2018 FAVORITES
1. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
DATES READ: 31 Dec. 2016-10 Jun. 2018
PAGE COUNT: 818
GENRE: nonfiction, biography
FORMAT: paperback & audiobook
Yes, you've read that right. It took me a year-and-a-half to read this book. But you try finishing an 800-page historical biography! It's daunting. I started reading this book because my curiosity about this Founding Father was piqued by listening to Hamilton! But obviously, my attention got derailed quite a few times. This summer, I decided to cut the crap and bought the book on Audible. I finished the last half in a matter of days. Hamilton's life is much more complex than it seems, even after having listened to the musical soundtrack half a million times. Chernow's writing reads like a novel, which is why I liked the book that much more for making hisotry sound interesting, something most of my high school textbooks failed to achieve. If you enjoy history and don't mind lengthy books, this one's for you. The density is well worth it.
2. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
DATES READ: 19-20 Jun.
PAGE COUNT: 224
GENRE: nonfiction, science
FORMAT: audiobook
This book was among the shortest I've read this year, but it definitely was one of the best. I've always been riveted by astronomy/astrophysics/whatever-the-term-is, but my talents do not lie in that area. I'm glad that there are books about these things that are addressed to an audience that might not understand all of the math and abstract theories. I'm not going to lie, though, I chose this particular book because I recognized DeGrasse Tyson's name from his brief role as God on Logic's 2017 album, Everybody. Still, I'm glad I picked it, especially as an audiobook, read in Tyson's deep, fatherly voice. He manages to explain dark matter and black holes in a way that made me feel privy to the secrets of the universe. DeGrasse Tyson made me want to dive deeper into exploring the universe, novice that I am. Maybe Hawkins will be next (maybe).
3. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
DATES READ: 21-25 Jun.
PAGE COUNT: 308
GENRE: fiction, contemporary
FORMAT: audiobook
I read Jones' book during the summer over the span of a few days. It's a love triangle, it's a modern odyssey, it's a commentary on mass incarceration, and it drove me absolutely crazy. Less than two years after marrying his college sweetheart Celestial, Roy is falsely accused of raping an elderly white woman and is sent to prison. This book details the struggles that the newlyweds face upon his imprisonment. I could never decide whose "side" I was on, Roy's or Celestial's, because it's that type of situation in which nobody wins. The end of the book frustrated me, but it felt realistic. I never truly felt at peace about this book until I saw Jones speak when I was on fall break. Her description of the book, her presentation of the story and the characters, helped me to achieve clarity I could not have gotten on my own. This novel is not a light read, but it's definitely one that needed to be written.
4. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
DATES READ: 09-18 Jul.
PAGE COUNT: 433
GENRE: fiction, historical
FORMAT: paperback
Next up on books that will crush your soul... I'd already read Adichie's famous contemporary, Americanah, and loved it, so I enthusiastically picked up this novel, her most popular one. I knew very little about Nigerian history and politics before reading it, but, my goodness, what an introduction! Half of a Yellow Sun takes place in Nigeria during the 1960s, the tense period before and during the civil war. Adichie focuses, however, not on politics, but on people: Uguwu, a teenaged houseboy born in a small village; Olanna, the daughter of a rich Lagos minister and mistress of a university professor; and Richard, an Englishman who has fallen in love with this country and its people. I couldn't help but be seduced by the stories that Adichie tells, of love, of family, of loyalty and division, and of the birth of a modern nation.
5. 10% Happier by Dan Harris
DATES READ: 24 Jul.-05 Aug.
PAGE COUNT: 256
GENRE: nonfiction, self-help
FORMAT: paperback
All I knew before reading this book is that it describes a skeptic's journey to becoming a full-fledged meditator. I was completely roped in after only a few chapters. As a skeptic myself (who happens to be a Christian lol), I have always found myself suspicious of any practice that people promise will change your life. That's why I love Harris' claim that meditating will make you about 10% happier, which doesn't sound too radical to me. Harris describes how the high-pressure environment of news reporting eventually got to him so that he eventually had a panic attack on live television. He knew something had to change, and, after trying everything, Harris finally decided to give meditation a shot. This book describes not only his personal journey, but also his very public investigation into meditation as personal and spiritual practice.
6. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
DATES READ: 29 Aug.-03 Sept.
PAGE COUNT: 403
GENRE: fiction, contemporary
FORMAT: hardcover
I sped-read this book right before school started because I wanted to know what happened before I watched the film adaptation. I only finished half of it before I saw the film, but I'm glad I got both sides. The book and the movie tell two very different stories, but I loved both for different reasons. Firstly, do not read this book purely because you enjoyed the movie. Normally, I wouldn't say that, but Crazy Rich Asians is a high-context read. Kwan does an excellent job of translating South-East Asian yuppie culture for inexperienced foreigners like me, with footnotes on everything from the history of Singapore to translations of Hokkien, Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay, etc. But the real reason I loved this book was the characters. Nicholas Young is the perfect naive uber-rich bachelor, and Rachel Chu is an intelligent, tougher-than-she-looks ABC (American-born Chinese). Eleanor is clever and ruthless, and Peik Lin is the sassy best friend that everyone needs. If you love drama and don't mind wading through the abundant cultural references, definitely read this book.
7. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
DATES READ: 19 Jul.-18 Sept.
PAGE COUNT: 473
GENRE: nonfiction, biography
FORMAT: paperback
I don't know why I didn't read this book earlier. It was published a few years ago, and everyone was talking about it, but I didn't buy it until 2017 and didn't read it until this past summer. If you're skeptical of nonfiction, this is a good book to start with. It has a literary feel and the events described within are so crazy they seem made-up. I always love a good war novel, but this book is even better because it's true! Unbroken describes Lieutenant Louis Zamperini's journey home after a plane crash in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. He managed to find land and survive multiple POW camps in Japan for several years after he was already declared dead in America. I loved the way Hillenbrand told Louie's story, by making it personal. If you like WWII books and action, this is a book you should read.
8. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
DATES READ: 04-22 Sept.
PAGE COUNT: 243
GENRE: nonfiction, Christian
FORMAT: paperback
So many people recommended this book to me that I decided to give it a go when school started. I bought it at the annual book sale at my library, and I am so glad I did! Blue Like Jazz is very simple, but what I love about it is that it strips Christianity down to its core, leaving only the most important concepts, like love for one's neighbor and empathy. I can't remember much about its content, but what I do remember is that it spurred me to emulate the type of love Miller describes in the book. It made me want to be a better human being and a better Christian. It's really short and easy to read, but I'd recommend that all believers take a crack at it.
9. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
DATES READ: 12 Aug.-30 Nov.
PAGE COUNT: 1,177
GENRE: fiction, fantasy
FORMAT: audiobook
This is the longest book I've read. Ever. But I think out of all the A Song of Ice and Fire series that I've read, this one was the most intense and most formative. It covers the Red Wedding, the Purple Wedding, Jon's love and loss, Bran's journey to the wall, and so much more. For those who've only watched the show, think: seasons 3 and 4. Anyways, I continue to love this series because Martin does such a good job of following the story of each character and creating new conflicts without it feeling forced. I'm totally invested and I can't wait to start the next book in the series. Still, I'm scared no book in the series can top this one.
10. Becoming by Michelle Obama
DATES READ: 01-28 Dec.
PAGE COUNT: 426
GENRE: nonfiction, autobiography
FORMAT: audiobook
I preordered this on Audible because I knew it would be one of the best reads of the year. I remember feeling so excited when I found out it was coming out because I love to read autobiographies from strong, influential women, and Michelle Obama definitely fits in that category. I loved hearing her side of things, as I'm more familiar with Barack's background. I also loved hearing the whole story, rather than just the political one. Michelle's background in living on the South Side of Chicago, attending Princeton University as an undergraduate, Harvard Law School, career, meeting Barack, her journey to being a politician's wife and eventually a president's wife, and where she's found herself since. The more I think about it, the more remarkable Obama's background sounds. She was an underprivileged nobody who somehow educated herself to the top, and, even when she could have settled for being the First Lady who merely attends luncheons and wears pretty dresses, she pushed herself to do more. Obama planted a community garden and fought for healthier school lunches. I loved seeing how she never settled and always strove to help the next generation, never forgetting her roots. No matter what side of the political spectrum you find yourself on, you'll definitely find Obama's autobiography to be compelling and touching.