Total Books: 30
Change from last year: 7 less than last year
Total Audiobooks: 10
Total Library Books: 13
Total Women Authors: 13 (42%)
Total non-white Authors: 7 (25%)
This year, I introduced two new categories to my reading: Parenting and Race in America. There’s a wealth of incredible reading on both topics and I look forward to deepening my knowledge even further in 2021. Without further ado, here are the books I read in 2020:
Fiction
- The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion
I didn’t realize that book could make me laugh out loud, but this one did over and over again. I’m an unabashed rom-com fan and don’t understand why Hollywood stopped making them. This book, however, was the best rom com I’ve enjoyed in a long time.
- Persuasion, by Jane Austen
Why did it take me so long to finally read a Jane Austen novel? Even though she wrote this book 200 years ago, I still found it to be delightfully funny and everything you want in a romance. I think I’ll be reading a lot more Jane Austen in 2021.
- An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones
- Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris
- All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr
- Wedding Night, by Sophie Kinsella
- A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
This one is last on the list on purpose. Why did everyone like this book back in the day? I remember it being so much better than it was. There were some interesting ideas in there but it was also surprisingly creepy.
Parenting
- Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting, by Pamela Druckerman
I read this entire book in a weekend. I had read “The Baby Book” by William Sears earlier, and its emphasis on “attachment” and prioritizing the baby’s needs, while valuable, induced some guilt when I felt I wasn’t meeting that standard. Bringing Up Bebe was a powerful contrast. Her emphasis on helping the child learn to fit into the culture of the family and how this actually helps the baby was a paradigm shift for me. After reading it, I reworked my morning schedule around activities I enjoy (working out, eating breakfast) and found ways to include my son in it. And we were both happier.
- The Montessori Toddler: A Parent’s Guide to Raise a Curious and Responsible Human Being, by Simone Davies
Similarly, I enjoyed Davies’ apparent genuine enjoyment of toddlers and practical tips for how to adjust home life so they can be a full member of the family. Looking forward to this phase in our home.
- Brain Rules for Baby, by John Medina
- Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong—and What You Really Need to Know, by Emily Oster
- The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two, by William Sears (and family)
Nonfiction
- Grit, by Angela Duckworth
I already want to reread this book. Duckworth makes a compelling case that talent is nothing compared to effort. That’s good news, because you might not be able to change how much talent you’re born with, but you can definitely change how much effort you put in. Her ideas about resilience and determination resonated deeply with me and I’m working to systematically put them into practice in my life.
- The Emperor of All Maladies, by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Cancer has been an unwelcome presence in our home for a few years now and I felt the urge to better understand it. I came away with a deep gratitude for all the doctors, scientists and philanthropists who have made it their life’s goal to find a cure for cancer. We’ve come a long way in our understanding and the book made me feel optimistic that there are new breakthroughs ahead.
- Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage, by Alfred Lansing
An absolute nail biter. What a wild adventure! Highly recommend if you want to be transported to the bottom of the world with a crew of turn of the century gentlemen explorers.