2020 Book List

  1. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott (The last few chapters were especially meaningful to me. They were about courage, vulnerability, and generosity in writing)
  2. Courage to be You: Inspiring Lessons from an Unexpected Journey by Gail Miller with Jason F. Wright (Book Club easy read)
  3. Middlemarch by George Eliot (genius)
  4. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (focus: forgiving others)
  5. Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow (very good)
  6. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
  7. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (focus: keys for mental health)
  8. The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Lucy Mack Smith
  9. The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
  10. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
  11. Parted by Conflict by Geoffrey Walker
  12. The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr (research)
  13. Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabukov (I didn’t know what I was getting into when I picked up this memoir. I felt neither kinship nor sympathy for this author, but focused on his strong literary techniques. The final chapter was more like poetry than prose, and I loved this chapter.)
  14. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (I really liked this Newbery Medal winner.)
  15. Saints volume 1 The Standard of Truth (In this second reading, I took notes on people and new heroes that I should have the first time through.)
  16. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (focus: life instructions during Covid-19 pandemic)
  17. Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life by Annette Laraeu (Good, helpful, very clear research analysis)
  18. On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City by Alice Goffman (I am glad I read this book.)
  19. The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai (poetic, sad, so very sad)
  20. A Light in the Window by Jan Karon (For comfort)
  21. The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis (This did not resonate with me.)
  22. White Fragility: Why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism by Robin Diangelo (I found other books on this topic much more helpful. See #17 and #18.)
  23. Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan (engaging)
  24. These High, Green Hills by Jan Karon
  25. Out to Canaan by Jan Karon
  26. General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7/20 version
  27. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris (There were parts I loved and some parts fell short in really capturing a human being. I found more politics than psychology and family life in this telling. This surprised me because there was a lot about his family circle in the beginning, but almost nothing after marriage. I loved learning about his early years.)
  28. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (I enjoyed this as a teen, but now I see how morally bankrupt this book is. This is an interesting study of insecurity and flawed thinking. It shows the terrible logic of a person whose morals and sense of self are dependent on feelings.)
  29. The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ (My June 2- Nov 2 reading was focused on how to get through each day of these challenging months. The book came through for me as always, calming, directing, correcting, and teaching.)
  30. The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ (2020 Family reading…we did it!)
  31. 90 Years of Memories by Geoffrey Walker (He is my Instagram hero. At age 90, he gives me an almost daily dose of needed perspective and joy. I recommend you follow him on Instagram! @geoffreywalk)