favorite books of 2016

I read a whole stack of books in 2016 (52 to be exact—my most ambitious goal yet!) and wanted to share the highlights: my top ten favorite reads of 2016. (only nine pictured; the tenth is in transit between NJ and UT)


1. Upstream // Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver is my favorite poet and one of my favorite writers in general. It turns out her prose is just as wonderful as her poetry (only to be expected), and this volume contains so many gems. Her view of the natural world and internal life are one and she expresses her observations of the world with such knowing wonder. I feel so blessed to live in a world where she is still producing and publishing her beautiful words. A couple of favorite passages here and here.

2. When Women Were Birds // Terry Tempest Williams
This may be my favorite memoir to date. Terry Tempest Williams explores variations on the theme of one's voice and this small volume contains many perspectives on what that means—for women, for oneself, and for others. I was in awe of her interpretations of this theme and this is a book I will revisit again and again.

3. Far From the Madding Crowd // Thomas Hardy
I love classics and am slowly getting up to speed on some of the great ones. This was my first exposure to Thomas Hardy and quickly became one of my favorite novels. I loved Hardy's writing and his cast of characters, namely Bathsheba Everdene, Gabriel Oak, Sergeant Troy, and Mr. Boldwood. Each character is portrayed with such depth and complexity, and I was riveted to their intersecting worlds. I particularly loved Hardy's Biblical allusion, from the names of the two protagonists, to Oak's occupation as shepherd, to the themes of redemption and love (and so on).

4. My Brilliant Friend // Elena Ferrante
This has been on my list for some time. As a student studying Italian, all I longed for was a modern Italian writer whose works were ones I would connect with and could experience as a modern reader, rather than a scholar of historic Italian literature (which I should note, I also love as its own distinct experience). Thus when I first saw reviews circulating of Ms. Ferrante's works, I was delighted. I had hoped for a long time to track down a copy in its native language, but as I had assumed, that is hard ($$$) to come by in the States. I am planning to purchase some of her books when I am in Italy in the spring, and will happily lend them to any of my fellow Italophile readers! I read the first installment of the Neapolitan novels just a few weeks ago and I am hooked. Enough about why I was excited about this book—below is my review from Goodreads which actually addresses the novel itself.

I loved the first installment of the Neapolitan novels, following the friendship of Raffaela (Lila) Cerullo and Elena (Lenù) Greco in 1950s Napoli. Elena Ferrante illustrates the story of this friendship with many contrasts—between the rough-and-tumble neighborhood where the girls grow up and the world outside it; the wealth and ostentation of the Camorra with the city's poverty; the formal Italian of Lenù's schooling with harsh, crass epithets delivered in napoletano dialect; abiding love and its shallow counterfeits; and the stark differences between the girls which draw them together and push them apart in turn. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series and I am also hoping to get my hands on a copy of this book in Italian; throughout my reading I could hear/envision the dialogue delivered in the rapidity and clarity of its native tongue. I am always in awe of translators and their ability to capture both the essence and fiber of a work without leaving it stilted, awkward, or flat, and this book is no exception.

5. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life // Anne Lamott
This book is a favorite of my mom's and she gave me a copy for Christmas last year. I love Anne Lamott's frank tone and humorous anecdotes, and indeed her instructions and advice for writing and life hold true. The title originates with a family story—her brother had procrastinated a bird project for school until the night before and was faced with the daunting task. Her dad advised that the only way to do the project was bird by bird—one step at a time. It's a simple motto, but an effective reminder. As part of the Girls Gone Oscar Wilde writing group, I've passed on a copy to a fellow member as I've found Anne's advice to be sound.

6. Grace Notes // Brian Doyle
I love Brian Doyle and this essay collection is wonderful. I love essays, as reading them is not such an endeavor or commitment as other types of reading can be at times. I usually like to include at least one collection of essays or poetry in my rotation at any given time for this very reason. Most of these essays are several pages each, and best enjoyed in snippets. Doyle's unconventional writing style may grate on some, but I love his mode of expression and quick wit. Favorites include "The Next Eleven Minutes," "Advice to My Son," and "[Silence]." If you have never read "The Wet Engine," by Doyle, I'd recommend that to start (another favorite).

7. Where'd You Go, Bernadette // Maria Semple
This novel was released several years ago and I recall Emily reading it one day when we were at the pool together (ah simpler times). I had heard mixed reviews and wondered whether it was worth my time, but during our camping trip in the Canadian Rockies, Laura recommended I read the novel. It's a quick read, epistolary in fashion (like other favorites—Guernsey! 84, Charing Cross Road!—though set in modern-day Seattle), and quippy. I think I loved it all the more working as I do in local government; Bernadette is a retired architect and has major zoning issues arise with her neighbors—all part of the daily grind in my previous department.

8. Cold Comfort Farm // Stella Gibbons
Published in 1932, I only recently discovered this gem thanks to a recommendation from my friend Allison. This is a bizarre description, but hear me out: Cold Comfort Farm is like Jane Austen and Joe vs. the Volcano met up for a wild weekend in 1930s U.K. It's a bizarre and brilliant comedic satire, and I loved it. Like Joe vs. the Volcano, this might be a love-it-or-hate-it situation, but I say it's a risk worth taking. Plus, the copy I obtained from the library included an introduction by Lynne Truss, which is always a good sign.

9. Between the World & Me // Ta-Nehisi Coates
In a day and age where trending hashtags all too frequently include names of our fellow Americans, Ta-Nehisi Coates' book Between the World and Me is an important work granting insight and an account of his experiences in his black body. Most vivid in my memory are stories about his son—a recollection of his young son in tears following news of Tamir Rice's death, a boy his own age; and an experience Coates recounts of riding an escalator with his son, with other passengers shoving past and not thinking twice, and the symbolic message embodied in such a quotidian experience.

10. When Breath Becomes Air // Paul Kalanithi
I have been a longtime reader of the blog A Cup of Jo, and was so shocked and saddened to hear of Mr. Kalanithi's death from lung cancer; he and his wife Lucy, blogger Joanna Goddard's twin sister, had been occasional figures making an appearance now and again on Joanna's blog. With this connection in mind, I loved reading Paul Kalanithi's memoir; it was beautiful and moving and I cried and cried. I was particularly drawn to his path to neurosurgery; he was fascinated by the human mind and psyche and for much of his life had sought to better understand it through literature. He then pursued neurosurgery as a means of understanding the physical entity which bore such metaphysical influence. I am reminded of my physician mother, whose interests of science and art are interwoven and have been a major influence in my upbringing.

Honorable mentions
• Walk Two Moons // Sharon Creech:  reread this childhood favorite and it holds up marvelously.
• Harry Potter series // J.K. Rowling:  it was about time for a revisit. These are forever favorites.
• The Truth According to Us // Annie Barrows:  Barrows is one of the brilliant aunt-niece pair behind The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and her solo novel was wonderful.
• Daring Greatly // Brené Brown:  one of my friends calls her "Saint Brené" and I think that says it all.

What did you enjoy reading in 2016? Did you discover any new favorites to recommend? Happy reading in 2017!