January Book Roundup
After doing my “Best of 2020” book lists, I realized it might be interesting to write more often about what I’m reading as I go, rather than doing one big list. My goal this year is to read 52 books, which means one per week. So far I’m on track. This way, too, you won’t get just “the best of” but my thoughts on whatever books I happen to read. Often I’m reading as a writer, particularly in fiction, so hopefully that will be useful to you as well.
I should be clear: I don’t always have a reading goal. I think it’s better to enjoy, and learn from, what you read, even if you read more slowly. There’s no point in reading just to say you’ve read however many books per year. But having a challenge does make me prioritize reading, rather than just doing it whenever I “get time,” which we all know is code for “it isn’t that important to me.”
I also don’t have a particular goal of an even amount of fiction/nonfiction, although I have a goal of making sure at least one of the books I read each month is by and/or about a writer from a marginalized or international community. I’m not going to necessarily identify them as such on my list, because I don’t think the writer’s identity is more important than the book itself, nor is anyone obliged to write only from their identity perspective, or a story that centers that identity.
So, here are the first four books of 2021 (note that the links below are affiliate links; if you purchase through them, I get a tiny commission):
The Return of the King – J.R.R. Tolkien. Yep, an oldie but still a classic. I had hoped to get through the whole trilogy by the end of December, but I was also re-watching the movies, which cut into reading time. I was in a “comfort reading” mode at the end of last year, and it was nice to continue it into the new year, especially with all the political craziness going on.
The Gentlemen’s Guide to Vice and Virtue – Mackenzi Lee. This story grabbed me right away with voice and character. It’s set in the 18th century, and is the story of a young bisexual rake, Monty, who embarks on his Grand Tour with his sister and his biracial best friend (who he’s in love with). Their tour goes off the rails into grand adventure (of course) but never loses the humanity of the characters. They are all wounded and striving in various ways, and it shows in their words and actions. This really is a masterclass in character and how to wed it to tightly-paced action. Monty’s exploits are also laugh-out-loud funny at times. It also deals with the implications of gay love and being “dark skinned” in that era, without being preachy or hijacking the story. I loved it, and look forward to reading the next books in the series.
Troy – Stephen Fry. He’s on a roll with the Greek classics, having written about Greek myths and heroes in two previous books. Here he takes on Homer’s The Iliad and makes a strong case for it being the grandfather (great-great-great-grandfather?) of all novels. And it’s true – even in the 20th century, a Hollywood made a movie out of it. The scheming, lust, friendship, love, betrayals and heroism still grip us, all these centuries later. Fry starts by telling us the major players’ histories and provenance and interconnections, so we get a better sense of their world and who they are before they get to the Trojan War. (Well aware that the tsunami of names and connections will be overwhelming, he provides a handy glossary of who’s who in the back.) Then he moves into retelling the story itself, in a way that keeps it moving and clear about who is doing what, and why, and what it means to them. If you’ve ever read The Iliad in translation, you’ll understand what a feat this is. It brings the story alive for a contemporary audience so it becomes a page-turner without losing the crux of what has made it so powerful and resonant over such a long period.
Miracle Morning – Hal Elrod. This is the only purely nonfiction book I read this month, and it’s truly inspirational. It’s a self-help book that actually lays out the clear steps it wants you to take and provides a clear-cut case for why it has worked for so many people. Basically, Elrod, in a period of extreme darkness in his life, looked at all the things successful people did each day to get where they are. He discovered six key practices which he then began practicing first thing in the morning every day, and the Miracle Morning was born. It’s designed for people who hate waking up early (me!) and provides a framework and impetus to get out of bed and start working in personal development as a daily priority. The six steps are the SAVERS – Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing. I was already doing three of them in the mornings and one in the evening, so it hasn’t been too hard to add the other two. The key is, I think, to have something you immediately look forward to, to push you beyond the desire to snooze. I won’t know how well it works for a while, but I will say the past couple of days I’ve started awakening spontaneously at 6:00 am – unheard of for me – and actually been itching to get out of bed, so I’m willing to continue the project for a while and see how it goes.
That’s it for January! I have a whole stack of books I’m eager to read in February. If you have any suggestions for my future reading, please leave them in the comments!
