Last year I did a similar post, and it was really fun for me to make. So, here we are again!
I read 85 complete books in 2020, two less than 2019, but there were a handful I didn't finish which probably add up to another 500 pages or so. I didn't think I'd make my goal of 85, especially with some pandemic anxiety-induced reading dry spells in the mix this year, but the Christmas break always allows me to catch up!
My main reading goal this year was just to try and read "better" books than I did last year, because when I looked through my list I realized I read a decent amount of schlock that I just didn't enjoy and felt like a waste of time. I probably read somewhat higher quality books overall this year, but somehow plenty of garbage still crept its way in (Hunger Games prequel, I'm looking at you). I realized that almost everything I read that was new (published 2020) and hyped turned out to be things I didn't like. So in 2021 I'm going to be extra careful to not read some of the new hyped stuff and especially not trust the new stuff that has almost exclusively 5 stars on Goodreads (with few exceptions, this is always a recipe for a bad match for me for some reason). Also, not reading anything else from Reese Witherspoon's book club which in the majority of cases have been disappointing.
My final borrowing receipt for the year. Due to the pandemic I borrowed only about half as much from the library in 2020, and had to buy and borrow more books than usual. (The House in the Cerulean Sea was to be my last read of the year and bring my total up to 86, but I ended up not finishing - one of the overhyped new books that just didn't do it for me.)
Here are 2020's top five fiction and non-fiction, and some honourable mentions. Links are to my Goodreads reviews.
Fiction
Beartown by Fredrik Backman. Heartbreaking story that anyone who grew up in a hockey town will tell you is exactly how this event would go down. I haven't read the sequel but have heard it's even better.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie. I started reading Agatha Christie in 2019, and have read about five or six of her books. This, her first, is my favourite so far! It is quite obvious the movie Knives Out was heavily influenced by this one, and it was a ton of fun. I mostly gave up on the mystery/thriller genre this year because so many of them are just terrible, but it's nice to have Hercule Poirot to turn to when I want to read a mystery that I know won't be trash.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. So 2020 was the year I finally read Jane Austen and I totally get the hype! I loved it so much. I also read Sense and Sensibility and highly enjoyed it.
Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson. I'm officially obsessed with Eden Robinson. This book is so haunting and gorgeous.
Trickster Drift by Eden Robinson. Two books by the same author in my top five? Yes, I told you I'm obsessed. This was the best book I read all year. It's #2 in the Trickster trilogy, and I don't think it would work well if you tried to read it as a standalone novel, but Son of a Trickster (#1) is also excellent. I love love love her writing and the worlds and characters she creates.
Honourable mentions: Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson, The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt, Slaughterhouse-Five - Ryan North/Albert Monteys graphic novel adaptation, Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi, Truth and Bright Water by Thomas King
Non-Fiction/Memoir
Pain and Prejudice by Karen Messing. One of the world's leading researchers on ergonomics and gender, this book was far from a typical boring academic memoir/pop-sci hybrid. It was so well written and so interesting. It's not a widely known book but I highly recommend it if you can get your hands on a copy and have any interest in occupational health and safety for (traditionally) women's jobs.
A Sting in the Tale by Dave Goulson. Another academic memoir/pop-sci hybrid by a scientist who happens to be an extremely entertaining writer! If you have even the slightest interest in bees, this book will not disappoint. There may not be another person on the planet as passionate about bees as Dave Goulson.
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. Incredible book that provides both a deep look into the systemic racism inherent in the US prison system as well as a gripping legal memoir. I haven't seen the movie but I think this book is a must-read.
Birds Art Life by Kyo Maclear. This was my second read of this beautiful memoir about birdwatching and I loved it as much as the first time.
Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Gildiner. This is the first in a memoir trilogy by a woman who another reviewer once called the female Canadian Forrest Gump. How she sort of fell into all sorts of historical events, or somehow met so many famous figures, is practically unbelievable but sure makes for a rollicking set of memoirs. I liked the first one (this one) the best, but I do think the full trio is worth a read.
Honourable mentions: Black Death at the Golden Gate by David K. Randall, Second Nature by Michael Pollan, The Garden Jungle by Dave Goulson, Indigenous Writes by Chelsea Vowell
I'm in two different book clubs, and both clubs adapted well to virtual meetings for pandemic times (I will admit that some of the books I did not like in 2020 were picks from others in these clubs... however there are also books on the above list that I wouldn't have even heard of if not for book club). It's an activity that has felt like a lifeline sometimes because it's a "pandemic proof" social and intellectual pursuit that is always fun and interesting month after month. I highly recommend joining or starting a book club if it is something that sounds interesting - there are some clubs run through the library or even just find one or two other friends who are willing to read the same book every so often, it doesn't need to be a formal thing!
