Every month I chronicle those ordinary delights that give me comfort or offer a place of reflection or joy. Here are my everyday delights for December with a slight variation – I recount books I loved in 2015.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr: Stunning in its lyricism and character development, I read Doerr’s words with an unprecedented enthusiasm. My reading taste generally gravitate toward nonfiction, but the pulse of these pages were too poignant to abandon. The philosophical underpinnings, the relationship between the daughter and father, the brimming of emotion and the stunning prose left me weeping at the end of this longer work.
Big Magic:Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert: I’ve had two opportunities to witness Gilbert’s charisma in person and she never disappoints. Her creative process inspires the writer who feels stuck or doesn’t think he or she is enough. One of my favorite quotes: ““Most of all, be ready. Keep your eyes open. Listen. Follow your curiosity. Ask questions. Sniff around. Remain open. Trust in the miraculous truth that new and marvelous ideas are looking for human collaborators every single day. Ideas of every kind are constantly galloping toward us, constantly passing through us, constantly trying to get our attention. Let them know you’re available.”
Ongoingness:The End of A Diary by Sarah Manguso: I read Ongoingness twice and I suspect I will revisit Manguso’s words again. Her musings on time, love, loss, memory are my personal obsessions and often times, I’d nod my head in agreement, highlighting passages with fervor. This passage, in particular, pushed me immediately into the present: “In a hundred and fifty years no one alive will ever have known me. Being forgotten like that, entering that great and ongoing blank, seems more like death than death.”
A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan: The protagonist in Egan’s novel is squarely in midlife, balancing the needs of her own identity, as well as her role as wife, mother and woman extraordinaire. I laughed and cried with Alice as she attempted to find her footing. The central question that we all face raises its hand repeatedly, “Is it possible to find a balance between work, self and the roles of spouse, parent and caregiver?” I suspect that many who straddle this tightrope will find Egan’s debut novel comforting.
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill: Offill’s novel is slim, but packed with themes of betrayal, forgiveness and the uncertainty of life. Her pacing works well with the premise of the story: a woman’s interpretation of her marriage. Offill relays the story in fragments which work effortlessly together in describing love, betrayal and possible reunion between wife and husband. This novel requires the reader to pay attention to the prose, as well as how details about characters are revealed in a nuanced, but smart way.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng: Part murder mystery and cultural examination, I loved the unfolding of how this Asian family navigated their daughter’s disappearance. As a reader we don’t have to guess whether, Lydia, the daughter, is alive or dead – Ng tells us in the opening page. The real surprise lies in which version of truth you want to believe, Lydia’s vision or her family’s perspective.
Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed: I’ve always loved quotes, filling several journals with words I adore. Strayed compiles a 100 quotes in this green and gold small book based on her work in Wild and Tiny, Beautiful Things (in my top 10 books of all time). I love several of her quotes, but the one that resonates on a deep level is this: “Most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be. Sometimes you’ll put up a good fight and lose. Sometimes you’ll hold on really hard and realize there is no choice but to let go. Acceptance is a small, quiet room.”
Tea Time for the Firefly by Shona Patel: This book is by a local author whom I’ve had the pleasure to meet. Patel’s story centers on relationships, culture, racism, war and the intersections of love, loss and tea. The depiction of the Assam tea plantations is so authentic, the reader is immersed in the senses and sounds of another world. This novel is ultimately a love story, but the historical perspective of the teatime plantations adds a dimension that makes the tale extraordinary.
The Small Backs of Children by Lidia Yuknavitch: Straddling several different narratives, this is a story that pushes the boundaries of conventional fiction. You will likely not forget the Eastern European orphan at the center of this tale. It is a novel that hurls the reader into discomfort, but also enchants us with its prose.
Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf: Haruf’s final work is more novella, than novel, but its depth is exacting and unforgettable. Follow the tale of Addie and Louis and the discovery of enchantment later in life, even after experiencing sorrow. This work in particular resonated because its characters focused on the epiphanies of everyday life. Isn’t that what it is all about?
What were your favorite reads of 2015? As a way to thank my generous readers, I will send one commenter two of these books as a token of my appreciation for supporting and reading my work. In the comment section, tell me your favorite book of 2015. The winner will be selected via a random draw on January 1.
Image: Light Reading by quattrostagioni via Flickr.
Welcome! I am a lawyer turned freelance writer, essayist, and editor. On staff at Literary Mama and the co-founder and co-editor of the literary journal, The Sunlight Press, my essays and reported work have appeared in The Washington Post, The Lily, Saveur, Civil Eats, Brain, Child, ESPN and elsewhere. I am currently at work on a memoir on grief and culture and how it provides perspective on life’s ordinary graces. I invite you to appreciate the ordinary with me. I hope my daily practice of seeing the magic in the mundane helps you celebrate and find more of these moments in your life too.
Many of these were among my favorites too. xoxo
I treasure your recommendations, Lindsey. Looking forward to your book reviews in 2016. Happy New Year!
I have to save your list and look these up – right now A Window Opens is standing out to me as a must-read. I’m so glad you enjoyed Department of Speculation! I loved it but knew that it would not be everyone’s cup of tea. I recently read Everything I Never Told You and am so glad I did; it was my favorite fiction read of the year. What is on your wish list?
I loved Egan’s book and thought she did a great job capturing the triumphs and sorrows of midlife. I hope you enjoy this read. On my wish list – I am starting Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff and a memoir called Dear Mr. You by Mary-Louise Parker. Hope to connect with you over books and life in 2016. xo
Thank you for the book list, I will enjoy reading some of them. My list as follows:
Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert
The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova
The Boys in the Boat,
I am Malala, Malala
The year of Wonder, Geraldine Brooks
The Husbands Secret, Liane Moriarty
All the Light we Cannot see, Anthony
The Tortilla Curtain, T.C.Boyle
The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
Happy New Year
Bobbi
Bobbi,
Thanks for your recommendations. I plan to put Boys in the Boat on my list, as well as Donna Tartt’s, The Goldfinch. Happy New Year!
Hi! Here’s my top three: All the Light We Cannot See for it’s complexity. Our Souls at Night for it’s simplicity. And Fates & Furies for the juicy writing.
Fates and Furies is on my to read list. Thanks, Kim, for the recommendation.
Loved All The Light You Cannot See as well as Big Magic. My favorite, though, was Notorious: Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Thank you for sharing your recommendations. Happy new year! I look forward to reading your blog in 2016.
Amy,
I’ve heard great things about Ginsburg’s biography. Will put that on my list! Happy New Year!
I seem to keep a very long wish list, both fiction and nonfiction. My favorites this year:
Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
The Promise of Stardust
Big Magic
All the Light we cannot see
Orphan Train
The Girl on the Train
The Book Thief
Me Before You
The Storied Life of A.J. Filkry
I think I’ve read many of these upon your recommendation, so thank you!
I liked Orphan Train and enjoyed Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. I look forward to connecting with you in 2016, Susan, over books and our collective musings. Happy New Year!
My favorite of 2015 was Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert!
Big Magic is a popular favorite among many lists of favorite books in 2015. Happy New Year, Monisha.
I loved so many on this list! All The Light and Dept of Speculation were favorites, and Big Magic, too of course 🙂 I just read The Backs of Small Children and was overwhelmed (in all kinds of ways!) and wrote a review which I’ll post soon. What a book.
Dana,
I can’t wait for your review. Happy New Year and I look forward to connecting with you in 2016. xo
I just finished reading All the Light we cannot see and have been raving about it. Glad to see it made your list:)
Jasgit,
My husband read it before I did and insisted I put it on my to-read list. There are so many passages to savor in Doerr’s work. Happy New Year!
Some of my favorites on this list! I loved All the Light and just finished Everything I Never Told You. Both really beautiful. I have to add these others to my list!
I adored Everything I Never Told You. The cultural elements and the way Ng wrote about it resonated with me. Happy 2016, Christine!
Great list~ I look forward to reading these! All The Light We Cannot See was amazing, and I was taken by The Small Backs of Children as well. I just finished You by Caroline Kepnes and couldn’t put it down.
Lynn,
I’ll have to add You by Caroline Kepnes to my list. Thanks for the rec. Happy 2016!
One of my favorites this year was The Book of Unknown Americans. Loved it. Will be adding some of your favorites to my list of things to read!
Thanks, Vikki. I’ll add The Book of Unknown Americans to my growing list of books to read in 2016. Happy New Year!
I must check these out. A few I’ve never heard of. Big Magic is stunning. I love her words and message and it seems so much of her is in this book (if that makes sense). She’s beautiful. Happy New Year. ?
Ditto on Elizabeth Gilbert. I also read her fiction this year -The Signature of All Things. It’s historical fiction with a strong female protagonist. I think you will enjoy it. Happy 2016, Sarah! Grateful we’ve intersected. xo
I’m requesting Ongoingness at the library. Several of my writing friends loved it and now you too!
You must read Ongoingness – it is a meditation on love, loss and the passage of time. I loved Manguso’s musings. Happy 2016, Nina!
My Favorite reads of the year was discovering Jhumpa Lahiri’s works. A Little Life and To Kill A Mockingbird (the eternal classic), The Girl with Seven Names, Dance Dance Dance and The Girl on the Train were some of my favorite reads this year.
I so want to read To All the lights We cannot see and Big Magic. I just wish you could ship it to me.:).
I love revisiting classics and did read The Great Gatsby again this year. The Girl with Seven Names is unfamiliar to me and I will add that to my list.
Good luck in the drawing! Happy 2016, Rekha.
Many of these were on my favorite list as well. 🙂
All of these books were spectacular in their own way. Glad they made your list.
Many of these were my favorites too. I especially loved All the Light We Cannot See. I read it at every opportunity. Now I’m reading The Light Between Oceans — actually listening to it as an audio book.
Wishing you a Happy 2016, Rudri!
Everything I Never Told You was given to me as a Christmas gift in 2014 so I read it in 2015. I like your take.
That’s the only one I’ve read on your list, so at least I have a great resource right now of books I might love.
I am saving this list, Rudri – I want to read so many of these! I’ve only read Doerr’s novel, but I just reserved Dept of Speculation at my library. I’m not a big non-fiction reader, so I appreciate these recommendations. I’m always looking to expand my reading tastes!