About this time last year, I shared our Ten Favorite Books of 2019. I started that blog by sharing one of the joys of Senior Nomad living was having plenty of time to read. Of course, the difference between 2019 and what transpired this past year is like comparing a graphic novel to War and Peace. Since COVID hit, we’ve had enough time, and enough solitude to read so much that our eyes crossed - but it wasn’t always for pleasure.
Beyond the pandemic crisis, there was the tragic death of George Floyd - and the aftermath. That led to a flood of books on racial awareness and the Black Lives Matter movement. And at the same time, there were a dozen tell-all Trump tombs on offer. However, if you chose to dip into either category, you could find yourself compounding an already challenging existence by reading books that made you keenly aware of just how grim things were. And, of course, there was no end of news to absorb. We found ourselves reading way too much news online, watching cable news, and listening to current events podcasts instead of delving into the more pleasant world of fiction.
2020 was the year of information overload!
To quote Michael “I have always prided myself in being well informed about current events but 2020 was like an avalanche of news, and news that directly affected our lives. COVID, COVID, and more COVID. Press conferences, impeachments, vaccines, Warp Speed, WHO, CDC, FDA, elections, political conventions, elections, elections, and on and on it went. It was harder to find the time (or more accurately make the time) to read anything else. But I found some wonderful books in 2020 that informed, entertained, enlightened, and educated me and kept me away from the "crisis de jour!”
We’ve always enjoyed putting together jigsaw puzzles and-stay at-home-orders caused their popularity to soar. We managed to put together ten different 500 - 1,000 piece puzzles last year - including this book themed beauty that appealed to Michael’s sense of order because he could sort by colors.
I’ve always been a nail biter, and 2020 offered all kinds of opportunities to nibble away, so I tried to stay away from the more salacious or terrifying testaments. Even so, I find when I am reading my lingering habit is at it’s worst. I think it’s because I get anxious about taking time for myself. Surely I should be doing something more important than reading for pleasure! I tend to relegate reading time to bedtime, lunchtime, or travel time. I look forward to flying or getting on a train because I can read unencumbered by any other responsibilities (real or imagined). But this past year, I shifted gears. There was so much time to read, I couldn’t possibly deny myself. And I had more than one manicure. So that was a small victory.
Last Spring in San Miguel de Allende (where we are now) I had crazy Covid-Curls and pretty fingernails!
I also changed my mind about audiobooks - something else I perceived as a “guilty pleasure." I look at people on Airplanes (or in waiting rooms) who don’t have something to read in their hands with suspicion. I didn’t want to be “that person” who looks vapid - even if they’re listening to the unabridged edition of Ulysses. But now that taking longs walks is one of few sanctioned activities, I have become a fan - and regret my harsh judgement. I especially enjoyed listening to Michelle Obama read her biography Becoming, and Tom Hanks did an excellent job narrating The Dutch House.
When I was looking for an image of Tom Hanks reading The Dutch House I came across this one. What a great idea - a Walking Book Club. I don’t know if everyone listens while they walk and then discusses a book or just walk and talk - either way, I’m in!
We continue to thank the Seattle Public Library for allowing us to download just about any ebook or audiobook on the planet for free. That not only saves us money, it also encourages us to choose books we might otherwise overlook. And while we might be number 50 on the wait-list for a popular title, we can peruse the “books available now” for some instant reading or listening pleasure.
Ahh…this brings back memories of going to the library to stock up on travel books to help the Chief Travel Planner and I plot our next adventure.
To that end, I did a little research and found a few interesting links to share. First, I wondered just how many ZOOM book clubs formed once COVID put a stop to getting together to dissect a good book over a glass of wine. The answer is thousands! And here’s a link to join one, or create one, if you don’t belong to one already. Then I poked around on different library sites to see how they were supporting their local communities. Here are a few I liked: Our own Seattle’s Public Library site, of course, along with the Los Angeles Public Library, and the New York Central Library. If that’s not enough, here’s Fodor’s 19 best libraries in the USA. And just for fun peruse (and use) the venerable British Library. And finally, along with our favorites listed below, here are a few sources for your next great read: NPR’s Book Concierge, The New York Times Best-seller List, Thirty Books Everyone Should Read Once in Their Lives, and of course Michael’s go-to site Goodreads. Personally, I pester my best friends and my daughters-in-law for recommendations.
Top Ten Favorite Books of 2020
Michael’s list:
All We Ever Wanted - Emily Giffin
American Dirt - Jeanine Cummins
Becoming - Michelle Obama
On The island - Tracey Garvis Graves
The Last Year of the War - Susan Meissner
The Moment of Lift - Melinda Gates
The Rosie Project - Don Tillman
The Splendid and the Vile - Erik Larson
The Story of Arthur Truluv - Elizabeth Berg
Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me - Adrienne Brodeur
Debbie’s List:
American Dirt - Jeanine Cummins
As Bright at Heaven - Susan Meissner
Becoming - Michelle Obama / audiobook read by the author
Everything you Never Told Me - Celeste Ng / audiobook read by Cassandra Campbell
Meet me at the Museum - Anna Youngson
The Dutch House - Ann Patchett / audiobook read by Tom Hanks
The Girl Who Fell From the Sky - Heidi W. Durrow
The Giver of Stars - Jojo Moyes
The Rosie Project - Don Tillman
The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett
We have settled back in the same home in San Miguel de Allende for the foreseeable future - at least until vaccines are guaranteed and easy to get in Seattle. There are some intriguing hard-cover books on the shelves in this rental home calling to me. It’s always nice to hold a real book! Currently, I am reading Know my Name by Chanel Miller (Michael just finished it and gave it 5 stars) and listening to To Kill a Mockingbird narrated by Sissy Spacek - it’s delightful. Michael is reading Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng - one that I highly recommend. So we are all set to stay close to home and enjoy reading in the sunshine. Here's hoping 2021 is less of a page-turner! Please share your favorite book recommendations in the comments below.
Thanks for following along,
Debbie and Michael Campbell
P.S. One of our favorite followers, Polly-Alida, has started a Senior Nomads Group Page on Goodreads Sign up and share your favorite books about places you’ve visited or dream of visiting, and get some great recommendations from other nomads.