I'm late commenting here, but am glad to get this list. I've lately been disappointed by the books I read and so am happy to have great recommendations. In fact, I just bought HAMNET and look forward to reading it soon. As for me, the best book I read recently was WALKING THE BOWL, a nonfiction book about the street children of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. Parts of it are very hard to read, but it's an incredible window into another part of the world, and by the end, some hope at least has been restored. The promise of the parable of "walking the bowl" is powerful. Full disclosure--I read the book on my way to, and while in, Johannesburg, and spent an afternoon in Lusaka a few days later. That made the book very relevant to me personally, but I believe it has broad appeal.
Golden Hill by Francis Spufford - not new (it's from 2016) but I only picked it up this year. Period drama in pre-American-revolution New York when an unknown and secretive traveller arrives with a cheque (called a bill, back then) for the enormous amount of £1000. Duels, steamy bath-houses and amateur dramatic productions all hint there could be more about "Mr. Smith" than meets the eye.
(Undertones of social justice, but in a much more sophisticated way than you find on more of the internet. Did not spoil my enjoyment of the book one bit.)
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith (2020) - yes I'm a book behind in the series. Robin Ellacott might just be one of my favourite fictional characters, multi-tasking her way though an unplesant divorce, PTSD from her time back at university, and trying to solve a decades-old cold case.
(Strong undertones of feminism, but Robert Galbraith - I'm sure we know who that means - can pull this off without ever feeling preachy, at least as far as I experienced the book.)
The Second Sleep by Robert Harris (2019) - what is it with me constantly being one book behind? (Oh, I remember now, total lack of free time while trying to survive being a teacher during a pandemic.) A priest travels to a remote village in a medieval setting - except this is the post-apocalypse middle ages. Much to the Church's displeasure, a kind of secret society is trying to piece together what caused the last apocalypse, and what life might have been like before it.
These all sound like enormous fun! I read and very much enjoyed the first four Robert Galbraith mysteries, but I was intimidated by the prodigious length of the most recent ones. You are convincing me to dive back in!
Almost everything I read this year was nonfiction Covid related, though I did have a few highlights outside that niche genre:
- Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore, I'm sure you have already read it, if not based on your choices below I bet you will love it. This was completely outside my "comfort zone", was just exploring genres I never read and was recommended this after complaining about "Where the Crawdads Sing"
- Raven by Tim Reiterman, the journalist who was covering Jim Jones' Peoples Temple when they killed congressman Ryan (Reiterman injured in the shooting) before their mass suicide. Utterly fascinating, sad, and inciteful. Reiterman does an incredible job writing dispassionately as he chronicles the life of Jones and the Temple despite having such a personal and tragic connection.
- Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, Bob Odenkirk memoir. If you like Bob Odenkirk, you will love this. Helps if you knew him before Breaking Bad as much of it (thankfully) covers his time on SNL, Ben Stiller Show, and of course Mr Show.
- The Big Short. Rare case the movie = the book? I really assumed the movie took more artistic license than it did, was interesting to learn that so many iconic scenes actually did happen.
- The Kid Stays in the Picture - Re-listened to the seminal autobiography by Robert Evans in preparation for watching The Offer this past summer (side note - Matthew Goode needs an Emmy for his portrayal of Evans). This is a book you have to go with Audiobook not print. As explained by Patton Oswalt (absolutely NSF): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nm8CmiiLvg
- Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir. First time reading him, author of The Martian and other upbeat Hard SciFi easy-read mass market scifi novels. Pretty good. Will check out his other work.
Thank you so much for the recommendations! I loved The Big Short and Project Hail Mary, and I love Bob Odenkirk too! (My son got me hooked on Better Call Saul, which is one of the best shows I have ever watched.) I will check out Valentine too. (Btw, it is great to hear that someone else hated Crawdads--I thought I was the only one!)
You have convinced me on a few that I was on the fence about.
Penelope Fitzgerald is maybe my favorite writer of the last century. All her books are worthwhile but I think her best may be Human Voices. Strongly recommended, if you haven’t read it yet.
I love her! I have read all her books, but many years ago, so I am slowly rereading them. My favorite is The Bookshop, but maybe rereading Human Voices will convert me to your point of view!
Haven't read any of these! But you've given me a good idea for a gift for my wife. Excellent stuff!
So glad to hear it!
I'm late commenting here, but am glad to get this list. I've lately been disappointed by the books I read and so am happy to have great recommendations. In fact, I just bought HAMNET and look forward to reading it soon. As for me, the best book I read recently was WALKING THE BOWL, a nonfiction book about the street children of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. Parts of it are very hard to read, but it's an incredible window into another part of the world, and by the end, some hope at least has been restored. The promise of the parable of "walking the bowl" is powerful. Full disclosure--I read the book on my way to, and while in, Johannesburg, and spent an afternoon in Lusaka a few days later. That made the book very relevant to me personally, but I believe it has broad appeal.
Hamnet is fantastic. You will love it. And thanks for the recommendation of Walking the Bowl!
Writers and Lovers -- yes! Fine book.
I read it as a comp for my novel, which to some extent it turned out to be.
Also duh, π is the most useful mathematical symbol in battle: an army marches on its stomach.
Awesome joke!
😝
A few that I really liked this year:
Golden Hill by Francis Spufford - not new (it's from 2016) but I only picked it up this year. Period drama in pre-American-revolution New York when an unknown and secretive traveller arrives with a cheque (called a bill, back then) for the enormous amount of £1000. Duels, steamy bath-houses and amateur dramatic productions all hint there could be more about "Mr. Smith" than meets the eye.
(Undertones of social justice, but in a much more sophisticated way than you find on more of the internet. Did not spoil my enjoyment of the book one bit.)
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith (2020) - yes I'm a book behind in the series. Robin Ellacott might just be one of my favourite fictional characters, multi-tasking her way though an unplesant divorce, PTSD from her time back at university, and trying to solve a decades-old cold case.
(Strong undertones of feminism, but Robert Galbraith - I'm sure we know who that means - can pull this off without ever feeling preachy, at least as far as I experienced the book.)
The Second Sleep by Robert Harris (2019) - what is it with me constantly being one book behind? (Oh, I remember now, total lack of free time while trying to survive being a teacher during a pandemic.) A priest travels to a remote village in a medieval setting - except this is the post-apocalypse middle ages. Much to the Church's displeasure, a kind of secret society is trying to piece together what caused the last apocalypse, and what life might have been like before it.
These all sound like enormous fun! I read and very much enjoyed the first four Robert Galbraith mysteries, but I was intimidated by the prodigious length of the most recent ones. You are convincing me to dive back in!
Almost everything I read this year was nonfiction Covid related, though I did have a few highlights outside that niche genre:
- Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore, I'm sure you have already read it, if not based on your choices below I bet you will love it. This was completely outside my "comfort zone", was just exploring genres I never read and was recommended this after complaining about "Where the Crawdads Sing"
- Raven by Tim Reiterman, the journalist who was covering Jim Jones' Peoples Temple when they killed congressman Ryan (Reiterman injured in the shooting) before their mass suicide. Utterly fascinating, sad, and inciteful. Reiterman does an incredible job writing dispassionately as he chronicles the life of Jones and the Temple despite having such a personal and tragic connection.
- Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, Bob Odenkirk memoir. If you like Bob Odenkirk, you will love this. Helps if you knew him before Breaking Bad as much of it (thankfully) covers his time on SNL, Ben Stiller Show, and of course Mr Show.
- The Big Short. Rare case the movie = the book? I really assumed the movie took more artistic license than it did, was interesting to learn that so many iconic scenes actually did happen.
- The Kid Stays in the Picture - Re-listened to the seminal autobiography by Robert Evans in preparation for watching The Offer this past summer (side note - Matthew Goode needs an Emmy for his portrayal of Evans). This is a book you have to go with Audiobook not print. As explained by Patton Oswalt (absolutely NSF): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nm8CmiiLvg
- Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir. First time reading him, author of The Martian and other upbeat Hard SciFi easy-read mass market scifi novels. Pretty good. Will check out his other work.
Thank you so much for the recommendations! I loved The Big Short and Project Hail Mary, and I love Bob Odenkirk too! (My son got me hooked on Better Call Saul, which is one of the best shows I have ever watched.) I will check out Valentine too. (Btw, it is great to hear that someone else hated Crawdads--I thought I was the only one!)
You have convinced me on a few that I was on the fence about.
Penelope Fitzgerald is maybe my favorite writer of the last century. All her books are worthwhile but I think her best may be Human Voices. Strongly recommended, if you haven’t read it yet.
I love her! I have read all her books, but many years ago, so I am slowly rereading them. My favorite is The Bookshop, but maybe rereading Human Voices will convert me to your point of view!
Commenting before reading, just to mark my amusement at us simultaneously posting something about reading !
It’s that time of year! We’re all putting together our lists!