2020 will be remembered by most of us as a year of many challenges, but primarily as The Year of Covid-19, of lockdowns, of physical distancing and mask-wearing and cancelled travel plans. Not being able to see loved ones in person. Snuggles missed as grandkids grew a year older. More seriously, for far too many, as a year of illness and bereavement. . . We have all looked forward to 2021 with heightened expectations, and so far it's delivering slowly. . .
Slowly enough that we might draw on the lessons that 2020 has been trying to teach us: Just Slow Down, Stay Home, and Read!
Because for all its faults, to me at least, 2020 was also a Year of Very Good Reading.
In 2020, I followed the book-blogging practice I changed to for 2019: that is, I continued to post photos of hand-written pages from my Reading Journal, generally with added commentary and with links to posts from my Instagram Book account. By March, I had settled into one monthly post -- usually posted ten days or so into the next month -- and I'll probably continue that way for 2021. (and I'd better hurry to get this 2020 Reading list posted, because it's almost time to put together my January 2021 summary).
I've highlighted in yellow a few of the literary fiction and memoir titles I particularly enjoyed this year. If you enjoy mysteries/thrillers, I'd also point to Mick Herron's Slough House series and Christobel Kent's Sandro Cellini series set in Florence. . . and I'm looking forward to more of Attica Locke's series about African-American Texas ranger Darren Matthews. . . And I enjoyed Brit Bennett's novels and Abi Daré's and Oyinkan Braithwaite's as well. But since it would be counter-productive to highlight too many, I've used my yellow sparingly. . .
If you're curious about a book and you'd like to see my response to any of these titles, click on the link within that month's grouping . . .
And perhaps after scrolling through this list, you'll take a moment to let me know if you've read any of these, tell us which you especially liked or disliked, or share a book you'd recommend from your reading last year. . . .
January
1. Elif Shafak, 10 Minutes, 38 Seconds in This Strange World, literary fiction, Turkey, feminist,
2. Bernardine Evaristo. Girl, Woman, Other feminist, literary fiction, Britain, BLM
2. Bernardine Evaristo. Girl, Woman, Other feminist, literary fiction, Britain, BLM
I posted about those two titles here
3. Oyinkan Braithwaite. My Sister the Serial Killer, thriller/mystery, Nigeria, feminist, BLM
3. Oyinkan Braithwaite. My Sister the Serial Killer, thriller/mystery, Nigeria, feminist, BLM
4. Melissa Harrison, Clay, literary fiction, nature writing, Britain
5. Kate Hamer, The Doll Funeral, thriller/mystery, supernatural
5. Kate Hamer, The Doll Funeral, thriller/mystery, supernatural
Post about 3, 4, and 5 here
6. Tessa Hadley, Late in the Day, literary fiction, Britain, aging, adultery
7. Val McDermid, How the Dead Speak, thriller/mystery
6. Tessa Hadley, Late in the Day, literary fiction, Britain, aging, adultery
7. Val McDermid, How the Dead Speak, thriller/mystery
My post about 6 and 7
8. Flynn Berry, A Double Life, thriller/mystery
8. Flynn Berry, A Double Life, thriller/mystery
February
9. Pico Iyer, The Lady and the Monk, travel, memoir, Japan, Buddhism
10. Pico Iyer, Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells, travel, memoir, Japan, Buddhism
9. Pico Iyer, The Lady and the Monk, travel, memoir, Japan, Buddhism
10. Pico Iyer, Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells, travel, memoir, Japan, Buddhism
Posted here about 8, 9, and 10
11. Lee Child, Blue Moon, thriller
12. Kathleen Jamie, Surfacing, memoir, natural history, archaeology, travel
13. Ann Patchett, The Dutch House, literary fiction, coming-of-age
14. Katherine Gilbert Murdock, The Book of Boy, children/YA novel, historical fiction, fantasy
15. Marlena de Blasi, That Summer in Sicily, memoir, travel writing, Sicily
16. Felicity Cloake, One More Croissant for the Road, memoir, travel writing, cycling in France, food
12. Kathleen Jamie, Surfacing, memoir, natural history, archaeology, travel
13. Ann Patchett, The Dutch House, literary fiction, coming-of-age
14. Katherine Gilbert Murdock, The Book of Boy, children/YA novel, historical fiction, fantasy
15. Marlena de Blasi, That Summer in Sicily, memoir, travel writing, Sicily
16. Felicity Cloake, One More Croissant for the Road, memoir, travel writing, cycling in France, food
March
17. Mick Herron, Spook Street, thriller, spy novel
18. Jesmyn Ward, Sing, Unburied, Sing, literary fiction, BLM, testimony, poverty
19. Ann Patchett, The Patron Saint of Liars, literary fiction, American
20. Jean-Christophe Rufin, Le Collier Rouge, literary fiction, WWI, French history, dog, military, French
21. Mark Lamprell, One Summer Day in Rome, contemporary fiction, love story, armchair travel, aging
22. Jesmyn Ward, Salvage the Bones, literary fiction, American history, Hurricane Katrina, BLM, poverty, family, dog
23. Ali Smith, Spring, literary fiction, Britain, socio-political, refugees, immigration
17. Mick Herron, Spook Street, thriller, spy novel
18. Jesmyn Ward, Sing, Unburied, Sing, literary fiction, BLM, testimony, poverty
19. Ann Patchett, The Patron Saint of Liars, literary fiction, American
20. Jean-Christophe Rufin, Le Collier Rouge, literary fiction, WWI, French history, dog, military, French
21. Mark Lamprell, One Summer Day in Rome, contemporary fiction, love story, armchair travel, aging
22. Jesmyn Ward, Salvage the Bones, literary fiction, American history, Hurricane Katrina, BLM, poverty, family, dog
23. Ali Smith, Spring, literary fiction, Britain, socio-political, refugees, immigration
All my March reading was gathered into this post
April
24. Cara Hunter, Close to Home, mystery/thriller
25. Mick Herron, London Rules, thriller, spy novel
26. Jesmyn Ward, Men We Reaped, memoir, BLM, social justice, contemporary USA
27. Siri Hustvedt, What I Loved, literary novel, love, aging, loss, art, New York, friendship, parenting
28. Ibram X Kendi, How to Be an AntiRacist, memoir + manifesto, anti-racism, BLM, politics, social justice
29. Elif Shafak, The Bastard of Istanbul, literary fiction, Turkey, folklore/story, family, history
24. Cara Hunter, Close to Home, mystery/thriller
25. Mick Herron, London Rules, thriller, spy novel
26. Jesmyn Ward, Men We Reaped, memoir, BLM, social justice, contemporary USA
27. Siri Hustvedt, What I Loved, literary novel, love, aging, loss, art, New York, friendship, parenting
28. Ibram X Kendi, How to Be an AntiRacist, memoir + manifesto, anti-racism, BLM, politics, social justice
29. Elif Shafak, The Bastard of Istanbul, literary fiction, Turkey, folklore/story, family, history
More about my April reading in this post
May post here
30. Donna Leon, The Waters of Eternal Youth, mystery, Venice/Italy
31. Shin, Kyung-Sook, Please Look After Mom, (trans. Chi-Young Kim), literary novel in translation, Korean, mother-daughter, aging
32. Shari Lapena. The Couple Next Door, mystery/thriller
33. Cherie Dimaline, The Marrow Thieves, YA, First Nations/indigenous, dystopian, Canadian
34. Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Fleishman Is in Trouble, literary fiction, marriage, comedy of manners, American contemporary
30. Donna Leon, The Waters of Eternal Youth, mystery, Venice/Italy
31. Shin, Kyung-Sook, Please Look After Mom, (trans. Chi-Young Kim), literary novel in translation, Korean, mother-daughter, aging
32. Shari Lapena. The Couple Next Door, mystery/thriller
33. Cherie Dimaline, The Marrow Thieves, YA, First Nations/indigenous, dystopian, Canadian
34. Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Fleishman Is in Trouble, literary fiction, marriage, comedy of manners, American contemporary
35. Hilary Mantel, The Mirror and the Light, historical fiction, literary fiction, British history
36. Emma Healey, Whistle in the Dark, mystery, mother/teen daughter,
37. Donna Leon, Earthly Remains, mystery, Venice/Italy
38. Cherie Dimaline, Empire of Wild, literary fiction, FirstNations/indigenous,Canadian
39. Hélène Cixous, 1938, nuits, memoir/autofiction, Holocaust, refugees, French
36. Emma Healey, Whistle in the Dark, mystery, mother/teen daughter,
37. Donna Leon, Earthly Remains, mystery, Venice/Italy
38. Cherie Dimaline, Empire of Wild, literary fiction, FirstNations/indigenous,Canadian
39. Hélène Cixous, 1938, nuits, memoir/autofiction, Holocaust, refugees, French
July
40. Denise Mina, Conviction, mystery/thriller
41. Jess Kidd, Things in Jars, Gothic mystery/thriller, Victorian, strong female detective
42. Elif Shafak, Three Daughters of Eve, literary fiction, Turkey, women's lives
43. Maria Semple, Today Will Be Different, literary fiction, creative life, parenting, marriage, women's lives
40. Denise Mina, Conviction, mystery/thriller
41. Jess Kidd, Things in Jars, Gothic mystery/thriller, Victorian, strong female detective
42. Elif Shafak, Three Daughters of Eve, literary fiction, Turkey, women's lives
43. Maria Semple, Today Will Be Different, literary fiction, creative life, parenting, marriage, women's lives
44. Mick Herron, Joe Country, spy thriller, British
45. Alice Hoffman, The World That We Knew, literary fiction, historical fiction, WWII, supernatural elements
46. Donna Leon, The Temptation of Forgiveness, mystery, Venice/Italy
47. Carmen Machado, In the Dream House, memoir, LGBTQ, women's lives, love, trauma
48. Jess Kidd, Mr. Flood's Last Resort, mystery/thriller, supernatural elements/fantasy,
49. Susie Steiner, Remain Silent, mystery/police procedural, female detective
50. Emily St. John Mandel, The Glass Hotel, literary fiction, Canadian,
51. J.T. Ellison, Lie to Me, mystery/thriller
52. Gaël Faye, Petit Pays, French, literary fiction, coming-of-age, Burundi, Africa, war, refugee, BLM
53. Brit Bennett, The Vanishing Half, literary fiction, BLM, American, women's lives, mystery
54. Melissa Harrison, At Hawthorn Time, literary fiction, environmental fiction, community, Britain
55. Don Gillmor, To the River: Losing My Brother, memoir, bereavement, men's lives, Canadian
55. Don Gillmor, To the River: Losing My Brother, memoir, bereavement, men's lives, Canadian
56. Peter Robinson, Careless Love, mystery/police procedural
57. Aysegül Savas, Walking on the Ceiling (can't seem to make an S cedilla for first and last s here), literary fiction, Paris, Turkey, women's lives, mourning
58. Christobel Kent, A Time of Mourning, mystery, Florence/Italy
59. Attica Locke Bluebird Bluebird, mystery/police procedural, Texas, BLM
60. Alan Bennett, The Uncommon Reader, literary fiction, humour, Royalty, reading
61. Brit Bennett, The Mothers, literary fiction, coming-of-age, women's lives, BLM, American
62. Alessandro Baricco, Senza sangue, Italian, literary fiction, repercussions of violence, mythical
63. Ann Cleeves, The Crow Trap, mystery/police procedural, Britain
64. Ann Cleeves, Telling Tales, mystery/police procedural, Britain
65. Magda Szabó, Iza's Ballad, literary fiction in translation, Hungary, post-war transformation, mother-daughter, aging
66. Marc Agronin, The End of Old Age: Living a Longer, More Purposeful Life, creative non-fiction, case studies, aging, self-help
67. John Farrow, Ball Park, mystery/police procedural, set in '70s Montreal, Canadian
68. Kwame Owuachi and Joshua David Stein, Notes from a Young Black Chef, memoir, BLM, American, food and restaurant culture
Began but didn't finish Terry Hayes' I Am Pilgrim
69. Elif Batuman, The Idiot, literary fiction, American contemporary, women's lives, academe, coming-of-age
70. Elizabeth Acevedo, The Poet X, YA, Coming-of-Age, BLM, Slam Poetry, Novel in Verse
71. Abi Daré, The Girl with the Louding Voice, Literary Novel, Coming-of-Age, Trauma, Africa, BLM, Women's Lives, Nigerian-British writer
72. Edna O'Brien, Girl, Literary Novel, Coming-of-Age, Trauma, Africa, 20th-century history, Women's Lives
73. Thomas Perry, Small Town, thriller, female detective
74. Christobel Kent, A Murder in Tuscany, mystery/police procedural, Tuscany/Italy, aging/longstanding marriage
75. Emma Donoghue, Akin, literary novel, road trip, France, New York, aging, retirement, old-meets-young
76. Louise Erdrich, The Night Watchman, literary novel, American history, indigenous history, BIPOC history
77. Brian Selznick, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, graphic novel, book-to-film, children's novel, film history
78, Erin Morgenstern, The Starless Sea, fantasy, LGBTQ
79. Ali Smith, Summer, literary novel, volume in series, British, feminist, refugee/immigration, Brexit, youth and age, environment
80. Jess Kidd, Himself, Mystery, Gothic, Comedy-of-Manners, Small-town Ireland
81. Andre Leon Talley, The Chiffon Trenches, memoir, fashion/style, BLM
82. Clare Beams, The Illness Lesson, literary novel, feminist, Gothic, American, science, medicine, education
83. John Banville, Snow, mystery/police procedural (but also a literary novel, sly) Ireland, Irish politics, Church
84. Ocean Vuong, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, auto-fiction, literary novel, LGBTQ, immigration, coming-of-age, trauma, American, Vietnamese
85. Stephanie Butland, The Lost for Words Bookshop, contemporary fiction, romance, mystery, book culture, set in York
86. Anthony Horowitz, The Magpie Murders, mystery, book culture, story-within-a-story, English country house/small town, London
Comments, as always, welcome. . .