my favorite books of 2019
As I was trying to come up with this list, I realized that 2019 was a really good reading year for me. It was tough to pick me favorites, but I settled on the following because these are the books whose lessons and stories will stick with me the most. I left of lots of great reads though, so check out all of my 2019 reads on Goodreads if you’re looking for more to add to your TBR stack.
The Island of Sea Women. I went into this knowing nothing based solely on a friend’s recommendation, and I loved every bit of it in the way that you can love very heart-wrenching stories. It is a story about the haenyeo, women sea divers on islands off the coast of Korea, but it is also a story about female friendship, matriarchal culture, forgiveness, and the ravages of war.
Where the Crawdads Sing. I mean, you probably already read this because I think when I finally got to it, it was after being #329 on the waiting list at the library. My favorite novels are the ones in which the writer makes the place itself a character, and I loved Crawdads for how thoroughly Kya loves the marsh and its creatures.
Atomic Habits. I am about to do a reread of this book because it might be the best productivity book I’ve ever read. It isn’t anything earth-shattering (baby steps), but Clear presents the information in a way that compelled me in a way that other books in this area haven’t.
And Now We Have Everything. I’ll be handing this out like bubble gum cigars to every new mother (and father!) I know (along with this and this). This is the book I wish I had read when I was pregnant. It talks about motherhood in one of the most honest and vulnerable ways that I’ve read.
These Truths. Man, this thing was massive (900+ pages), but it read like a novel. I think every American needs to read this book. I’d vote for making kids read this in eighth grade in place of taking US history, but that’s just me. I can’t think of a better resolution as we go into 2020 than to read this book.
Inheritance. I love Dani Shapiro, and I think this was her best yet. It is the story of how she comes to find out a massive family secret and how it changes so much of what she thought she knew about herself and her family – but the reason I loved it so much is because, in the end, I think she comes to find out that her family’s love for each other was what was truest about them all along.
The Nature Fix. This book lays out how getting out in nature will fix so much of what ails us – physically, mentally, spiritually, cultural. I was obviously going to love it, but Williams’ writing is so accessible and convincing that I think everyone could benefit from reading it. It also compelled me to do the #septembernaturechallenge, which was one of my favorite things of 2019.
The Universal Christ. I have not been quiet about my love for “Father Richy,” as he is known at our house. I think The Universal Christ is a summation of much of his previous work. I’m compelled by his vision (shared by much of the early church) of the Christ, and I’m thankful for this book that articulates Christ “as another name for everything,” as Rohr says, so well.
The Song of Achilles. This is a retelling of the story of Achilles and Patroclus, and I could not put it down. I think I liked this even more than Circe, which is really saying something, but, regardless, I will read everything Madeline Miller writes.
Pax. The kids and I listened to it on the way to school over a month or so, and it was one of my favorite reading experiences ever. I bought us the hardcover for Christmas, so we can reread it and so Grant can read it. I highly recommend the audio. I would have loved the story even without the kids, but it was such a joy to get sucked into it together. It sparked tons of great conversations about family, grief, environmental destruction, friendship, courage, war, and more. I could go on and on, but I’ll stop so you can just get reading.
The Wisdom of the Wilderness. I loved this set of essays about one man’s commitment to get out in the wilderness and the gifts he received in return. If you’re looking for some motivation to get outside more, slowly working your way through this would be a good use of your time. It also left me a little angsty about how different getting out in the wilderness is for women and mothers, but that’s an essay that I need to write.
The Overstory. I adored the first half of this book – the writing was magic, and the subject matter, told through several different, seemingly unrelated people and families made me think about nature in new ways. I didn’t love the second half as much, but it was still a magnificently-crafted story that has stuck with me.
When I looked back over 2019, I noticed that my “best of” tended to look like many other “best of 2019” lists, which means that I kept reading what was trending instead of digging into my literal piles of books that I have at home and on my Kindle that I still haven’t read. One of my goals in 2020 is to be more intentional about my reading and getting through some of my existing unread shelf.
What about you? What were your favorite reads of 2019? And what are you reading goals for 2020?
Friend me on Goodreads, so we can keep up with each other’s reading lives!
*I’m not linking the books because I want you to reserve these at the library or call your local bookstore instead! 🙂
