The best gift I can ever give anyone is the gift of a good book. So it is in that spirit that I share ten (well, not technically) of the books that I particularly enjoyed reading last year:
1. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston - I actually listened to a performance of it by Ruby Dee on a drive to Dallas and back. That is in fact the best and maybe only way to truly understand and appreciate this book.
2. The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White - The essay by E.B. White is all anyone needs to know about good writing and good writing instruction.
3. Three books by Fredrick Bachman: A Man Called Ove, Britt-Marie Was Here and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry - Universal themes about human connections that made me laugh and cry.
4. Two of Maya Angelou's autobiographies: All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes and Mom & Me & Mom.
5. Two children's novels that made my fourth graders cry: The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo and The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan.
6. Two young adult novels by my newest favorite writer Jason Reynolds: All American Boys and Long Way Down, both about the reality of being black and male in America.
7. Tales of Two Americas - A collection of essays about the extremes of wealth and poverty in our own backyards.
8. Some Writer! by Melissa Sweet - a beautiful biography of E.B. White. After reading this, I had to go back and listen to White read Charlotte's Web, available on audiobook.
9. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Just some simple truths about being human and caring what happens to some of us.
10. Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song by Gary Golio and Charlotte Riley-Webb - A beautifully illustrated picture book that tackles the ugly topics of prejudice, segregation and lynching.
These days getting my hands on a book is easier than ever. When I can't find a book at my local library, I can order one online and it's on my doorstep in a couple of days. This year I re-discovered audiobooks. Which means now I can "read" while I drive or do mindless tasks like cooking and cleaning. I also discovered Overdrive, the public library App where I can borrow audiobooks for free!!!
Books are magic. Reading is loving.
Happy New Year!
Pure genius. What a fabulous way to revive our blog! What a great list and several of these are already on my want to read list!
ReplyDeleteYour list makes me feel like a bum! You read such deep books - and it makes you an even better person tan you already are!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't call working on a doctorate and writing a fabulous dissertation being a "bum". I can't wait to add your writing to may reading list.
DeleteLove this list! I'm halfway through already. --love, Miranda
ReplyDeleteLove this list! I too have been enriched by audio books--they are in many ways richer than reading the book (but they are not actually reading, so you miss decoding each word and enjoying the sentence structure and rereading parts you love--but the performance and the interpretation of the actors that read is often WOW--The Secret Life of Bees was like that. Also rediscovering a favorite book through listening to it is pure joy. There are also free audio books on several apps. I also have a library of audiobooks on CD and cassette that I have picked up for cheap here and there over the years I could loan you if you like (that way you can keep them longer than the library without fines) I have some good non-fiction titles. This list you shared is awesome and I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tiffini! My preferred mode of reading is of course real, tangible books but audiobooks allow you to multi-task and it has always been our family's entertainment during road trips.
DeleteEnjoyed both reading lists so much! I think I will try 2 of the Bachman books next since I have seen the Ove movie. I have read Maya Angelou's early books so I am sure these bios are wonderful. My favorite audiobook is Like Water for Chocolate which you might enjoy even more than I did since you understand Spanish.
ReplyDeleteDear Christy! So nice to know that we have connected this way and through book! I read A Man Called Ove first and then saw the movie. And as always, the book is better. But the movie was a pretty faithful adaptation. I have read Like Water for Chocolate and seen the movie. Much love to you and the family!
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