2020: A Year in Review

Just like most of the world, 2020 granted me a great deal of extra time at home. Between deep cleaning the house, enjoying nature with our dogs, and completing multiple puzzles, I found myself sitting down to enjoy a book more often than not. Throughout the course of 2020, I read 65 books. I have made it a habit to record the books that I’ve read along with memorable quotes from each of them in a journal. At the end of each year, I go through that list and select the most memorable books of the year. This past year, I made it my goal to diversify my selections. For the most part, I was able to accomplish that. Below is my list of the top 10 books that I read in 2020 with a short reason for their inclusion on the list.

State of Wonder by Anne Patchett

Most of my reading friends would agree that Anne Patchett is one of their favorite modern authors. After hearing this declaration from multiple trusted sources, I decided to see what all the fuss was about. I read most of State of Wonders relaxing in my hammock basking in the warmth of the Colorado sun. However, I was transported into the muggy heart of the Amazon Rainforest with the main character and her quest for answers. I was enthralled from the first chapter by the intrigue and mystery that Patchett was able to capture in her novel. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a look into other cultures, mystery, and adventure.

Still Lives -- Maria Hummel

Being a huge Reese Witherspoon fan, I often read her book club picks. I am usually not disappointed. She has a knack for introducing the world to women writers who have a unique talent to share. Still Lives was one of these recommendations. I don’t have much of an appreciation for art or the world that its followers reside in, but Still Lives was able to provide me with a bit of perspective on this topic. It takes place in an upscale Los Angeles art community. An eclectic artist comes out with a new exhibit that depicts her self as famous female murder victims. The exhibit is a hit, until the artist goes missing. The staff at a famous art gallery must plunge into solving her disappearance head first. They are met with many of the unknown intricacies of the art world including secrets, lies, and politics. If you, like me, are looking for a unique perspective into a new topic, give this book a try.

The Great Believers -- Rebeca Makkai

Ironically, I read this book pre-pandemic, but it introduced me to the unease that can sweep through a community when dealing in uncertain times. This book takes place in Chicago during the 1980s AIDS epidemic. It is centered around the life of Yale Tishman whose friends are slowly impacted by the disease. As the realities of AIDS comes closer and closer, Yale starts to learn important life lessons. The reader is also given the perspective of Paris in the 2000s, where a photographer who captured scenes from the epidemic is encountered by an old acquaintance who brings back some painful memories. The author did an incredible job of juxtaposing the stories in a way that melds the two worlds together. Both characters are able to find value in good friends and hope amongst dark times.

Demon in the Freezer -- Richard Preston

Whenever I find a nonfiction book about science that captures my attention from page one, I consider it a win. The Demon in the Freezer dives into the anthrax scare of 2001. Preston introduces the lives of multiple scientists who had a major role in preventing biological warfare. The in-depth look includes scientists who played a role in studying ebola and smallpox. I learned a great deal about the unknown world of disease control and the threat that an uncontrolled substance may have on our daily routine.

The Hours -- Michael Cunningham

*Winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize

Rarely do I finish a book and then want to start over and reread it again right away. For me, The Hours was one of those books. Cunningham brilliantly wove together the lives of three women and conveyed their struggles with loneliness, depression, and the desire to fall into stereotypical gender roles. Cunningham effortlessly spans across timelines and borders to study the life of Virginia Woolf and one of her work’s Mrs. Dalloway in a completely unique perspective. The story and the characters are incredible and unforgettable.

In Five Years -- Rebecca Serle

Being a type- A personality myself, I could totally relate to Dannie, the main character. She has her life all figured out. She is on the cusp of attaining the perfect job, getting married to the perfect man, and has her “where will I be in five years?” interview question figured out to the tee. That is, until she wakes up in a different apartment, with a different man and life. The idea behind this book had me wondering and questioning how our lives are decided. What is that one moment in time that led to this place? If I had done that one thing differently, where would I be today? Rebecca Serle gives the reader a little bit of romance, drama, and life long friendship in this book. It was definitely one that you will think about for a while after reading it.

Book of Lost Names - Kristen Harmel

My top 10 list would not be complete without an entry of a historical fiction novel. This was one of the best WWII historical fiction novels that I have read in a while. Lately, it has seemed difficult to keep up with the massive amount of historical fiction being published. I listened to an interview with the author right around the time this book was released and it seemed like one that I might enjoy.

Eva, an elderly librarian is working in Florida when a picture in a magazine catches her eye. The photo includes a book that is very near to her heart. It is a book that she recognizes from her past that she has tried to keep secret for over sixty years. The article in the magazine explains how a company in Berlin is trying to reunite books with families who lost them during WWII. This particular book has proven difficult as it is written in a code that they do not understand. Eva flies to Europe to claim the book and is flooded with memories and people from the past that she has tried to forget. The reader is thrown into Eva’s story as a document forger during the occupation. Feeling guilty about replacing people’s identities, Eva starts keeping a record of the names of children who she “erased”. The Book of Lost Names is created in an old religious text. Eva and her forgery partner create a secret code to conceal the original identities of 100s of children, who were too young to remember their origins. The book becomes a key component in the fight of the resistance in the war efforts. I was engaged the entire time and reminded of ways in which the human spirit and compassion shine through even in the darkest of times.

Year of Wonders -- Geraldien Brooks

Around April of 2020, the nation was just starting to realize the true meaning of pandemic. People were locked in their houses, miles apart from the rest of the world. It seemed like human interaction might never happen again. If you were like me, you were taking the time to deep clean the house and catch up on my massive pile of “to be read” books. Year of Wonders was introduced to me through my reading circle friends.

The book chronicles events from the plague in Europe and made some startling connections to the World’s current situation. The plague travels from London to a small, remote village and its members react in a revolutionary way. The members of the town, led by a minister are the first to introduce the term “quarantine”. While the rest of Europe is scrambling around trying to find a cure and spreading the virus, this town isolates itself. Ann Frith is introduced to the effects of thee plague early on and becomes the town’s healer and voice of reason. The story relays the multitude of reactions to the plague from acceptance, to denial, to witchcraft. While reading this incredible story, I was able to find many parallels to modern day people and their reactions to COVID-19.

My Dark Vanessa -- Kate Elizabeth Russell

Oftentimes, I hear stories and news headlines of pedophelia and wonder, “how did that happen?” I question the morals of the families, friends, and adult figures involved. My Dark Vanessa helped to answer some of those questions for me. It follows the journey of a private school student, who falls in love with her teacher. She relays the progression of events that start with innocent moments that lead to more explicit ones. The novel depicts the main character from a time period of age thirteen to thirty. It chronicles a time when she was willing to lie and sneak around in the name of love to a damaged adult who is still dealing with the deep psychological impacts many years later. It provided me with a bit of insight into her decisions and the family life that surrounded her. My Dark Vanessa was extremely well written and provided a unique perspective into an all-too real situation.

Top Audio

1. Kitchens of the Great Midwest -- J Ryan Stradal

2. The Only Plane in the Sky -- Garrett Graff