10 December 2020
The amazing books I read in 2020 got me through some dark moments. I always looked forward to weekend mornings, drinking coffee and reading my latest book. I also listened to many audiobooks through the San Francisco Public Library. Below are my top 10 (in no particular order):
Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital (Sheri Fink). This is the story of Memorial Hospital in New Orleans immediately after Hurricane Katrina. Patients, staff, and some family members were left to fend for themselves after loosing power and running out of medication. Some patients are euthanized in an effort to save others. It is a story of horror, resilience, and sadness. Read January 2020 while on winter break in Boston.
A Gentleman in Moscow (Amor Towles). This novel is all about character development of the funky people who live and work in a hotel in Moscow during the Stalin era. It started off very slow, but then I didn’t want this book to end. Read in September 2020.
The Autobiography of a Transgender Scientist (Ben Barres). This book is a heartwarming story of Dr. Barres, an amazing neuroscientist and human. He describes his life, his gender transition, and through it all his passion for science and gender equity in science. Read in March 2020, right during the first shutdown.
The Book of Longings (Sue Monk Kidd). This historic fiction novel is about Jesus’s wife, Ana. She is smart, witty, and rebellious. She struggles between supporting her family and carving her own path. I never wanted to put this book down. Read in October 2020, mostly in Yosemite National Park.
Hidden Valley Road (Robert Kolker). This book mixes narrative non-fiction with fact non-fiction. It is about a family where 6 children come down with Schizophrenia. The book goes back and forth from the family caretakers point of view to the history of the research and treatment of Schizophrenia. Read in November 2020.
Running Home (Katie Arnold). This is a beautiful memior about life and death by an ultrarunner and Outside Magazine writer. While the book is centered around running, it is not about running. It tells the story of Katie letting go of her Dad and remembering the good and the bad of his life. Read in June 2020 right after the loss of my Aunt Eleanor.
The End of Your Life Book Club (Will Schwalbe) This is an inspiring story of a son and his dying mother, two avid readers, who form a book club. Every chapter is on one book and it inspired me to keep reading this book and others. It also talks about how to continue living when someone you love is dying. Read in July 2020 after the loss of my Aunt Eleanor.
Zeitoun (Dave Eggers). This is a historical novel about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It is based on the true story of a Syrian-American man who stays and helps after the levees broke in New Orleans. It mixes the horror and rage of that period along with what is still prevalent in our society, racial bias and discrimnation. Read December 2020.
So You Want To Talk About Race (Ijeoma Oluo). I read this book, like many others, after the murder of George Floyd. I read multiple books on race, each of which had a slightly different perspective and I think many people gravitated towards different ones. This one just spoke to me. I could relate to it. I had been that white person in many of the situations described. I thought it was so insightful, I read it twice. Read June 2020.
Nothing To See Here (Kevin Wilson). This is a hilarious and sad short novel about two kids at the center of a messed up family. It mixes complicated family and friend relationships and shows so clearly how we all just want to be loved. Read December 2020.