It’s hard to believe that this is the fifth year of The Literary Year in Review, but so it is, and the Library Pug is here once again to help shepherd in another great round-up of favorite reads from 2014. This year’s list, as always, was curated by an eclectic group of smart and funny women to whom I owe a deep debt of gratitude, and is full of interesting, entertaining, and inspiring books. Hopefully, you will find something wonderful here to fill those precious minutes you carve out for yourself between the comings and goings of day-to-day life; I, for one, know my Goodreads list is overflowing.
Emily’s Picks
Between completing her doctoral coursework, moving to Charleston, preparing her dissertation, and applying for internships, I’m impressed that my sister-in-law found time to read. But she did, saying, “This is the first year I have been able to read for pleasure! Woo!”
The Heart of a Woman, by Maya Angelou: If you are interested in Maya Angelou this is a great book on her early career and life as a single mom. Very eye opening to read as a Caucasian as she often paints a realistic picture of the early civil rights movement and her struggles.
Wild, by Cheryl Strayed: Great book of one woman’s journey on the PCT. It was pretty cool to get inside her head during her “transformative” journey.
On the Trail of Genghis Khan, by Tim Cope: Great book! I love how he incorporates history of the Mongol people with his own travel experience. It is pretty long so I am still not done…but I love it.
Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell (Audiobook): Very interesting take on how people become successful. The audiobook was a tad boring so I wish I had actually read it.
Beth’s Picks
I always enjoy reading Beth‘s picks, since I’m always curious what actual authors read. Beth says, “Well, this isn’t a tough one, as I have read some excellent books this year.”
In the non-fiction category, I recommend E2 (E-Squared) and E3 (E-Cubed), both by Pam Grout. They were fun and insightful, and made me look at my thoughts in a whole new way.
I also enjoyed The War of Art, by Stephen Pressfield (the author of The Legend of Bagger Vance). It’s a short, quick read, but is excellent for anyone who wonders about “how” to be creative – in life, in art, and in business.
Fiction was also easy: Written In My Own Heart’s Blood, by Diana Gabaldon. I love her work, and this is by far the best of the last four in the series.
I also read and enjoyed Someone Else’s Love Story, by Joshilyn Jackson. She is witty and fabulous – a true gift in the modern Gothic Fiction genre.
“There were a bunch of others, but I’m limited to five, so I won’t break the rules ;-).”
Victoria’s Picks
Victoria says, “Once again, I don’t have 5 worthy of sharing, but I scraped together 3 (I included a kids book – does that get me kicked out?).” I say, reading any books is better than reading none! This year, Vik has convinced me to participate in Modern Mrs. Darcy‘s 2015 Reading Challenge, which you’ll hear more about in the coming days.
With my (somewhat involuntary) focus on my health in 2014, I shouldn’t be surprised that one of my favorite reads was a cookbook. Against All Grain: Meals Made Simple, by Danielle Walker proved both a cathartic read (she, too, fell off the rails a few times before her new nutritional lifestyle “stuck”) and infallible resource. The recipes are straightforward while still company-worthy (even for non-Paleo company). As a bonus, I got to meet the author and she’s as delightful in person as she seems from her recipes!
My reading time was equally limited by working through some significant issues with my daughter, which leads to another 2014 favorite: Listen, Listen, by Phillis Gershator (Illustrated by Alison Jay). This unique, oversized board book cycles through the nuanced sounds of the seasons, accompanied by deliciously detailed illustrations. While all the sound-generating activities narrated in the story are lively enough for daytime reading, the rhythmic cadence makes it a good bedtime pick, too.
My fiction-reading this year was unabashedly fluff and entertainment driven (see above). Along the way, I was delighted to discover the Starbridge series by Susan Howatch (Glittering Images is the first in the series). It’s a little bit of mystery, a little bit of smut, and a surprising dose of philosophical reflection: win, win, win. (With many thanks to Anne Bogel of the fantastic blog Modern Mrs. Darcy for the recommendation!)
Jessica’s Picks
Jessica says, “I’ve only got four for you. I didn’t do much book reading in 2014. It was all about the blogs!” Again I say, four books are better than none, any day.
Little Failure: A Memoir, by Gary Shteyngart: There are so many rich layers here. Who knew that chronic illness, parental disappointment, the immigrant experience and playground bullying could be so funny?
Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh: Her tales and accompanying pictures are whimsical and hilarious.
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, by David Sedaris: Viciously funny and poignant because the stories ring true. “The squirrel and the chipmunk had been dating for two weeks when they ran out of things to talk about.”
The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt: This is a doorstop of a book about the impact of chance encounters and one day in a teenage boy’s life that continues to reverberate. Dickensian and episodic. “You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.”
Heather’s Picks
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, by Mindy Kaling: It’s a fun read full of honesty and humor. And, it’s always downright lovely to experience the voice of a talented, confident, yet humble female.
Thrive, by Arianna Huffington: Provides a different take on “women in business” than Lean In. I like that it gives a lens to defining personal success and not simply judging by external standards.
This is Where I Leave You, by Jonathan Tropper: Based on the events of a family “trapped” together sitting shiva for their father, this story is told in a way that is funny, heartbreaking, and relatable. I haven’t seen the movie, but I still picture Jason Bateman in my head as I read it. And that makes it all the more entertaining!
Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, by David Sedaris: I went through a serious David Sedaris phase in 2014…though I was very late to that particularly witty party. If you adore witty, charming, somewhat uncomfortable at times (but still funny), and “real”…this is your man.
Every Kiss A War, by Leesa Cross-Smith: So, this year I fell in love (swoon), and I was particularly drawn to this collection of short stories. I’m not a bodice-ripper/romantic novel kinda gal, so this was a good fit for me. It’s raw, interesting, and emotional with some southern flair.
Read in 2012, but it’s still amazeballs: And if anyone has yet to read [Let’s Pretend this Never Happened,] the collection of essays by Jenny Lawson (aka The Bloggess)…they need to drop everything and do so immediately!
Nicole’s Picks
Nicole says, “Thank you for including me in this survey. I am embarrassed that it was difficult for me to remember 5 books I read this year. Which meant I had a hard time with a list of the “best” books of 2014. That being said, I did want to respond with books I am really glad I read in 2014.”
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon: Seeing life through the eyes of someone with a disability was eye opening and thought provoking even if the story was a little weak.
Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand: What can you say about a brutal story like this? It made me sad for what our service men went through back then and fearful for what our service men and women are doing now. It also showed me the power of mind over matter and the awesome power of forgiveness.
Looking for Alaska, by John Green: This was my first experience with the young adult trend. Truly enjoyed the story and being inside a teenage boy’s head for a little while.
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee: I know, I know, but I had not read it until this year. This is now one of my favorites but seems weird to list as a Best Book of 2014, it really is just a Best Book period.
Beloved, by Toni Morrison: I read this book in High School and wanted to re read as an adult. Missed a lot of the story as a 17 year old and was deeply affected reading now as a mother. I enjoyed her writing both as a 17 old and a adult which speaks volumes about her. She told the complete life story of a character in a paragraph with probably less words than I have used in this email. I still have it saved on my phone.
Shannon’s Picks
Shannon says, “I read a ton of non-fiction this year, really great books about materialism and consumer culture, Buddhism, and economic inequality, all of which modified my outlook regarding “stuff”… But my heart always has been with fiction, and I read some really great fiction this year! Caveat: After reading The Bone Clocks in September, I decided that this would be my year to binge-read David Mitchell… and now that I’ve read the canon to date, I could quite truthfully take up my entire list with those books. They are just that good. He is just that excellent of a writer. But that would exclude so many other wonderful reads that I enjoyed this year, and if David Mitchell isn’t your thing, then I’ve given you nothing for 2015. I can’t do it.”
5. Flight of the Silvers, by Daniel Price: OK, so sometimes I like a really fun science fiction novel, and this one fits the bill. A handful of people are saved from a world-wide extinction event by suspicious characters who transport them to a United States in an alternate dimension. After they arrive, they learn that even this new reality is not what it seems and that they may be stuck in an infinitely-repeating time loop. Also, they now have super-powers. Also, not all of them are good guys – one of them is a serial killer. Set up to be the first in a trilogy, this book is endlessly entertaining from start to finish. I can’t wait for the next one.
4. The Word Exchange, by Alena Graedon: Not too far in the future, someone figures out that they can make a lot of money if they put a price tag on individual words and their definitions. Add to that the systematic elimination of independent dictionaries, and words are literally at a premium. Throw in a weird technology-to-humanity virus that causes people to forget even the most basic words and pay per word to have them supplied through their smartphones… repeatedly… and the unintended physiological effects of the virus, and you have a really interesting, suspenseful read. Excellent choice for anyone who ever thought that their iPhone’s auto-correct is out to get them.
3. The Rise and Fall of Great Powers, by Tom Rachman: A twisting, flash-back filled story of a little girl who is apparently kidnapped during the last years of the Cold War and how those early experiences affect her adult life. Tooly, the little girl/emotionally stunted adult, is almost as frustrating a character as Theo Decker from The Goldfinch (see #2 below), but in spite of her ignorance and selfishness, she resolves into a more fully-realized, functional adult. Revelations about the supporting characters and the circumstances surrounding her abduction add humanity and sympathy to what otherwise would be just another story of heists and con-men. Someone else, please, read this book and tell me whether it reminds you of Great Expectations.
2. The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt: Yes, I finally succumbed, and it was great! As I expected, the writing pulled me in almost immediately, and I cared enough about the main character to frequently drop my iPad in my lap and mutter “Oh, Theo…” By far the most frustrating main character out of her three books, Theo just can’t seem to find his way as everything goes progressively downhill for him. I loved oblivious Hobie and the descriptions of antique furniture restoration (I use the term “fiddly bits” every chance I get). Overall, a vast improvement over The Little Friend – there is a huge twist about 2/3 of the way through the book and largely a resolution, even if the scenes with Boris and the Russian Mafia approach something like Tom Wolfe-ian madness – but it still doesn’t touch The Secret History.
1. The Bone Clocks, by David Mitchell: The most “supernatural” of all of his books so far (many of which have some element of mysticism, soul transmigration, and/or immortality). A troubled teen with psychic tendencies crosses paths with a shadowy group that uses brutal rituals in order to maintain a semblance of immortality, set in the pre- and post-apocalyptic world described in Ghostwritten, Number9Dream, and Cloud Atlas. Yes, folks, he even tells a wonderful “spooky story.” Tense narration, truly frightening imagery, characters that you can’t help but care about -even when they’re jerks and outright sociopaths – and a heart-wrenching ending with both sorrow and hope. It was such a great experience that it made me go back and read every novel that David Mitchell published, one right after the other. If that doesn’t make a book #1 for the year, I don’t know what does.
Erin’s Picks
It was hard to pick my five absolute favorite books from last year, so I settled on six of my mostly favorites with a couple honorable mentions. Because, rules are made to be broken. Don’t get me wrong, I read a lot of very solidly good books in 2014. But I read few books that stood out as true favorites among them (save the first one below).
A Moveable Feast, by Ernest Hemingway: After my book club read The Paris Wife, a mediocre fictionalization of Ernest Hemingway’s time in Paris told from the point of view of his first wife, Hadley, I decided to go straight to the primary source material. I’ve long been a fan of Hemingway, and A Moveable Feast might have just become my favorite of his works. The prose is simultaneously concise and evocative, tender and measured, and paints a lovely and nostalgic picture of his early years in Paris as he struggled to establish himself as a writer. Equally enjoyable were Hemingway’s frank depictions of his Lost Generation contemporaries, like F. Scott Fitzgerald (and his mercurial wife, Zelda), Ezra Pound, and Gertrude Stein.
Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes: I do not cry at books. Or rather, did not, until I read this. And cry I did – big, ugly, sobs into my pillow. It’s a deceptively easy read that deals deftly with difficult and complicated topics (relationships, class, assisted suicide). (As an aside, I was tempted to include The Fault In Our Stars here as well, but that would be too many heartbreaking books for one short list).
Tell the Wolves I’m Home, by Carol Rifka Brunt: A story that deals with forbidden love and loss in the early, frightening years of the AIDS epidemic. This one is touching, thought-provoking, and meant to be savored. I also recommend the classic non-fiction book, And the Band Played On, by Randy Shilts, as a companion read that provides great context.
We are All Completely Beside Ourselves, by Karen Joy Fowler: Told by a narrator of dubious reliability, this book pieces together the story of a dysfunctional family, beginning with the middle of the story. With varying degrees of sublety, it touches on themes like the reliability of memory, the meaning of family, and the ethics of animal testing. A thoroughly engrossing, if at times confusing, read.
Bossypants, by Tina Fey (Audiobook): I never thought I’d say this, but I’m pretty sure that the audiobook version is better than the actual book. It is narrated by Tina Fey herself, and made me alternate between laughing so hard I almost wrecked (there is a replay of the infamous SNL skit where Tina-as-Sarah-Palin proclaims, “I can see Russia from my house!”), and thinking really hard about the choices women with demanding jobs have to make (“By the way, when Oprah Winfrey is suggesting you may have overextended yourself, you need to examine your fucking life”).
The Luminaries, by Eleanor Catton: Though it took me most of the year, I finally finished this damn book. I spent most of it wondering what the hell was happening, and the resolution wasn’t quite as dramatic as the length of the book would suggest it should be, but I thoroughly enjoyed the wide cast of characters, the intertwining plot lines, and Catton’s quasi-Victorian writing style.
This year’s Honorable Mentions go to The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (an endearing and sweet tale for book lovers) and The Rosie Project (quirky and fun).
What is on Your Reading List for 2015?
I hope that some of these delicious reads caught your eye and got added to your list for 2015. As always, I am ever grateful to the amazing women who contributed; they make my life (and reading list) fuller and richer.
Of course, it’s not too late to add your two cents: Leave a comment below with the five(ish) best books that you read in 2014. My complete reading list is kept relatively up-to-date on Goodreads as well, so please feel free to join me there, too. I’ll be coming around in another 11 months or so to gather input for your favorite books in 2015. In the meantime, I hope that your 2015 is full of laughter, joy, dear friends, good wine, and great books!
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