Wrapping up my books of this year. I am posting this last because I am still reading! I started this challenge in May and got to read 40 books in 2020. This is definitely a record of leisure books I have read, probably since 5th grade. I regret not reading more in college and taking advantage of the library in Tenleytown. 2020 sucked for sure, but I am glad I fell in love with reading again.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Such a beautiful book. Please read this. This family of Bengali immigrants move to America and learn to thrive not merely survive. I love this book and could write a 10 page paper on it (because I did!). This is the one paper I am really proud of in college and made me questions being a literature major.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

I am still questioning whether I liked this book. It was so deep that it almost caused discomfort? I thought the style was very unique. It was nice to hear it narrated by the author. I am still digesting this book even a month after listening to it. Reviews to come later I guess. If anyone wants to chat about it, please hit me up.

Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

I loved this book as an audiobook. It was long, but the style/format made it very easy to listen. He explains this book as part audiobook part podcast. It was super insightful to listen to as a communication student, but also has a college student. I listened deeply to this book. I loved it. It just allows for interpersonal conversations and an analysis of how we treat “the others”.

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

I am a fan of Anthony Bourdain’s philosophy, but I realized I didn’t actually know that much about him. I particularly like his meat story towards the middle of the book. I listened to this book and probably made my dad go crazy, but it was a quick read.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

I will note from the get go, I had a hard time reading this book. It was so dense and I haven’t felt so forced to read a book since my Communication Theory textbook from sophomore year of college. I thought it was an interesting insight, but not my favorite. I am glad that I did get around to read this popular book. I am posting another blog about this idea, but for now that’s it.

Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong

I was really amazed on the specific experience that Hong explains in this book. It is so specific that it made me stop in my track while listening on my walks and left me with a lot to reflect on and meditate on. This was one a list of shorter books curated by Goodreads to finish reading goals, but this might be one of my favorites of this year.

“The most damaging legacy of the West has been its power to decide who our enemies are, turning us not only against our own people, like North and South Korea, but turning me against myself.”

Cathy Park Hong, Minor Feelings

Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

I think this was highly recommended by high school teachers in the last couple years and we had a copy at home, so in order to finish my goals, I picked up a physical book and finished this very quickly. I loved the simplicity of this story. I think it’s a really beautiful depiction of maternal figures, relationships, and I think it was such a sweet read. I don’t think I have read a book like this before, it made me feel really calm reading it. I definitely want to read more books by Sue Monk Kidd next year! I also just saw that there is a film adaptation, excited to check that out as well!

A Promised Land by Barack Obama

This book is DENSE. I was so aggressive in trying to finish, but it took me quite a while. I walked many miles to slowly make my way through it. I think this was another book to help me realize that some of the jobs that people idolize and dream of becoming actually takes a miserable burden and it is more difficult than we can understand. I love the details that President Obama included. It’s true he talks so slowly, I listened to the audiobook at a 2.3x speed. I am so glad I managed to borrow a copy of the audiobook so quickly after the book was published. The first half took me about 10 days to get through, but the second half was much quicker. I was expedited because my loan was due soon after.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I wanted to read this as my first book during quarantine because of Timothee Chalamet, but it took me awhile to get through this book since I had seen such an amazing adapted film prior. I wish I read this when I was younger so I didn’t have a biased perspective. I finally got around to it, just in time for the holiday season and of course I rewatched the Greta Gerwig version of Little Women with my mom and sister.

Dune by Frank Herbert

I tried to read this once the trailer for the movie came out (hi Zendaya), but I had a hard time getting into it. I opted to just listen to it via audiobook once I got off the waitlist. I know this is a series, but I don’t think I will be listening to anymore. I think this genre is just not for me, I don’t know what it is, I used to really like it when I was younger, but it just isn’t very entertaining for me.