My new favorite t-shirt? This one!
…now available on Amazon, thanks to the fine efforts of the Dear Man.
And for Unruly mugs and totes and hoodies and notebooks… there’s Redbubble.
So yes, we’ll be decking out the entire house and family in Unruly merch. (Kidding. [Maybe.])
Anyone else with me on this? I love the New Year. I love the promise, the potential, the new start.
I love the goal-setting and leaping out of the gate and the good work ahead.
Hello, 2020. How about let’s be friends.
Here’s what my January reading looked like…
3 words: interpersonal, complex, pageturner
Give this book a whirl if you like… captivating stories about race and power dynamics, #ownvoices novels, Little Fires Everywhere, relationship triangles, deciphering motives
When the English Fall by David Williams
3 words: matter of fact, somber, good-hearted
Give this book a whirl if you like… the Amish, post-apocalyptic fiction, first-person narrators, a view into another society, a gentle and introspective narrator, characters who have premonitions
The Sentence Is Death by Anthony Horowitz
3 words: engrossing, immediate, immersive
Give this book a whirl if you like… old-fashioned mysteries with an updated tone, books in which the author’s real life bleeds into the story, curmudgeonly detectives, sidekick narratives
Do the Work!: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way by Steven Pressfield
3 words: rousing, irreverent, tough love
Give this book a whirl if you like… a tough but encouraging approach to creativity, productivity books that cut through the excuses
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
3 words: humorous, self-effacing, rollicking
Give this book a whirl if you like… hiking the Appalachian Trail, fish out of water stories, self-deprecating humor, buddy narratives
Life’s Accessories: A Memoir (and Fashion Guide) by Rachel Levy Lesser
3 words: conversational, relatable, heartfelt
Give this book a whirl if you like… personal essays, clothing as a symbol for different phases of life, memories connected with physical possessions, family life, love and loss
My favorite of the month:
What’ve you been reading so far in 2020?
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
3 words: interpersonal, complex, pageturner
The first book I finished this decade, and what a good one.
You know how some books keep you turning the pages, but then you forget all about them later?
And other books make you think about them over and over, even after you’ve finished reading?
This book’s got it going on in both the page turning department and the you-can’t-stop-thinking-about-it category.
I seriously want to talk with anyone who’s read this book… there’s so much to discuss!
We’re talking issues of race, class, power, and privilege. There are secrets from the past, and old traumas just waiting to burst forth, and new insults waiting at every turn. And then there’s our smartphone-infested age…
Emira is a twentysomething who gets a job babysitting for a little girl from an affluent white family—and she and the little one adore one another.. Alix, the toddler’s mother, is an Instagram influencer with designs on becoming a feminist icon… and the intent to improve Emira’s life (oh so condescendingly…)
Then there’s a flashpoint — when Emira takes the little girl to a gourmet grocery store and is accused of kidnapping. And then another person enters the picture, also intending to help Emira.
And by this point, I just wanted everything to be ok for Emira, and the web kept getting more tangled.
A total pageturner… not due to adrenaline, but because you’ll need to know how this situation is going to resolve.
A book filled with wisdom and worry and despair and hope.
Give this book a whirl if you like… captivating stories about race and power dynamics, #ownvoices novels, Little Fires Everywhere, relationship triangles, deciphering motives
New year, new goals. Except some of my reading goals are the same old, same old. Tried and true and so very good. I’m excited about the reading year ahead.
Ever since I read Middlemarch last year and adored it, I’ve had a renewed and enhanced appreciation for really sinking into a long story. I want more of that this year.
See Middlemarch above.
We’re anticipating a trip to Austin this year, and that can only mean one thing: LBJ Presidential Library and Museum, plus a side trip to the LBJ Ranch. Yeah, baby..
So this geek’s gonna read another volume of the magnificent biography by Robert A. Caro. Kinda a little too excited for normal life.
One of the most rewarding reading goals ever. Last year I exceeded my goal, and I have every expectation I’ll do the same this year.
I’m going for bingo blackout on our Book Bingo 2020 card and I’m totally excited about it.
What are your reading goals this year?
It’s time for New Year’s resolutions and all things self-improvement, so here goes…
Again this year, I’m setting mini goals for the year, inspired by the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast.
Last year, 19 for 2019… and the year before, 18 for 2018.
So this year… guess how many goals?
Here’s my list of 20 for 2020…
I began compiling ideas in Google Docs earlier this year, then refined the list, then expanded it, then changed it up several times right at New Year’s.
Then, a couple of days ago, a friend and I discussed our lists and — in the midst of our conversation — decided on a shared goal:
Have a quilting bee with a friend.
It’s been years since we’ve quilted together (more than a decade!) and we both have UFOs that require our attention. When the idea emerged, we both lit up. So we each tossed an item off the list and replaced it with quilting.
This makes me very, very happy.
And now, since it’s the 4th day of the year already, I’ve made some headway on some of the goals.
So, good people… what are your goals for the year? Or do you say no to the New Year’s resolution scene?
It’s time for the year-end reckoning! (I love this part.)
I completed the Book Bingo 2019 challenge and filled up my whole card.
Overall, as I look at this list of titles, I’m filled with a sense of satisfaction. There’s some good stuff there.
Here’s what I read…
Edgar Award: first novel
A mystery that was nominated for — or won — the Edgar Allan Poe Award for First Novel
The Lost Girls by Heather Young
Heroine
Strong female voice: author, character, or subject
Palate cleanser
A book that refreshes and balances out what you’ve read lately
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Genre-bending
A book that plays with genre — it might break the rules or be categorized in more than one genre
The River by Peter Heller
Gen X author
A book written by an author born between 1961 and 1981
Odd couple
A book about an unusual pairing
Sunburn by Laura Lippman
Classic I’ve never read
A book that’s stood the test of time
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Pushing boundaries
A book that challenges your worldview or awareness. Or a book whose pioneering character or author breaks new ground.
Explore
A book that takes you or the character to a new place
From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein
Place Name
A book with a place name in its title (examples: Looking for Alaska. Or Alaska by Michener).
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrow
Life hack
A book with a shortcut that makes makes your life (or a character’s life) easier
Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin
Unbelievable
Nonfiction that’s stranger than fiction, or a novel whose premise you’re not buying
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
Green
A book with a green cover, or a book about nature, money, envy, or any other green thing
A Student of History by Nina Revoyr
Fire
Literal fire, passion, or something burning within
Passion and Affect by Laurie Colwin
Birth
The beginning or a fresh start
Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken
Romantic
Idealistic or passionate
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman
Language
A book with a distinctive voice or a book in translation
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
LGBTQ
A book by or about someone who identifies as LGBTQ
Less by Andrew Sean Greer
Novelty Book
A book structured in an unorthodox way
Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
South Pacific
A book set in, or written by an author from the South Pacific
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Folktale
A story incorporating elements of a myth, legend, or fable
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Map
A book about a journey, a guide to self-discovery, or simply a book with a map in it.
Internment by Samira Ahmed
Deep Dive
An investigative, immersive reading experience
My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead
Unruly Woman
A book about a woman who breaks out of the mold
Can’t Nothing Bring Me Down: Chasing Myself in the Race Against Time by Ida Keeling
Lost & Found
A story of rebirth or redefining a sense of self
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
And now, on to Book Bingo 2020!
If you did Book Bingo 2019, please post a link to your wrap-up post in the Comments — I’d love to know what you read!
December is for short books. Or at least that’s how it looks for me.
With only a couple of exceptions, the books I read this month were on the shorter side. And given all the busy things that happen in December, maybe that’s all right.
Here’s the run-down on December’s reading…
The Postman Always Rings Twice by James C. Cain
3 words: gritty, intense, fast-reading
Give it a whirl if you like… classic noir, anti-heroes, criminal couples, obsession, first person narrative, underbelly
She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman by Erica Armstrong Dunbar
3 words: vibrant, inspiring, engaging
Give it a whirl if you like… biographies of remarkable women, courageous lives, #ownvoices, learning more about a famous person we think we know about, the Underground Railroad
Purple Cow: How to Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
3 words: thought-provoking, conversational, creative
Give it a whirl if you like… marketing books, business books that are fun to read, thinking outside the box
The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig
3 words: nostalgic, warm, coming of age
Give it a whirl if you like… Westerns, first person narratives, coming of age novels, women in the West, school days narratives, stories about teachers
I Work at a Public Library by Gina Sheridan
3 words: tongue-in-cheek, browseable, light
Give it a whirl if you like… short vignettes about libraries, stories of human interactions, behind-the-scenes at a library, people’s wonderful quirks
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
3 words: whimsical, quirky, charming
Give it a whirl if you like… warm and wise appreciation of everyday moments, quirky formats, books that are browseable but still compulsively readable, smart feel-good books
What books were your favorites this month?
Science fiction, contemporary classic play, children’s horror, and noir. How’s that for some variety?
Our book club has had a great season of discussible reading. Here’s how it went…
Wild Seed by Octavia Butler
Discussibility Score: 4
Because: Octavia Butler is one of the best at creating compelling characters and putting them into intriguing situations that are outside our normal realm. In this book, a woman has the ability to shape-shift and gender-shift, and she’s immortal. Unusual things happen. Discuss!
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Discussibility Score: 5
Because: We knew it was a classic, and none of us had seen or read this play–so we made that right. While reading the play doesn’t take much time, it requires some serious emotional energy because the issues are tough ones, the characters are sympathetic, and the answers aren’t clear.
Bonus: format discussion! We all have different takes on reading plays. Personally, I love them, but also feel a bit irritated by the stage directions. (I prefer “show, don’t tell,” but in this format: impossible. So I get why it’s necessary, but I’m still annoyed by being told how a character reacts. See also: my hatred of adverbs.)
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Discussibility Score: 4
Because: This book is intended for children, but my friends… it’s seriously creepy and disturbing. (The one night I read it before bed? Unsettling dreams.) Coraline faces every child’s nightmare: her parents are replaced by sinister clone parents who intend her harm. And it all happens under her own roof. That girl’s all on her own, which is both terrifying and empowering.
The Postman Always Rings Twice by James C. Cain
Discussibility Score: 3
Because: Much of our discussion consisted of our voicing our distaste for this book, which we all agreed made us feel dirty. The first-person unrepentant criminal narrator is disturbing, nearly all of the characters are detestable, and the plot is sordid. But we also agreed: that last paragraph made it all worthwhile.
Next up: When the English Fall by David Williams. Because who doesn’t love a good post-apocalyptic book about the Amish?
What book have you most wanted to discuss with someone lately?
Looking for a reading-related New Year’s resolution for 2020?
Look no further.
Book Bingo 2020 is here!
To read more and sign up, check out the quite thrilling Book Bingo 2020 announcement post.
I’m looking forward to heading into the new year with all you good readers.
Happy New Year, all!
Raise your hand if you love year-end lists of best books.
Same here.
This year I read some absolutely terrific books, which required difficult choices because my goal was 10 books.
Here are the books that made the list…
Why’d I love them? Here’s why…
Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
3 words: creative, poignant, whimsical
Give it a whirl if you like… inventive style, quirky bite-sized anecdotes, delight in daily life, clever writing
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
3 words: conversational, thought-provoking, intriguing
Give it a whirl if you like… how to plan parties that are more meaningful and meetings that are more effective, new ways of conceptualizing gatherings, why being a benevolently bossy host can be best
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
3 words: character-driven, engaging, family
Give it a whirl if you like… stories of family drama, house as a character, supportive siblings, evil stepmother, layers of meaning
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
3 words: absorbing, character-focused, warm
Give it a whirl if you like… big-hearted stories of family dysfunction, Chicagoland novels, sisterhood, parenting, stories of long and happy marriages
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
3 words: profound, measured, philosophical
Give it a whirl if you like… memoirs of survivors, the power of the mind, Holocaust narratives, encouragement through difficult times
3 words: first-person, inside glimpse, psychological
Give it a whirl if you like… “inside baseball,” the story behind the story, how extraordinary nonfiction is written, self-deprecating humor, biographical research, how books are researched and written, a psychological portrait of a biographer
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
3 words: cheeky, inventive, suspenseful
Give it a whirl if you like… a mix of suspense, family drama, and grim humor; a highly responsible character trapped in terrible circumstances by the acts of a loved one; tension between integrity and family loyalty
3 words: lyrical, character-focused, absorbing
Give it a whirl if you like… a big, absorbing story; classics; reading about a village; nuanced character portraits so detailed you’d recognize the characters if you met them; fiction that inspires the reader to examine her own life
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
3 words: creative, compulsively readable, fast-moving
Give it a whirl if you like… rock stars; documentary / oral history format; grim humor; the creative life; sex, drugs, and rock & roll; 1970s pop culture
Good Talk by Mira Jacob
3 words: creative, thought-provoking, sad/funny
Give it a whirl if you like… memoirs in graphic novel form; smart, sad, funny memoirs; #ownvoices; a look at race and ethnicity through personal experience; stories told through conversations with a child, parents, a spouse, and friends
So, my fellow readers… what books made your “best of the year” list this year?