, but I didn’t
find this spy thriller to be gripping or heart pounding or any of the other
things promised by the blurbs. Charlize Theron bought movie rights so I’ll
likely have my memory jogged when it’s adapted.
20. Tokyo Ghoul 1 (Sui Ishida): Son #1 asked
me to read this graphic novel. The series is one of his favorites. And while I
might say “the things we do for love,” I did enjoy it. Half human-half ghoul
hybrid with a craving for human flesh…what’s not to like?
21. Border (Kapka Kassabova): I chose Border as my book group pick based on fantastic
review attention and other accolades. It’s a travel narrative/memoir—one of my
favorite genres—set in Bulgaria. The author examined the concept of borders
that keep out people (such as the current day Syrians parked at Greece’s
border) and those that keep in people (such as Iron Curtain-era Bulgaria). The
narrative was poetic, and I found the entire experience immersive. My book
group categorically hated it, which resulted in one of the longest, best
discussions we’ve had.
22. Temptation
of Forgiveness (Donna
Leon): Commissario Brunetti, #27. It is always great to be reunited with
Brunetti and his family and his coworkers in Book #27.
23. My Life with Bob (Pamela Paul): Since
listening regularly, faithfully to the NYTBR podcast, I have become a huge fan
of host Pamela Paul. Enough of this book about books and reading habits
resonated with me. I think PP and I were separated at birth.
24. Lost Girls of Camp Nevermore (Kim Wu): The
plot was very promising—a disastrous camping trip told through the point of view
of four characters. Still, it barely passed the 50-page test, and I didn’t much
like any of the characters.
25. The Vanity Fair Diaries (Tina Brown): Audiobook/ebook.
Delicious—smart and gossipy but never bitchy. Brown’s diaries were the best and
the worst of the 80s. And, the publishing setting was very appealing. Great
bedtime reading.
26. Why New Orleans Matters (Tom Piazza): Read
this love letter to New Orleans, which had been written shortly after Hurricane
Katrina, just before traveling to NOLA with John for Jazz Fest.
27. Four Seasons in Rome (Anthony Doerr): Audiobook.
I loved this travel essay about Rome. It made me want to drop everything and
go. Still not even remotely interested in the novel—All the Light We Cannot See--that Doerr was writing while in Rome.
28. Tangerine (Christine Mangan): Purchased
in hardcover after I was reeled in by the Joyce Carol Oates blurb: “As if Donna
Tartt, Gillian Flynn, and Patricia Highsmith had collaborated on a screenplay
to be filmed by Hitchcock.” Plus, the jacket was very pickupable.
29. American Pharoah (Joe Drape): Audiobook.
Audible Books offered a free download of the audio to honor Audible the horse’s
third place Kentucky Derby finish. I was not disappointed.
30. Improvement (Joan Silber): Book group.
These linked stories made the New York
Times Book Review’s 100 Best Books of 2018.
31. An Odyssey: A Father, A Son, An Epic (Daniel
Mendelsohn): Audiobook. This narrative
nonfiction about the author’s father auditing his Odyssey class and then taking
an Odyssian cruise in Greece is my ideal memoir. Listening to the audio version
was extra personal.
32. A Gentleman in Moscow (Amor Towles): It’s
not often that I don’t want a book to end. Amor Towles does a remarkable job of
character development and world building. The Metropol was rich in detail.
Layered and nuanced. Really lovely read.
33. The Art of the Wasted Day (Patricia Hampl):
Audiobook. Hampl’s latest, a memoir on
the essay (Montaigne!) and a love letter to her departed husband, is a little
sad, made more so by the author reading the audio. A 2019 Conversation with
Books title.
34. Fleur de Sel Murders (Jean-Luc Bannalec):
Commissaire Dupin, #3. Bannalec’s Brittany setting and colorful protagonist had
a feel similar to Donna Leon’s or Louise Penny’s series, which is good as I’m
looking for Gamache’s successor once I’ve caught up to the most recent
releases. Fleur de Sel Murders bumped
Kurlansky’s Salt and Eleanor Clark’s Oysters of Locmariaquer up my TBR list.
35. Robinson (Muriel Spark): Buddy Read with
my friend Caryl. One day, we’re going to be Spark completeists. I took this on vacation
to Cumberland Island, which was sultry and humid, just like the island where
our protagonist was plane-wrecked.
36. Calypso (David Sedaris): Audiobook. Sedaris’s
darkest but funniest. Gross as it was even the tumor joke did not disappoint.
37. Educated (Tara Westover): Audiobook. If
someone told me to jump off a cliff, would I? Yes, yes, I probably would, which
is what I did with this book. Everyone was reading it this summer and everyone
was raving. I listened to the author read the audio and felt a lot of the
negative feels—mostly anger and sadness, but eventually relief for this young
woman who was raised by survivalists.
38. Brutal Telling (Louise Penny): Chief Inspector
Armand Gamache, #5. Really good. A mystery imbued with folklore and populated
by newcomers to Three Pines. Penny is getting better with each mystery. This
time she sent one of the beloved villagers to prison.
39. Tip of the Iceberg (Mark Adams): Audiobook.
Son Simon spent six weeks backpacking in Gates of the Arctic National Park so I
went to Alaska vicariously while sitting in my armchair. The author reads his
travel narrative of tracing John Muir’s 1879 trip and the 1899 Harriman
expedition’s 3000-mile journey around the southern coast of Alaska. I loved
Adams’s comparison of bush planes flying in and out of Juneau to mosquitoes,
which are notoriously thick in the 49th state. Reading Muir
simultaneously.
40. Quiet Side of Passion (Alexander McCall
Smith): Isabel Dalhousie, #12. As always, very good to be back in Edinburgh
with the always nosy, judgy Isabel Dalhousie.
41. Travels in Alaska (John Muir). I read Travels in Alaska both as a companion to
Mark Adams’s Tip of the Iceberg and
as a way to stay connected to oldest son on his backpacking trip in Alaska.
Muir’s narrative was extremely adventurous (perilously traversing a crevasse) and
sometimes laugh-out-loud funny (rescuing a young missionary who tagged along on
an overnight only to fall off a cliff). I intend to read more Muir in the near
future.
42. The Idiot (Elif Batuman): For months, I’d
been picking up this book and setting it down at my local bookstore, Common
Good Books. Finally I picked it up and started reading it straightway rather
than waiting until it became a shelf-sitter. Anyhow, I had hoped for more.
Batuman is a gifted writer, and I found the novel clever but the protagonist painful.
That said, I do love a good campus novel.
43. Give Me Your Hand (Megan Abbott): Megan
Abbott is a genius. No one. No one gets into the head of adolescent girls,
friendships, and rivalries like she does. This novel was a little predictable
and won’t be my favorite but it was still suspenseful and compelling from the
first page to the last.
44. The Other Woman (Daniel Silva) audio,
Gabriel Allon #18: At almost 500 pages, Silva’s latest Allon thriller could
have used some editing and some better character development. A French woman in
Andalusia harbors the KGB’s biggest secret. Allon and Russia have an epic
showdown. Not as page-turning as #17.
45. The Man with the Seagull on His Head (Harriet
Paige): Book group read. Book group members Steve and Julie always pick the
small press gems. In this one, our protagonist turns into a famous outsider
artist after a seagull hits him in the head. Often funny and charming but also
strange and uncomfortable.
46. Chasing the Heretics (Rion Klawinski): A
true shelf-sitter. Purchased at Hungry Mind/Ruminator Books back in the day. Actually
purchased after I visited Michele in Bordeaux in 1999 because I wanted to read
more travel narratives about France, but also because I wanted to visit the
Languedoc one day. And, now she lives in the Languedoc so my mother and I went
in September. I came obsessed with Cathars and I saw Cathar castles high on mountaintops
and wondered how they ever were conquered (starvation, dehydration but rarely
from invasion).
47. Rich People Problems (Kevin Kwan): Crazy
Asians, #3. Not as good as books 1 and 2, but still entertaining as an
in-between book.
48. Labyrinth (Kate Mosse): Languedoc, #1. I
was the first person in St. Paul to check this out from the library when it was
published in 2005, but I could never bring myself to read it. Caryl recommended
it as I was preparing to visit my sister who lives in the Languedoc, so I took
it with me on my trip. At 500+ pages, I knew the book would last for the flight
and on the rare occasion that I’d have to read over 10 days. Not only was the prose
not as cheesy as I’d feared, but I loved being immersed in the setting. Book
number 2 in the trilogy is in the queue for 2019.
49. Glass Houses (Louise Penny): Chief Inspector
Armand Gamache, #13. Mr. Bibliotonic gave me a copy of the latest Louise Penny
novel for my birthday. And, against my better judgement, I read it anyway,
extremely out of order. A few plotlines centered on recurring characters were
confusing, and I encountered some spoilers, but it has been Penny’s best mystery
so far.
50. 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret (Craig
Brown): Audiobook. A few of the NYTBR
editors raved about 99 Glimpses, which, coupled with a Crown binge watch earlier this year, were all the motivation I
needed to pick up this unique biography of the more-interesting Windsor sister.
51. Provence, 1970 (Luke Barr): Because of
our shared love for Julia Child, my mother-in-law loaned Provence, 1970 to me a few years ago, and I finally got around to
reading it. The travel/food essay focused
on the year that Julia Child, MFK Fisher, James Beard, and Richard Olney were
all in Provence. Note to self: read more MFK Fisher.
52. Transcription (Kate Atkinson): Even
when Atkinson is not at her best, she’s still such a better writer than most.
It took me awhile to get into Transcription,
which moves through three or four time periods, but when the plot clicked it
was very good and darkly funny. Even though the novel is set during World War 2,
like God in Ruins and Life After Life, the voice reminded me
of Behind the Scenes--classic
Atkinson.
53. Outline (Rachel Cusk): Cusk is a genius,
and I cannot wait to read further in the trilogy
54. The Library Book (Susan Orlean):
Audiobook. Orlean is one of my favorite long-form journalists, and it was such
a treat to listen to her read her book. This investigative examination of the
1986 fire that destroyed LA’s Central Library is enriched by a history of
libraries and their importance as public spaces.
55. Virgil Wander (Leif Enger): Book group
read. Enger’s first novel since Peace
Like a River, which was published 10 years ago. On the basis of Virgil Wander alone, I’ve become a huge
fan. Set in small-town, North Shore Minnesota, the character development and
situations were quirky and earnest. I savored every page as well as the
discussion with my book peeps. We love it.
56. Twain’s Feast (Andrew Beahrs & Nick
Offerman): Audiobook. Offered as a free monthly selection on Audible. Andrew
Beahrs wrote Twain’s Feast several
years ago, and instead of reading aloud the book, Offerman hosts a conversation
with Beahrs and a few scholars and enthusiasts over a meal featuring Twain’s
favorite foods. Surprisingly good.
57. I’d Rather Be Reading (Anne Bogel): I
hate to admit that I have a love-hate relationship with Anne Bogel (The Other
Mrs. Darcy), mostly by way of her “What Should I Read Next” podcast. a lot of
this resonated with me in terms of reading habits and patterns, but some of her
generalizations are cringey
58. Shakespeare Requirement (Julie
Schumacher): Dear Committee Members
was funny, fresh, and page turning. Schumacher’s latest wasn’t, and I couldn’t
help think that I’ve already read better campus novels by Kingsley Amis, David
Lodge, Jim Hynes. I did laugh out
loud though.
59. Bury Your Dead (Louise Penny): Chief
Inspector Armand Gamache #6, in which Inspector Beauvoir visits Three Pines to
pick up an investigation from the previous books and in which Gamache visits a
friend in Montreal while on personal leave only to stumble across a crime
scene. Clearly his help was needed. The pace was slow-going and the back and
forth between the two storylines was cumbersome, but still enjoyable.
60. My Sister, the Serial Killer (Oyinkan
Braithwaite): My friend Tripp R. recommended this book at our last book group
meeting in November, and shortly thereafter I started hearing and seeing the
buzz generated by end-of-year round-ups. I bought it somewhat impulsively,
which was easy given the great jacket and appealing trim size, and I started reading it immediately,
which is rare for me. The writing is arresting from the first page. Each short
chapter is a gem and kept me turning pages. This novel about sisters and the
lengths they will go to for each other is one of my favorites of the year.
61. My Ideal Bookshelf (Thessaly la Force
and Jane Mount): Dozens of people—architects, artists, writers, chefs, and more—were
asked which books constitute their ideal bookshelf. The definition of “ideal
bookshelf” was pretty open to interpretation. Some wrote about favorite books,
others wrote about the books that had the greatest influence on them. Almost
all were attached to a formative memory. Jane Mount’s illustrations were perfection.
The book includes a blank outline of books on a shelf so the reader can add
their own collection.
62. The Hangman (Louise Penny): Chief
Inspector Armand Gamache #6.5. This short story was terrible. Without space for
character development and descriptions of Three Pines, all you have is the
mystery. And, always a little weak, the mysteries aren’t why I read this
series.
63. The Perfect Nanny (Leila Slimani):
Finding The Perfect Nanny in the
neighborhood Little Free Library this summer was a coup even though I ignored
it until December when the novel was included in the NYTBR’s 10 best books of 2018. The reader learns who committed the
crime on the first page (the nanny). Still, it’s unputdownable.
64. Becoming (Michelle Obama): audio.
Listened to Michelle Obama read her fantastic story. I am not going to lie. I
felt her formative years were boring, but I know they’re important to
establishing where she came from. I wept when she told about Barack’s run for
president and the challenges he faced throughout his administration. Have been
a fan forever. But I also felt encouraged and inspired by MO’s decision to Step
Back (rather than Lean In) and prioritize her family while maintaining her
career.
65. My Brilliant Friend (Elena Ferrante): Neapolitan
Novels, #1. Finally. I truly feel as if I’m the last person on earth to read
the first in Ferrante’s Neapolitan quartet. It took a few attempts before I
settled into the prose, and I think a lot could be said about right place/time
for reading it. But, once I did settle in, I couldn’t put down this novel of
female friendship set in 1950s Naples. Great development of character and
setting as well as a surprising ending that makes one want to immediately pick
up book two. I can hardly wait to see what Ferrante did there.
Total: 65 (54 in
2017)
Fiction: 39
Nonfiction: 25
Poetry: 1
Women: 37
Men: 28
Donna Leon: 1
Alexander McCall
Smith: 1
Daniel Silva: 2
Louise Penny: 5
Mysteries: 8
Thrillers: 6
Science Fiction:
1
Audio: 17 (20 in
2017)
Travel: 9
Food: 4
Books about books: 4
Graphic novels: 4
(2 in 2017)
Stories: 0
E-books: 2
Shelf-sitters: 7
(6 in 2017)
Books published
in 2018: 22 (2017: 23)
Memoirs/bio: 5
Book group: 5
France: 5
Alaska: 2
New Orleans: 1
Book 1 of a
series: 9
Longest book: Decision
at Delphi, 624 pages (2017: Pillars of the Earth, 973 pages)
Shortest book:
The Hangman, 87 pages
Total pages
read: 19,338 (14,835 in 2017)
Top 10, in no particular order
A Gentleman in Moscow (Amor Towles)
My Sister, the Serial Killer (Oyinkan Braithwaite)
An Odyssey (Daniel Mendelsohn)
Outline (Rachel Cusk)
99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret (Craig Brown)
Virgil Wander (Leif Enger)
Travels in Alaska (John Muir)
Glass Houses (Louise Penny)
My Brilliant Friend (Elena Ferrante)
Twain's Feast (Beahrs and Offerman)
