It has been a few months since we shared this list of favorite books. Since a list for the whole year is a little overwhelming, we decided we would post every couple of months. There is a little overlap because we often convince each other to read books we have finished, so you will see a few repeats. Hope this gives you a few ideas for your bookshelf.
Steph’s Picks
March by John Lewis
Graphic novels are a genre that I don’t usually pick up. I heard about the March trilogy from a podcast a few years ago and immediately ordered the trilogy from Amazon. This was one of those things that I was saving for a special occasion. I didn’t want to start them because that would mean I would finish them.
With our trip to the south, I decided it was time to crack them open. It was such an incredible way to learn more about John Lewis and his life. The drawings were beautiful and the story is so incredible. Being able to see the places that were in the book right after reading it made it even more powerful.
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
With our trip planned out to Alabama, I also wanted to read Just Mercy. I couldn’t put it down. The book follows Bryan Stevenson through a few of his cases for the Equal Justice Initiative. It helped me understand more of the criminal justice problems in this country – especially in the south. Each story was heartbreaking and unforgettable.
I have read many books on the problems our country has with systemic racism. It’s hard to comprehend and process all the information and figure out what to do with it. One of the first things I’ve committed to changing is prepping for Election Day. I want to make sure I know as much as possible about judges, sheriffs and district attorneys.
The book is also a movie now. I haven’t seen it yet, but it’s on the list. The book was fantastic, so I would definitely recommend it.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
This story is incredible. It follows the life of a pack horse librarian from Kentucky in the 1930’s. Learning about this job and the importance of books to the hill people of Kentucky was amazing.
There is quite a bit of news surrounding this story. Jojo Moyes is an author I love, but she was accused of plagiarizing this story last year when she released a similar story with many overlapping plot lines. I didn’t read her book, but you can get more information in this article. It made me want to read and support this author even more and I’m glad I did.
I loved the characters, loved the story and immediately found myself googling all kinds of information about the pack horse librarians and the blue people of Kentucky.
Justin’s Picks
A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum
This book was amazing. The characters are wonderfully depicted and offer up that “other perspective” I’m always hunting for. On top of the character development, the writing is almost flawless. The author offers just the right amount of description but also gives you just enough of each character’s background and thoughts so you never fully learn them. This makes them all very real and nuanced.
OOOHHH! And the ending! This is one of my two favorite book endings over the last few months. So good.
White Fragility: Why It’s S Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
After all of the books I read over the past year related to race, I found myself more confused than ever about the whole topic of racism. I’d finish each new book with an updated understanding of others’ perspectives. Two key books I read along the way were Just Mercy and Slavery by Another Name. Both are outstanding in showing how systemic racism is alive and well and even how it has been shaped to hide in the shadows since the end of Reconstruction. So what did I do with my new found perspective? Nothing. I just sat and stewed to myself over how wrong our black and POC neighbors have been treated. The information in these books is so overwhelming because there are pages and pages of denigration and derogation so it’s hard to even remember examples.
So finally, this book gets down to the not only “why” it’s hard for us whites to talk about race but also “how” to start talking about it. If nothing else, this book has a very “get off your ass and into the game” delivery that I appreciated. If you are willing to look in the mirror and look deep into the eyes of the person looking back at you then this book may be just what you need. You’ll need to be honest with yourself and open your mind. If you can do that, this book will help you in ways I cannot explain.
Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut
I’ve read a lot of Vonnegut’s work. I know that 90% of the time I am going to like it and that remaining 10% usually at least is moderately entertaining. I somehow had passed over this book for many years and decided to give it a go. I am so glad I did. I was starting to think that I had already read Kurt’s best work and such was not the case. I can easily call this one of his top-two books for me.
This book holds the other best ending I mentioned above and is told in a way that only works with Vonnegut’s smooth and consistent delivery. If you have read and appreciate his work then you’ll love this. If you haven’t, this one seems like a great place to start. Enjoy.
What are you reading?
Tell us so we can add it to our goodreads list. If you are looking for other reading ideas, go check out all the books on Steph’s blog here.
