I love “books of the year” lists, and eagerly peruse them all – from the New York Times to Barack Obama to Goodreads to the national book awards, then heading straight over to Jefferson County Library catalog to reserve the picks that catch my fancy. (I am rather incorrigible, currently my requested hold list is up to 8!)
For the past two years, I have been keeping track of my reads, and ranking them with 1-4 stars… adding a cryptic note, both as a review and a memory jogger. This year I am up to 49 (which does not include the books I started and decided to abandon, or the Sun Magazine’s monthly array of stories and poetry). Think I can get to 50 books by year end? I will try!
I like to intersperse reading memoir, fiction and nonfiction. When I have read a novel that I love, the other genres act as palette cleansers, letting me hold onto the story, while still embarking on discoveries of the mind or histories of the heart.
Here’s my bakers’ dozen of four-star winners, in no particular order. Note: these are new-to-me books, not necessarily new this year (in fact in most cases, not!)
- How to be An Artist by Jerry Saltz. Nonfiction. A new treatise along the lines of the classic “Art & Fear”, delivered by New York Magazine art critic. Inspiring, practical guidance for every artist. I subsequently bought it for a permanent spot on my creative shelf, as a great ongoing kick in the butt.
- Forest Bathing by Dr Qing Li. Nonfiction. Simply marries the spirit and the science of forest bathing beautifully. Reading it, I had to go out and sniff trees.
- Payne Hollow by Harlan Hubbard. Nonfiction. An artist telling of his slow living on the land, enjoyable like Little House in the Woods (for grownups), or Walden set in Kentucky, with shades of Wendell Berry. It’s a followup to his Shantyboat memoir.
- Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo. Fiction. Surprisingly clear dharma in the form of endearing pop fiction. I thought I would find it superficial, but the teachings resonated beyond the storyline.
- Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. Fiction. Wholly original, robot meets life in the form of nuanced and tender family relationships. It lingered with me.
- Tell Me Everything by Erika Krause. Nonfiction. A riveting and sometimes disturbing mix of memoir, mystery, sexual assault and (fairly) recent events. A page turner in which I learned a lot.
- Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. Fiction. The kind of writing that makes me want to slow down and re-read passages for their sheer beauty. Deep rural life and religion.
- Makoons by Louise Erdrich. Fiction. Youth. One of the first books I read in 2022, it was delicious and lovely to read these chapters of indigenous family life. Wonderfully, it is part of a series, so I can read more!
- How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu. Fiction. Another that falls into the wholly original category, with a science fiction approach, of past and present time awareness. Like a Hitchhikers Guide with heart.
- The Book of Joy by His Holiness Dalai Llama, Desmond Tutu, Douglas Abrams. Nonfiction. Interview style, the wisdom and humor of these men shines forth, so much affection between them. Compassion as the path.
- Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad. Memoir. Covers the terrain of life before, during and after life threatening illness, with special emphasis on the changed life beyond remission.
- Grievers by adrienne maree brown. Fiction. I am not usually one for post-apocalyptic tales but this one is remarkable, and I was drawn to it first because it is set in my old hometown. It is true, sad, hopeful, insightful and beautifully written and realized. It is part of a series, and I look forward to reading the next installment.
- The First Free Women, Poems of the Early Buddhist Nuns, by Matty Weingast. Fresh, contemporary translation of ancient wisdoms, I loved the directness and simplicity, it is timeless.
