In 2014, I read 25 books.
Believe it or not I was very disappointed by this number. Next year, I hope to reach closer to 40 or 50 books. But, to cut myself a little slack, I was in college the first part of the year which meant less time for leisurely reading and more time on heavy reading like Chaucer, Sociolinguistic articles, and Realist novels.
I looked over my list of books from this year. I realized that even though the number is small, the depth and sentiment of some of them were strong. I know the books on this list will forever sit on my shelf. I will gift them (not my copies of course, I will buy new ones) so that others may experience what I did when reading them.
The Boston Girl, by Anita Diamant.
This novel was released in early December. I am a big Diamant fan-- the Red Tent is my favorite book of all time-- and when I discovered over the summer that she was releasing a new novel, I immediately pre-ordered it off Amazon. For those of you who know me, you know this is not something I normally do. For starters, new releases are often first released in hardback. I am a paperback girl. Also, I prefer to buy used books or older ones: they are cheaper.
But Diamant is one of my favorite authors, and I just couldn’t resist. And I am glad I didn’t.
I read this novel in two days. That’s two days of work, an interview, and visits with friends in between the reading sessions. I stayed up late and woke up early in the morning to keep reading this book.
The heroine of this novel is Adie Baum.
Adie is a writer. A first generation American (her family migrated to the States from Eastern Europe) in the early 20th century, Adie is ahead of her time. She works, she is educated, and she isn’t a teenage bride. She decides what and who she wants, and feels no shame in doing so. Her heart is good, too. She is compassionate. Her life is complicated, but exciting. It’s a worthwhile adventure.
Diamant knows how to write women. She knows how to write their strengths and their weaknesses-- and whatever flaw they may have never takes away the love and admiration the reader feels for them.
Which leads me to my next book choice…
2) Day After Night, by Anita Diamant.
This was a tough read at times. Not because it is subpar by any means, but this novel is based post World War II. The story is centered around Holocaust survivors living in an internment camp under British rule while the State of Israel is being developed. While men are present, the narrative is seen through four different women’s eyes-- all European-Jewish women, but from different backgrounds. Each woman had a different experience during WWII; but each experience was heartbreaking and traumatic.
The strength, resilience, and faith of each woman is inspiring.
This book is an older one (2010). I found it on the shelves at the library. I don’t know how I ever missed it! But I am I found it; or perhaps it found me? Either way, it has a special place in my book-lover soul.
3) I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman, by Nora Ephron.
Hilarious. Witty. Insightful. Brilliant.
These are just a few words to describe Ephron’s work of non-fiction.
I read this in two hours on the plane from Phoenix to Washington D.C. I couldn’t stop. I laughed out loud like an idiot in front of everyone-- but I didn’t care, just kept on going.
Ephron delivers a humorous spin on the pains of being a women.
Don’t get me wrong, being a woman is fun. But there are some tribulations: maintenance (from hair, to clothes, to nails), periods, menopause, kids, cooking, and just the everyday frustrations of life.
Ephron’s voice is fantastic. Her delivery is impeccable.
Ephron had a great track record: she wrote the screenplays for the films When Harry Met Sally and Silkwood. She worked for the big time U.S. newspapers. She won countless awards for her talent.
She died in 2012. My mom cried. And if I knew then how brilliant and talented she was then, I would have, too.
4) Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn
It was a movie this year. And I even though I have not seen it yet, I am willing to bet that the book was better. Of course, isn’t it always?
This book scared me, humored me, and angered me all at once. I hated Amy, I understood Amy, I loved Amy. I hated Nick, I understood Nick, I loved Nick. Needless to say, I didn’t pick a side between these two. They were both… off? Odd? Immature? Crazy? Spiteful?
I stayed up until 2AM some nights, waiting to find out what Amy was going to do next to punish her philandering husband. Or when Nick was going to realize his evil, demented wife’s schemes.
I can’t remember the last time a book thrilled me so much. I felt that I was there with them. Riding down an empty route towards the unknown; digging for clues in an old shed; sweating under the scrutiny of the paparazzi and reporters.
How often can one say a book does this to them?
5) Traveling with Pomegranates, by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor
My favorite myth is the Greek myth about the creation of the season: Persephone, Demeter, and Hades are the center characters. I don’t know why I have always gravitated to this myth, but it is special to me. I have read retellings of the myth, found artwork centered around the ancient story, and I found this nonfiction piece (by total chance while I was checking in books at the library).
This book-- novel? memoir? nonfiction?-- is written by acclaimed author Sue Monk Kidd and her equally talented daughter Ann. Their relationship and individual experiences mirror that of Demeter and Persephone. They write in such an honest and humble manner of their life experiences, their blessings, their hardships, and their triumphs in life.
While this is not a myth retelling I normally read, I was fascinated by their modern take on a dynamic and complicated mother-daughter relationship, as well as the inspiring manner in which they write about femininity.
I realize that these books are centered around women and female experiences. In the words of my African American literature professor in college, these works are “gyno-centric.” But whether you are a man or a woman, it’s hard to deny the brilliance of each author and their art.
Anyway, I hope these books in 2015 bring you the same joy they brought me in 2014. Happy New Year, everyone!
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