Year in Review: 2018 Book List
I saved that quote this fall because it summed up the last few months of my life. 2018 marked some huge changes — Aaron completed his PhD and we moved from Connecticut, where we spent five years, to Washington, D.C., so he could start a new job as an economist. After we moved, I interviewed for and then accepted a position as a SolarCorps Construction Fellow with solar nonprofit GRID Alternatives, and stopped freelance writing to start splicing rails, drilling into shingles, wiring junction boxes, and laying down solar panels. My life spun from rural Connecticut, where I had plenty of time to read in the evenings, to a bustling city with a new job, a two-hour commute, and unfortunately, far less time to spend reading.
My commute involves a switch from the Metro to either a bus or streetcar with a five- to ten-minute walk in between. Reading a book was tricky; I was continually jerking my head up and out of a novel to ensure I didn’t miss my stops. I tried poetry and that didn’t work either. So I started listening to audiobooks, which offered the extra benefit of allowing me to keep my head up and maintain awareness. I’m not totally sold on this way of consuming books — I’d much prefer to flip paper pages — but it has allowed me to better use the time I spend on public transportation. I’ve watched a lot of the city go by while thinking about topics like astrophysics or happiness. I’ve listened to Neil deGrasse Tyson talk about black holes, infrared light, and the cosmic perspective, and also listened to some of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermons recorded in the 1950’s and 1960’s. I’m in the middle of a book about joy co-written by Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama.
I still managed to read some incredible books in paper last year — over 9,200 pages across 30 books, according to my year in books from Goodreads. Below is the list (in alphabetical order)! I don’t recommend all 30 of the books, but past the long list is my top seven from the year (also in alphabetical order) which I do highly recommend. In the past, I’ve released a top 10 list, but as I only read 30 books this year and 10 would be a full third of that, I decided to simply highlight the books that impacted me the most. Combing through those 30 books, I found seven books that boasted a strong hold on me months later, so it’s a top seven this year.
Alif the Unseen ~ G. Willow Wilson
The Animators ~ Kayla Rae Whitaker
A River of Stars ~ Vanessa Hua
Bird by Bird ~ Anne Lamott
Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening ~ Diana Butler Bass
Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy ~ Tim Harford
Grounded ~ Diana Butler Bass
How We Are Hungry ~ Dave Eggers
In the Garden of Beasts ~ Erik Larson
The Japanese Lover ~ Isabel Allende
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 ~ Lawrence Wright
The Monk of Mokha ~ Dave Eggers
Monsoon Mansion ~ Cinelle Barnes
The Music Shop ~ Rachel Joyce
Neverwhere ~ Neil Gaiman
Paris Stories ~ Mavis Gallant
The Phantom Tollbooth ~ Norton Juster
Shadow and Claw ~ Gene Wolfe
The Short Tragic Life of Robert Peace ~ Jeff Hobbs
Single, Gay, Christian ~ Gregory Coles
The Snow Child ~ Eowyn Ivey
Speak No Evil ~ Uzodinma Iweala
Stray City ~ Chelsey Johnson
The Themis Files ~ Sylvain Neuvel
Sleeping Giants
Waking Gods
Only Human
This is How You Lose Her ~ Junot Diaz
The Woman in Cabin 10 ~ Ruth Ware
Wool ~ Hugh Howey
Reread
The Transall Saga ~ Gary Paulsen
Audiobooks
Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths ~ Bruce Feiler
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry ~ Neil deGrasse Tyson
A Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. ~ Clayborne Carson
Top 7
Grounded ~ Diana Butler Bass
Bass points to trends some have decried as the end of religion and offers a more hopeful spin, suggesting people still yearn for spirituality but aren’t finding it in many traditional churches. She sketches, instead, how people are finding spirituality in the modern world, and Grounded in particular gave me a lot of hope and drive to pursue an authentic spirituality. I can identify with the dissatisfaction many people feel, and also that longing for something deeper. I’d recommend this book for anyone interested in modern religion, regardless of which religion.
The Monk of Mokha ~ Dave Eggers
When I read this book last January, I predicted it would be the best book I read all year. And it certainly was one of them! I wrote in my notes it had been a while since I was so engrossed in a story. I also hadn’t known much about the conflict in Yemen, or how a coffee bean transforms into the steaming, aromatic drink so many people love. The heart of the story was a character around my age working to find his way in the world, and I was swept up in his story of self-discovery. Highly recommend.
The Music Shop ~ Rachel Joyce
This was my last Book of the Month; while I hope to be a member again someday, time just doesn’t allow for it right now! And the book was delightful; it was a magic, romantic whirlwind that I stayed up way too late to finish because I just couldn’t put it down. It was also a love letter to music, and exposed me to music in unexplored or forgotten genres, including some songs I’m still listening to around a year later.
The Phantom Tollbooth ~ Norton Juster
Somehow I never read this book as a child, and that’s a tiny tragedy. I loved the wordplay in The Phantom Tollbooth, and as a writer appreciated the sheer fun of it. I’ll read this book with my own kids someday.
The Short Tragic Life of Robert Peace ~ Jeff Hobbs
After finishing this novel, I wrote in my notes it was one of the best books I’d ever read in my life. And I stand by that several months later, as I’m writing this post. It’s a must-read for just about everyone. In telling a difficult story, Hobbs didn’t reduce Robert Peace to stereotypes. He told the story of a human being, and that’s why this novel was so powerful. I don’t want to share too much about it; just get it, and read it.
Speak No Evil ~ Uzodinma Iweala
Washington, D.C. served as the backdrop for this novel, which I read right after I’d moved to the city. I loved learning about the district through the pages, piecing together geography and actually visiting a few of the places described. But that fun tidbit wasn’t why this book makes the list. No, this book hits the top seven for its powerful writing and astonishing ending. What Iweala was doing through this book was brilliant, and it totally snuck up on me. This isn’t an easy read, but it will leave you thinking.
Stray City ~ Chelsey Johnson
I fell in love with Stray City. The writing was gorgeous, and dropped me right into 90’s Portland, where I gained insight into a community I hadn’t been so close to before. Johnson’s writing was tender and raw and vibrant, and totally absorbed me into the story. Her writing style managed to be experimental and fresh without feeling gimmicky. I plan to read every single book Johnson writes and eagerly await her next one.
Bustle published three articles I wrote in 2018: one on Pierce Brown’s Iron Gold, one on Chelsey Johnson’s Stray City, and the third on Cinelle Barnes’ Monsoon Mansion.
I’ve been releasing my books list since 2012; check out past lists below.
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
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