My Favorite Books of 2020: Keep Turning the Page

Today, I was going to share a list of the ten best books I read in 2020. When I reviewed my reading list, I knew that was an impossible task. Last year, I read over 80 books, and it was too challenging to narrow the list down to only ten good reads. Below you'll find a list of about 30 books that made me laugh, cry, and rethink my opinions in 2020.

You can find links to the books below on my Bookshop page. Enjoy!

NON-FICTION

1. Delights

The Book of Delights by Ross Gay takes a deep dive into delight, and it's brilliant. It's about our connection to one another, the world, and the magic that happens when we pay attention to our surroundings. Gay inspired a project that I'll be working on in 2021 (more on that next week). Also, The Show of Delights is delightful.

2.  Mary Oliver's Poetry & Prose

Ross Gay's work led me to Mary Oliver's poetry and prose. They are perfect pairings! Oliver's words grounded me in 2020; especially when it was raining ash. Upstream, a book of selected essays, was the perfect place to dive into Oliver's body of work. Then I devoured all of Oliver’s poetry books.

3. Rest & Retreat

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May is inspiring, and it's the perfect read for COVID times.

4. Friendship

Last year, I wrote an article for Flow Magazine about friendship in the digital age. Part of my research for the article included reading Lydia Denworth's book — Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond. It's excellent! I also got to interview Denworth for my piece on friendship. She is amazing, and her book reaffirmed why cultivating strong relationships is one of my core values.

Pair Friendship with Mary Pipher's beautiful book – Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age. The importance of friendship comes up frequently in Pipher's book.

5. Movement

The Joy of Movement: How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage by Kelly McGonigal is so joyful! I love to move my body, and this book is life affirming.

6. Addiction

If you've been impacted by addiction, I recommend reading We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life by Laura McKowen and Dopesick (Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America) by Beth Macy. Both books illustrate that history, public policy, corporations, and cultural norms shape how we treat and think about addiction.

7. Adventures in Opting Out

Adventures in Opting Out: A Field Guide to Leading an Intentional Life by Cait Flanders is a timely read. I opted out of "normal" life in 2020, and that will continue until I get the COVID-19 vaccine. I loved Cait's book, and I will read it again in 2021.

8. Anti-racist Reads

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi is a courageous, compassionate, and compelling book. Kendi's personal narrative, analysis of public policies, and in-depth historical knowledge shifted my perspective. If you want to learn about anti-racism, Kendi’s book is a good starting point.

I also recommend The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, What the Eyes Don’t See by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, and Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi.

9.  Strangers in Their Own Land

Thanks to OnBeing, I read Strangers in Their Own Land by Arlie Russell Hochschild. The book explains the origin of the Tea Party Movement in Louisiana. Hochschild’s research, insights, and observations are fascinating. Her words and research reminded me that deep listening and empathy are needed more than ever.

10. The Future We Choose

The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac is full of research, inspiration, and practical action steps. The authors inspired me to get involved with an organization that's planting trees in my community.

11. Paul Theroux's Travel Books

Deep South and On the Plane of Snakes by Paul Theroux were excellent reads. Theroux's words made me want to forgo air travel in the future and take long road trips instead. Theroux’s blend of personal story-telling, journalism, history, and current events made his books compelling.

12. Pico Iyer's Insights

Pico Iyer is an incredible writer, and I loved The Open Road, A Beginner's Guide to Japan, and Autumn Light. Iyer’s books were filled with gorgeous prose and insights to live a better life.

FICTION

Here's a list of the most compelling fiction I read in 2020:

1. The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd is a fictional novel about Ana — the wife of Jesus. The novel is an extraordinary story about a woman trying to find her voice. If you love historical fiction, and strong female characters, you will love this book.

2. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow is a beautiful novel. I enjoyed the story, and how Harrow interwove issues of race, class, and gender into the narrative. It's one of the most unique fictions books I've read.

3. The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne follows one man's life over the course of 70 years. It explores the idea of home, friendship, sexuality, and the terrible toll of bigotry. The book made me cry, laugh, and I learned a lot. It's an epic tale.

4. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes is based on the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky – a program that delivered books to people in the Appalachian Mountains between 1935 and 1943. The novel is about books, friendship, and strong women. There's so much to love in this story!  

5. Dark August by Katie Tallo is mystery/thriller that kept me up past my bedtime. I was happy to hear that Katie is working on a sequel!

6. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is part romance and part murder mystery. I didn't want the book to end. Also, Owens' description of the North Carolina marshlands is incredible. Her words brought me into nature.

I hope you find a few books on my list that sparked your curiosity. If you can, buy a few books at your local bookstore or on Bookshop.

If you can't afford new books, find them at your local library. If the library doesn’t have a book in their collection, ask a librarian to purchase it. I didn't realize this was something I could do until a few years ago. Libraries are the best!

Libby is another excellent—and free—resource. When the library was closed due to COVID, I relied heavily on Libby. It's a smartphone app that gives you the ability to “borrow ebooks and digital audiobooks from your public library. All you need to get started is a library card.”

Thanks for joining me on this little corner of the Internet! I’m grateful.

With gratitude,

Tammy

How I Sustain My Reading Life

I love to read books because they are a source of continuing inspiration and education. Books also allow me to travel to other places without leaving my home.

Interestingly, the COVID-19 crisis has improved my reading life. Before the pandemic, I was reading a book a week. During the pandemic, I’ve been reading two books a week (sometimes more).

As an example, here’s my July 2020 reading list:

1. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

2. What the Eyes Don’t See by Mona Hanna-Attisha

3. The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

4. Big Friendship by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman

5. The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

6. A Round-Heeled Woman by Jane Juska

7. The Course of Love by Alain de Botton

8. How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

I use a few strategies to sustain my reading life. Here they are in no particular order:

— I try to alternate the topics I read about. For example, during July, I read two heavy books about racism and public policy back to back. I followed them up with a romance novel. Switching between heavy and light topics is a good balance. It gives me the mental energy to keep learning about racism, ageism, sexism, and more.

— I re-read books. For instance, I'll read How to Be an Antiracist again because it was dense and informative. I suspect that I'll take away even more life lessons when I read the book a second time.

—I cut back on my news intake. The amount of time I spend consuming the news is between 15 to 30 minutes per day, and I'd like to reduce that number. I'm aiming for a Pico Iyer approach to the news. Iyer is a travel writer, memoirist, and journalist. He only spends 2-5 minutes a day checking the news. Iyer noted that it's important to know what's going on in the world. And, you don't have to spend hours each day reading the news to make that happen. Instead of “doomscrolling,” I use my time to dig deeper into specific topics. Books are a great medium for going deep!

— I quit social media in early 2018. Then, I came back to Instagram in late 2018. Since then I've used the app lightly. I log on occasionally to see what friends have posted. I don't see myself using Instagram to share my creative work in the future. Not using Instagram has been good for my mental health and reading life.

— I only consume media I love. I'm not a big Netflix or movie watcher because reading books is my favorite form of media. Getting clear on what I enjoy consuming has saved me time and energy.

— I pay attention to my learning style. For example, I began the audio version of Stamped from The Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi, and I set it aside. I found myself wanting to flip back to certain sections of the book and read passages again. That's much easier to do with a paperback version.

— After I read an intense book, I take a reading break for a few days or longer. I'd like to incorporate more breaks into my reading routine. Being able to reflect on the material makes me a better reader and writer.

— If I don't like a book, I quit reading it. In the past, I'd force myself to read a book (even when I didn't enjoy it). No more! Life is too short to keep reading books that don't resonate with me.

And that’s it! I hope some of the tips above will help you sustain your reading life.

With gratitude,

Tammy

A Year of Slow Reading

If you put a plate of chocolate chip cookies in front of me, there's a strong possibility that I'll eat all the cookies. I read books in a similar fashion; very quickly. Life is short, and there are hundreds of books I want to read, and there are so many cookies to eat!

This year, I'm changing my reading routine. Instead of trying to read all the books, I want to read slowly. Hopefully, I'll retain and remember more of the articles and books that I read.

Here’s what my year of reading slowly will include:

• Taking detailed reading notes

• Sharing inspiring quotes and links on the blog

• Talking about the books I’ve read with friends and Logan (this helps me remember information)

• Rereading books

Last week, I started rereading A Writer’s Paris by Eric Maisel, and I'm uncovering nuggets of wisdom I missed the first time around.

For example, Maisel said:

“Taking the bad with the good is a principle that writers need to learn. The victims of endless advertising, we have been brainwashed into fully misunderstanding basic ideas like good and bad. As one example of this malady, we are taught to expect only the best, What does only the best mean? It means that we feel we are entitled to something like perfection in our goods and services, that it is unseemly to talk about the failures and mistakes that were part of the process, and that things get our stamp of approval based almost entirely on how they appear.”

Maisel goes on to say:

"In order to create, you must take the bad with the good. You are bound to write many bad paragraphs along with the good ones. That is the eternal law. You can get rid of those bad paragraphs later, but first you must write them. Otherwise, you won't write anything. If you try to write only the good paragraphs, you will paralyze yourself. You will fall victim to perfectionism, even if you aren't consciously trying to be perfect. Understand that the good requires the bad, that getting to the good is a process that includes mistakes and messes.”

Maisel's reminders came at the perfect time because I'm trying to let go of my inner perfectionist; especially when it comes to writing. I'm happy that I decided to read this little book again!

Cheers to a year of reading deeply and slowly!