Top Books of 2020: Shannon
I’ll try to dispense with the cliches here, because we all know 2020 wasn’t the year we expected, and our reading slumps have been well-documented on this blog. There were weeks that went by where I didn’t even pick up a book, and plenty of days where I’d try to read, and end up picking up my phone every 3 pages to doom-scroll some more.
But despite the existential (and very real, non-existential) dread, there were some bright spots in 2020. I appreciate Central Park more than ever. I’ve noticed how the light in my apartment changes every month. I created an island in Animal Crossing, and its tasks of catching bugs, diving for sea creatures, and building things are incredibly soothing. I’ve watched more TV than should be humanely possible. I’ve learned how to actually cook, and subsequently washed more dishes than should be legal. And I’ve learned that a proper Bolognese will always take at least 3 hours longer than I anticipate.
And along the way, I did manage to read plenty of books, some of which were better than others. Some of which were much, much better than others. So, without further ado, my 12 favorite reads of the year. Some are highbrow, some are low, but these are the books that stuck with me, that I recommended to the most people, that taught me something new or a new way to look at the world. In no particular order:
“The Book of Longings” by Sue Monk Kidd (Bookshop | Kindle) (my review here)
Although I am not religious, this biography of Jesus’ (fictional) wife, Ana, was absolutely one of my top reads of the year. While there isn’t definitive info that Jesus had a wife, it would have been incredibly. uncommon for a man of his time to not have a wife. This is truly Ana’s story, and really made me think about the stories of history that have been lost due to the patriarchy and white supremacy. I’m sure someone like Ana did exist (whether she was Jesus’ wife or not), and the world would be better if those stories had been told.
“The City We Became” by N.K. Jemisin (Bookshop | Kindle) (my review here)
A beautiful allegory of New York City, and the IRL demons (white supremacy, police brutality, gentrification) threatening to tear it apart. Each borough (and the city as a whole itself) is imagined as a human avatar, and they have to work together to overcome the Enemy threatening to invade. I don’t think it’s a spoiler alert to say Staten Island was the worst, and there was something special about reading this novel as I celebrated my 10-year anniversary of living here.
“The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab (Bookshop | Kindle) (Elizabeth’s review here)
The story of a 17th century Frenchwoman who makes a deal with a “god of night” to live forever—except that no one will ever remember her or her name. What makes life worth living—the experiences we have, or the relationships we have? Addie’s journey is epic in score (I mean, she lives for 300 years and doesn’t age!) but it’s not necessarily focused on historical events from her POV—which is sort of what I expected. I loved this one regardless!
“Transcendent Kingdom” by Yaa Gyasi (Bookshop | Kindle)
I may be in the minority, but I liked Yaa Gyasi’s second novel even more than her first—but as both are incredible, that’s really not saying much. “Transcendent Kingdom” is the story of a Ghanaian family living in Alabama, and switches back and forth between protagonist Gifty’s childhood, and “present-day” when her suicidal mother shows up at Stanford while she’s doing doctoral research. It’s a contemplation on spirituality and the Black immigrant experience in America, and I found it truly epic.
“Open Book” by Jessica Simpson (Bookshop | Kindle) (my review here)
Ahhh the celeb memoir. I read J-Simp’s early this year, and have recommended it to so many people. (And no, I haven’t read Mariah’s yet but it’s on my list!) Jessica’s memoir is everything a celebrity memoir should be—gossipy, self-reflective, self-deprecating. (The Kindle version did not include photos which was devastating but I googled as I read!) Since I’ve read this, I’ve thought more about Jessica’s body image and plastic surgeries (she is, dare I say, an open book on this topic), and I do wish she would have dedicated more time to how damaging this is. Nevertheless, an excellent celeb memoir!
“This Will Be My Undoing” by Morgan Jerkins (Bookshop | Kindle) (my review here)
A necessary book for anyone who claims to be feminist. Jerkins’ voice is a must-read as she explores living at the intersectionality of being Black and a woman, and how being doubly subjugated renders one “both invisible and hypervisible, stripped of humanity.” Much of the books deals with growing up as a Black woman in predominantly white spaces (cheerleading tryouts, Princeton), and subsequently moving to Harlem and realizing how different it is to be among Black people in Black spaces.
“The Mothers” by Brit Bennett (Bookshop | Kindle)
Brit Bennett’s second novel, “The Vanishing Half,” got so much attention this year (and rightly so!) but I actually loved her debut novel even more! It’s almost lyrical in its prose and is what a novel about Black families should be—simply Black families living their lives. Racism is present, but it isn’t the point. The novel introduces us to Nadia Turner, a high school senior whose mother has recently committed suicide. Nadia turns to the pastor’s (older) son for comfort, and their intense but brief relationship ends up having lasting consequences. But before Nadia escapes her Southern California town for the University of Michigan, she develops a close friend with Audrey, another young woman without a mother. The novel follows the lives of Nadia, Audrey, and Luke as they live their lives, judge one another and themselves, and examines the intricacies of all types of relationships—parent/child, sisters, husband/wife, close friends, acquaintances…it’s truly a remarkable novel.
“Twisted: The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture” by Emma Dabiri (Bookshop | Kindle) (my review here)
Hair is the hook (obviously), but the book is really about the history, spiritualism, and tradition of Africa, as well as a commentary on colonialism and capitalism. The central thesis is that, due to colonialism, European beauty standards are regarded as the “best” and Black women have been conditioned to desire European beauty standards, but Black hair is inherently different and should be treated as such. (Also, of course, European hair and beauty standards need to be examined with a much more critical lens.) Dabiri is completing a PhD and the book is dense with information, but very readable; there are often little asides in colloquialisms (“lol,” and such).
“Color Me In” by Natasha Diaz (Bookshop | Kindle)
A highly engaging coming-of-age story about a biracial young woman learning how and when to use her voice, all while figuring out how she fits into the world, and understanding who her true friends are. Nevaeh is the child of a Black woman from Harlem, and a Jewish father from Connecticut. She grew up in a rich suburb of New York, but after her parents abruptly split up, Nevaeh has to go back and forth between her mom’s family’s house in Harlem and her dad’s house in the ‘burbs—while commuting to her school in Riverdale, a tony neighborhood in the Bronx. There were so many little details that reminded me how tough being a teenager is—and showed tough it was for Nevaeh to endure this transition in her life.
“Such a Fun Age” by Kiley Reid (Bookshop | Kindle) (Our Book Club post)
Told through two different viewpoints—white liberal Alix and her Black nanny Emira—this book was an excellent contemplation on racism, microaggressions, and white savior syndrome. Opening with a deeply unsettling incident at a grocery store (during which the security officer accuses Emira of kidnapping her young charge because she’s Black), we follow Alix and Emira through the aftermath. Emira wants to stay out of it, despite the white guy she begins dating pushing her to release the video. Alix attempts to befriend Emira in the weird way that white women often do, and there is also a twist in this novel (which I didn’t see coming). Highly recommend this easy-to-read, thought-provoking novel!
“Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi (Bookshop | Kindle) (Elizabeth’s review here)
I did also read Gyasi’s first novel this year, and if you haven’t read it yet, run do not walk to pick up a copy (safely, with a mask on). “Homegoing” is the tale of two half-sisters in 18th century Ghana, and their descendents. One sister marries the Englishman living in the castle on the Ivory Coast, and the other sister is sold into slavery and taken to America. This novel is incredibly beautiful and poignant—it reads like several short stories, but the ending was almost a bit too neat for me. (Although that didn’t detract from how much I enjoyed it!)
“Ona Out of Order” by Margarita Montimore (Bookshop | Kindle) (Elizabeth’s review here)
This was a fun, lighthearted read, and one I wholly enjoyed. Oona lives her life, literally, out of order. Every year on January 1, Oona wakes up in a different year and has to figure out who her friends are, what she’s doing, and how to use the latest technology. It’s also set in New York, and while there was a very glaring error (The River Cafe is NOT on the Hudson River, c’mon now!), it was also a bit of an ode to my favorite city. There was an excellent twist at the end, and seeing how Oona truly lived in the moment, without spoiling things for herself (other than buying some excellent stock shares!) was very satisfying.
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