top 10 reads of 2018

If you’ve known me for any period of time, you probably know I’m a book girl.  Reading has been my go-to down time activity since childhood. 

As a kid, I would read before bed, on car trips, in tree branches, at grandparents’ houses, and even on horseback.  I remember staying up on Christmas night each year pouring over whatever new literary acquisition had made its way into my stack of gifts earlier in the day. (I am particularly fond of all the Christmases spent romping through Hogwarts with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as a young teen… thank you from the bottom of my heart, Ms. Rowling.)

In recent years, graduate school has sucked most of my reading time into a theological vortex of textbooks and Biblical commentaries (which, admittedly, I still love).  Thankfully, though, a super awesome group of book club ladies has kept me connected to fun reading.  Given the many nights of wine and great discussions we’ve had, I thought I’d put together a list of my Top 10 Favorite Reads of this year (because why not, right?).

So, without further ado, here it is—absolutely not exhaustive, and in no particular order, but some fun recommendations and reflections nonetheless J

1.  The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah  

“In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”

Wade through the daily perils of German-occupied France in WWII through the eyes of two sisters—Vianne and Isabelle Rossignol—who have vastly different personalities and ways of coping with their present dangers.  One is practical, the other is impetuous; both demonstrate the power of ordinary women in extraordinary circumstances.

I am in love with this novel.  Kristin Hannah does a masterful job of developing what is clearly a well-researched, dramatic historical fiction.  All of her characters and story plot lines are well-rounded and complex, and fitted with moments that made me wonder if I would have the same type of courage were I in their shoes.  I don’t often read books a second time, but I will definitely come back to this one at some point down the road. 

2.  Beartown, by Fredrik Backman

“The very worst events in life have that effect on a family: we always remember, more sharply than anything else, the last happy moment before everything fell apart.”

Fredrik Backman might be one of my new favorite novelists of all time.  This is the second book of his that I’ve read (after A Man Called Ove), and it is phenomenally real and raw and especially timely in 2018. 

Beartown is set in Backman’s home country of Sweden, and is the name of a small town tucked into the woods, whose only real claim to fame is its boy’s hockey team.  However (*without giving too much away*), the town is shaken when events at a high school party turn into a ‘he-said-she-said’ and threaten the hopes and futures of its citizens.  This story explores community, loyalty, sexuality, shame, and relationships.  Every character has a story, and every choice has a cost.  No matter your background, I highly recommend it!

3.  What is the Bible? How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories Can Transform the Way You Think and Feel About Everything, by Rob Bell

“I kept repeating this truth that the Bible was written by humans because when you start there, and you go all the way into the humanity of this library of books, you just may find the divine.  And when you do, you will have gotten there honestly.”

I’ve already written an entire post inspired by this particular book (you can read it here).  But basically, this is a great place to start for anyone who wants a quick overview of all the craziness that happens in the Bible. 

The book is packed with more questions and answers—which is not a bad posture to take when you’re dealing with a text that spans thousands of years, hundreds of characters, and a multitude of theological claims.  Bell attempts to give a fresh look at the depth and breadth of the Bible; and I especially appreciated his take that one must inevitably go through what is human (whether that be stories in Scripture, the person of Jesus, or our own human experience) to encounter the One who is divine.

4.  Waking Up White, by Debby Irving

“…people are not born racist.  Racism is taught, and racism is learned.”

Race and racism are difficult, but incredibly important, topics in our culture today.  For those of us white people who have grown up with the privilege of never having to think about our own race, Debby Irving has written an impactful and very approachable memoir on the subject.  The book gives an overview of systemic racism and the history of dominant white culture in the U.S. and is packed with Irving’s honest personal experience.  Whether you’re actively allied against racism in America or you’ve hardly given thought to the subject, I absolutely recommend this book.  (Our church read it for Lent, and I’ve already touted it to many of our family members and peers.)  So good for anyone wanting to gain new insight or an honest perspective on race and loving one’s neighbors.

5.  Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith, by Anne Lamott

“Here are the two best prayers I know:  ‘Help me, help me, help me,’ and ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you.’”

I had heard about this book for many years before I actually read it, and I’m so glad I finally did!  Anne Lamott is funny, thoughtful, and brutally honest about the challenges of life and the journey of faith.  She writes about her experiences of childhood, grief, her church community, and being a parent in ways that are simultaneously humorous and gut-wrenching.  Her writing is clever, and her relationship with God is relatable to anyone who has ever wrestled with the concepts of love and mercy.  Loved it and looking forward to reading more!

6.  Of Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight Out of This Wild and Glorious Life, by Jen Hatmaker

“”…the truth is, most of life is pretty ordinary, so it is precisely inside the ordinary elements, the same ones found the world over—career, parenting, change, marriage, community, suffering, the rhythms of faith, disappointment, being a good neighbor, being a good human—that an extraordinary life exists.”

Jen Hatmaker is every woman’s favorite sister.  I laughed so hard I cried while reading this book, and Matt started wondering what on earth was wrong with me.  It was a great beach read on our family vacation last summer, and I even took it a second time on a road trip with a girlfriend to read aloud… and we cracked up all over again. 

The book is a compilation of short chapters that highlight the struggles and successes of womanhood in all its glory—broken up by sections of “how-to” lists that satirize the everyday challenges of family life.  From exercising to parenting, and Texas football to the difficulty of forgiveness, her writing left me nodding my head and desiring to own my own intrinsic value in all its messy packaging.

7.  When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi

“…even if I’m dying, until I actually die, I am still living.”

Another memoir that grabbed me this year, this book comes from a writer-turned-neurosurgeon-turned-cancer-patient who struggled with life and death in a variety of ways before it became his own personal battle.  If you cry during books, you will cry by the end… but it’s still very much worth reading.  What happens when the doctor becomes the patient, and has to face his own mortality?  The book shows you how to face questions of meaning, and how to appreciate the life you get to live while you get to live it. 

8.  Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table (with Recipes), by Shauna Niequist

“It’s about the ways God teaches and nourishes us as we nourish the people around us, and about hunger, both physical and otherwise, and the connections between the two.”

This was the book this year that made me want to sit around my dining room table and enjoy real food and real conversation and real laughter with the people I love most.  Bruschetta and cheese and wine, or frozen pizza and tap water—it doesn’t matter.  The point is hospitality, and sustaining our souls with community while we sustain our bodies with the food that God provides. 

I was encouraged when reading this to slow down for a minute and give myself space and permission to be in the kitchen, learning how to do something new, and recognizing the art of feeding myself and other people as valuable in and of itself (and not this thing I have to do three times every freaking day in order to do all the other more important things.)  Bread and wine, bread and wine, bread and wine—a sacramental practice built into our everyday lives.  How great is that?  

9.  Here If You Need Me, by Kate Braestrup

“I’m not really here to keep you from freaking out.  I’m here to be with you while you freak out, or grieve or laugh or suffer or sing.  It is a ministry of presence.”

Kate Braestrup is a chaplain for the Maine Game Warden Service—the troopers responsible for search and rescue missions.  She tells the story of losing her husband and taking up his mantle to become a chaplain, and about the ways she ministers to terrified family members when a loved one is lost.  It was a fantastic read for me in my preparation for ministry, and I think it’d be a great one for anyone else interested in how to be with others in the midst of uncertainty or loss.

10.  Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott

“I’ve got the key to my castle in the air, but whether I can unlock the door remains to be seen.” 

I fully realize the classics are not everyone’s cup of tea… but for my part, I enjoyed re-reading this book over Christmas break.  It had been so long I’d forgotten the story; and though the language and revelries and objectives of the characters show the book’s age, it was refreshing to be pulled back into a simpler time. 

The book follows the four March sisters and their closest family and friends as they grow up in the 1860’s and beyond.  Jo and Marmee were clear favorite characters, and the book had some good lessons on family bonds, working honestly, and pursuing virtue.  Not everyone will love it, but it is a classic and worth a read (especially with the new movie coming out soon!)

There you have it—a few of the favorites from this year.  Looking forward to reading more in 2019 and would love any wonderful recommendations!  Happy reading, everyone.