Books I’m Grateful For in 2020
Do you have favorite books that have touched or affected you in some meaningful way? You know, the ones that have brought you laughter or piqued your curiosity or made you think differently or made you want to jump on an airplane? (C’mon hurry up and get here 2021!)
My daughter Kelsey’s favorite word is MAGIC. That’s what books are - MAGICAL. They bring magic into our hearts, our souls, our lives. I’ve made a Book Gratitude list of 7 books that have in some way made my life better, easier, and at times life changing…
Thank you, books, for…
Making me laugh…. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
I read this years ago at my family cabin in the woods. Loved ones were all around engaged in various activities. I started chuckling, then guffawing, snorting, and finally howling. They could not stand it, so I started reading passages out loud. The house became filled with explosive screams of laughter. It is THAT funny. Here’s what a reviewer from the Chicago-Sun-Times had to say -”Bill Bryson could write an essay about dryer lint or fever reducers and still make us laugh out loud.” Enjoy!
2. Making me hungry…Louise Penny’s “Inspector Gamache” Book Series
Louise Penny’s entire mystery series is set in rural Quebec. I read that Louise Penny once told her readers that if they take away anything from her books, it’s this: Goodness exists. And I’m telling you that goodness exists in Three Pines, where without a doubt you'll want to live among Inspector Armand Gamache, his wife Renne-Marie, and a delightful cast of beautiful people. AND...you’ll want to spend every minute of your life you possibly can in Gabri and Olivier’s Bistro!
Just imagine “a bistro with fires at either end, their light gleaming off the polished wood floors darkened by years of smoke and farmers’ feet.” Imagine walking inside, sitting around the fireplace, having Gabri approach you and your friends with four steaming plates, and then within minutes, eating fettuccine with shrimp and scallops soaked in garlic and olive oil as “fresh bread is produced, and glasses of dry white wine poured.” (description quote from The Brutal Telling)
Whether it’s a pain au chocolat with cafe au lait, or Coq au Vin with a Hint of Maple, your mouth will be watering along with every book you read, and you will want to be breaking bread and enjoying conversation with the wonderful village residents of Three Pines. I promise!
(Warning - Some readers experience weight gain after reading these books)
3. Making me want to hear the book read out loud…“Born A Crime”, by Trevor Noah
I first read the book and was blown away. I mean for me, there is nothing like having a good book in my hands, my puppy in my lap, and a cup of tea at my side. But after I finished reading, I was so moved that I wanted to hear the author tell his story to me while I listened. Hearing Noah's warm, melodic voice transported me to another place and time. He is a wonderful storyteller, using his keen sense of humor while talking about such a dark period of history.
Born to a white father and a black mother during apartheid, Noah's very existence exposed his parents' crime. Hence, the title of the book - Born a Crime.
It is so impressive to me that Noah is able to use comedy and great grace to balance out the horrific abuse and injustices he's personally experienced. He can make you laugh out loud then reach for a kleenex a few sentences later.
In spite of it all, Trevor Noah appreciates everything that is good in his life. Humor is his therapy. He finds comedy in tragedy. This book, and especially hearing his story in his own voice, was remarkable, insightful, inspirational, and hopeful. Listening will be a treat for your ears and your mind.
4. Making me want to travel to a new place… “Born To Run”, by Christopher McDougall
“There are two goddesses in your heart,” he told them. “The Goddess of Wisdom and the Goddess of Wealth. Everyone thinks they need to get wealth first, and wisdom will come. So they concern themselves with chasing money. But they have it backwards. You have to give your heart to the Goddess of Wisdom, give her all your love and attention, and the Goddess of Wealth will become jealous, and follow you.” Ask nothing from your running, in other words, and you’ll get more than you ever imagined.”
In 1993, while staying in the mountains of Colorado, I came across an article in the local paper about an upcoming ultra distance race in the town of Leadville, formerly a booming mining town, but now completely shut down since 1981. Trying to find a way to save itself, the town leaders recruited runners from all over to compete in 100 mile races. It was mildly successful, but in the early 1990s, to make the race more popular and widely known, they decided to bring in members of the Tarahumara tribe from the Copper Canyons in Mexico. The Tarahumaras were rumored to be superathletes possessed with superhuman toughness and tranquility, allowing them to be the fastest long distance runners in the world..
I followed the race, and sure enough, the winner was a Tarahumara runner, 55 year old Victorio Churro. The next year first place went to 25 year old Juan Herrera, another Tarahumara, who shattered the world record.
Years later, in 2011, I was gifted ‘Born To Run’ and realized the Tarahumara runners in the book were the same ones I had read about nearly 20 years earlier!
The author is a runner himself, and in the first few pages of his book you find out he has sustained a number of injuries, some quite serious, and is shopping once again for a doctor who can fix or medicate him so he can keep running. But all he can get from a myriad of doctors is that running is tough on the legs and there is no solution. He was told if you are a runner, you will get injuries- lots of them.
Christopher McDougall was a writer for Runner’s World Magazine at the time and was assigned to trek into the Barrancas (Copper Canyons) in search of the Tarahumara. His journey deep into the copper canyons took him to people and places he never anticipated. Not only did he find out why the Tarahumaras were faster ultradistance runners than a race horse, cheetah, or an Olympic marathoner, he learned that a kinder, more honest, more serene, tougher, or happier group of people did not exist. They were also incredibly healthy and nearly injury free.
This story is not just about running, but for me turned out to be a profound spiritual, scientific, and most importantly self discovery. Not only did I want to take the train on the Copper Canyon Railroad (El Chepe), but I learned so many valuable truths.
“The reason we race isn’t so much to beat each other…...but to be with each other.” Now there’s a life lesson.
5. Making me feel inspired to take action… “The Language of Flowers”, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
This book is a beautifully written and incredibly moving story about Victoria, who at the beginning of the book is ‘aging out’ of the foster care system at age 18. Like many others in her same circumstance, she is ill-equipped to transition into total self sufficiency having no High School diploma, no real support network, and a total lack of social skills. And because she has had very little constancy in her life, she has no motivation to succeed. In fact, by age 10 she has lived in 32 homes.
After I finished reading Language of flowers, I learned the author had been a foster parent herself for many years. She wanted to write a novel that would give others a better understanding of what the tough challenges and consequences of going through the ‘system’ are.
The author also shared that since publishing this book, she has seen an outpouring of support from readers all over the country. This made me reach out to Kathryn Ashworth, the founder of ‘Voices for Children’ in San Diego. This is a wonderful organization with court appointed special advocates, CASAS, who are appointed by Juvenile Court judges, to be the eyes and ears for each child. The volunteers are thoroughly vetted, get extensive training and are asked to commit to an extended period of time to devote to one child.
I learned about Reactive Detachment Disorder, about limitations on what foster parents can do, about how most foster parents could never be paid enough, and that most foster parents use their own money for extras. I learned that the foster care system is so overcrowded and overtaxed, the goal for reunification with biological parents is getting them to a “C’ level.
I now have several friends who have served as CASAS. I worked for many years in Family Court in a different way by helping high risk children who had parents going through divorces obtain safe custody agreements.
We have made incredible strides, but volunteers are always in great demand. They make such a remarkable difference in the lives of these beautiful compromised children. The rewards are great. Books we read can indeed call us to action.
For a more in-depth review of Language of Flowers, check out the Read part of one of our Read Watch Go book bundles on this blog!
6. Giving me a different way of thinking about something … “Chasing the Scream”, by Johann Hari
My Book Club chose Chasing the Scream for one of our monthly meetings. I was so excited because I had recently visited the National Museum in Oslo, Norway where Edvard Munch’s iconic ‘The Scream” resides. I was momentarily disappointed when I realized the book was about drug addiction, not a painting, but I couldn’t put it down after only a few pages in. And incredibly this book ended up being life-changing for a beloved nephew of mine who had been struggling with a heroin addiction.
Chasing the Scream chronicles the abominable history of the war on drugs and shows convincingly that much of what many of us think we know about addiction is wrong. It showcases personal stories of users, dealers, protesters, pioneers in different ways of looking at addiction, policymakers, legalization approaches, and most importantly, believers of the idea that the opposite of addiction is connection.
I didn’t come away thinking that all prohibition or punishment should never be part of the solution, but I definitely agreed with the author that successfully treating addictions should always involve tools and methods that are much more complex and compassionate.
Addicts are human beings just like we all are. No human being should be treated inhumanely. In fact, the manner in which we are all treated can either help us or hurt us, make us better or worse, give us hope, or make us give up.
Chasing the Scream is emotionally powerful, well-researched, and gives people who desperately need it - hope. Genre- Nonfiction
7. Making me fall in love…(with Mr. Darcy) - “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice is a book that is very dear to me. My twice a month trips to the library with my mother was a beloved tradition we followed faithfully from my kindergarten year through high school. This book was her favorite book of all time, and this was long before an emerging from a lake in a soaking wet shirt Colin Firth came along and considerably boosted awareness and popularity of this beautifully told classic. It became my favorite as well. And my daughter Kelsey can act out and quote the entire show without missing a word. Not exaggerating! I did fall in love with Mr. Darcy from first reading the book, but Colin Firth sealed the deal!
Many of you have read Pride and Prejudice, seen the British miniseries, and perhaps even the movie with Keira Knightley. If you’ve seen the BBC series and/or watched the movie but not read the book, PLEASE read it! If you by chance haven’t read the book, watched the TV series, or seen the movie, PLEASE read the book first! Then watch the fabulous BBC production with Colin Firth. You will laugh, you will be frustrated, you will get upset, you will be delighted, and you will swoon. Promise!
Pride and Prejudice will soon be a Read Watch Go Bookclub Bundle. I’ve planned an absolutely lovely trip to England to pair with the book and the Miniseries post-CoVid!
