As of December 8th, I can proudly say I reached my goal of reading 100 books in 2020, more than I have ever read in a year before.
At any given point, I have had a physical book, an audiobook, and an eBook on the go. Combining these different formats is definitely one of the main reasons I was able to achieve my goal for this year.
Even though I never thought I could love reading more, somehow this year my passion for it reached new heights. When Covid19 cases were at their highest in Guernsey back in April’s lockdown, I was reading up to a book a day.
I am so glad I have such a deep enjoyment for such an accessible hobby. Reading has truly saved me from emotional turmoil on many occasions, which is one of the many reasons I find comfort in writing about and discussing my reading habits to encourage others to involve books in their self-care plan.
This blog was initially intended to be self-care orientated, but even then, I wasn’t sure that I felt equipped or knowledgeable enough to encourage various self-care tactics if I wasn’t putting them into practice myself. Instead, I realized that as I incorporated reading into my posts, I began to enjoy blogging more and more because I really know my stuff about what I’m writing about (if I may say so myself).
I have chosen my favourite books I’ve read this year which I hope will give some readers an idea for their next read. Those on the list are always among the first ones I recommend when anyone asks and would also definitely make great Christmas presents.
Thank you to anyone who has read thus far. Here are my top 2020 reads!
1. Choke by Chuck Palahnuik
Read: January 15th – January 20th
This book is so, so, weird, but so, so, addictive. Victor Mancini can’t afford to pay for his elderly mother’s care but is willing to make the strangest of attempts to do so. He contrives a scheme in which he pretends to choke on food whilst eating in fancy restaurants. The considerate patrons who come to his aid feel a long-lasting sense of responsibility for Victor after saving his life and end up sending cheques to him over the following years. Aside from this, Victor listlessly attends recovery seminars for sexual addicts such as himself.
Fight Club is good, but this is even better.
2. A Streetcat Named Bob by James Bowen
I was completely at a loss for what to read next and just picked this up at random. I could not put it down and finished it two hours later. It’s a true story all about how James Bowen, once homeless and in the throes of heroin addiction, was saved by the loyalty and affection given to him by a stray cat he named Bob. I literally sobbed when I finished it and then stared at my walls for a few minutes in disbelief at how great it was.
Read: May 30th
3. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
Read: July 19th– July 28th
This book dominated the non-fiction market when it was released. Summarising the entire known history of human evolution is surely a tough task, but Harari managed it in 500 pages. I didn’t think I would ever get around to reading it, mainly because it seemed like quite a hard-going and daunting book but I can confidently say I was very wrong. You don’t need to be a genius to read it because Harari is genius enough to write about genius topics in a simple, non-genius way. This might (maybe) be my favourite non-fiction book ever.
4. The Martian by Andy Weir
Read: September 10th - September 15th
Just like Harari, Andy Weir managed to write a book consisting of massive amounts of complex jargon, mainly about physics and maths, in a really simple and engaging way.
Mark Watney gets stranded on Mars after an extraction mission goes wrong. His crew thinks he is dead, as does everyone back on Earth. Mark has to learn how to survive for as long as he can, with very minimal supplies whilst completely alone on a planet 122 million km away from home. This was another book that had me staring at walls for a while after I finished` which is always a sign of a phenomenal story.
5. ‘Twas the Nightshift before Christmas by Adam Kay
Listened: May 18th– May 19th
In this short book, Adam Kay recounts his experiences as a doctor on various hospital wards around Christmas time and it’s absolutely hilarious, for the most part. At other points, it is heartwarming and emotional. Overall, I spent time laughing and crying whilst listening to this and the whole experience was fantastic. I recommend listening to this on audio as Kay’s manner of speaking makes the funny bits even funnier.
6. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter. S. Thompson
This was on my to-read list for six (!) years before I eventually picked it up and I don’t know what took me so long. It is the most fast-paced and erratic story I have ever read, and some of it is actually true. It is a dramatization of a journey that Thompson really did undertake with his attorney, Oscar Zeta Acosta. The fictionalized retelling came about as a result of Thompson's attempt to write an expose on the death of Ruben Salzaar.
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The two main characters, Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo embark on a drug-fueled quest to Las Vegas during which hotel rooms are destroyed and cars are wrecked, all whilst attempting to cover the story of a murdered journalist.
I could write so much about this book and its context. I found myself in a Wikipedia hole for a good few hours after reading. Thompson credited so much to the world of journalism, including the method of inserting oneself into an investigation and provoking a situation known as ‘Gonzo journalism’.
7. In the Dream House by Maria Carmen Machado
Machado’s memoir is one of the most hard-hitting I’ve ever read. Written stylistically in very short paragraphs, Machado begins her story by exploring a loving relationship she shares with her girlfriend. As she flips back and forth in time to provide context to her trauma, Machado recounts her experience of being in an emotionally, psychologically, and physically abusive relationship. It is written so beautifully, and I can’t recommend it enough.
