The year 2020 in Books
The year 2020 has come to an end though, to tell the truth, this year will have a long-lasting impact on us. We are yet to come out of it and get ready to face new challenges. This year my challenge was to keep reading.
In a fantastic video titled BOOKSTORES: How to Read More Books in the Golden Age of Content by Max Joseph I learned three things
- You cannot read all the books. It should not intimidate you but remind you how much you don’t know and should inspire you to be selective and read.
- If you read 30 minutes daily — you will make a huge difference in your book count.
- All the answers are present in some books. Ask the right question & find the right book.
While going through my reading list of 2020 on GoodReads I found that this year was the best of all. I have been diligently reading since 2016 but in 2019 I started getting used to GoodReads. It is great and helps me to keep track of my readings. Coming back to the year 2020 in books — I found the variety of readings I have done and thought of sharing a few of them here.
Revisiting
Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
I can read anything that speaks about Sherlock Holmes. My first library book was the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes. I was young and did not have enough to buy books outside the syllabus. The libraries were not well established in my school. It was when my brother moved to a different school he got this book as an assignment. Though through the years I made my peace by watching re-runs of Sherlock Holmes’ movies and series. With every scene and character, I would wonder was this what I had thought or imagined them to be. When I started with my job I found a library and finally re-read the collection again.
This year seeing that I have a lot of time to waste I decided to get the book — I got all 4 novels and 56 stories. It was a feast. This book brings back my zeal to read and not stop until there are no books to read.
I got this wrong
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
My sister usually hates watching thriller movies with me. Most of the time I have either read the book, or I will figure out the plot even before the movie comes to an end, usually ruining it for her.
This year the book that twisted my head was this. The plot is clear — a girl is mentally ill, haven’t spoken since she has killed her husband. There is a doctor who is trying to make her talk. The story I felt was about the patient and her family, though it turns out to be more deep and intricate.
Funny in a weird way
Living or Dead? by Rabindranath Tagore
How would you prove to someone that you are not dead? Mind you, the person you need to answer this believes in ghosts.
I could think of millions of ways — cut my hand to show the blood flowing out my system, heartbeat, touch (if the person allows), blah blah. But what if the person has seen you dying (but you didn’t)? This short story is about that. The end turns out to be sad and funny.
Spoiler Alert: The protagonist had to die to prove that she was alive all along.
Learning from fiction
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
This story teaches you a lot
- you can be lonely but not a bad company
- you can learn a lot from nature just by observing
- you will trust the wrong people
- you will find a way even in the worst of time
Seems a little morbid but with the tale of Kya (the protagonist), these seem to make sense. I found myself sad, excited, cheering, & “you did not” for her. Her tale is about surviving & thriving when everyone left.
Why should the injured, the still bleeding, bear the onus of forgiveness?
The end was amazing as well. She is not innocent is what I liked the most.
Getting into a series
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling
Pandemic — why not read something that I have been postponing because the movie was so good!
The book was awesome — had no doubt! Though because of the movie, I didn’t have to make up the characters in my head. I could see Daniel Radcliffe coming out of the cupboard below the stairs, Emma Watson doing a little bit of light reading, Rupert Grint looking into the Mirror of Erised, & others. Nonetheless, this was more enlightening and amazing.
to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure.
humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things which are worst for them.
I am soon getting the whole series!
Findings
Shock Tactics, The Open Window, Tobermory, Down Pens, The Phantom Luncheon, A Young Turkish Catastrophe in Two Scenes & Cousin Teresa by Saki
Saki has a sardonic tone in his writings. This is the first time that I read his work. He takes a jab at society and its practices. Each story is funny and I had a good laugh re-reading them.
- People say tell the truth but you will be killed if you do so — Tobermory
- Give women the power to vote in a country where polygamy is allowed, results are not what you thought if the opposition leader has more wives — A Young Turkish Catastrophe in Two Scenes
- The custom of giving gifts turns into a nightmare — Down Pens
You get the idea — we have created customs we hate the most.
A tale I don’t want to forget
The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy
In this tale, the disappearances are not of humans but of senses — smell, reflection, the voices of loved ones, and other ubiquitous senses we have. There are curses, misunderstandings, and love. The collective loss of senses in a community is blamed on a woman whose daughter is dragged into this mess after the death of her mother. It is a good read for fantasy lovers.
A book that inspires
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own.
Our stories are powerful, they tell us about ourselves and we should be careful with it, not to waste it. Michelle Obama has categorised this book into three sections — Becoming Me (Before becoming FLOTUS), Becoming Us (After becoming FLOTUS), & Becoming More (After leaving the White House). It is the first section that inspired me a lot. Each story she speaks is somewhere a reflection of women’s life. We all need someone who tells us the truth — the truth of being a woman.
Her realisation of miscarriage, marriage, career, almost every aspect of life as a woman is worth a read.
One interesting thing about parenting is taught by Michelle's parents — they never told their children what to do, or that they would get impressed by their children’s accomplishments. They thought their children to discern between right and wrong, values and leave the “what to do” on them. I and I have observed a lot of children grow to seek validation from our parents, or get their approval, get the “good job” or “proud of you”, fulfil their expectations that a life without their expectation feels a little weird. But I wonder what that life will be like?
Laugh out loud
Service With a Smile (Blandings Castle #9) by P.G. Wodehouse
You know that one adult in your family who makes everyone’s life hell but with the good intention that is Uncle Fred. In this desire to make sure that everyone benefits, his actions turn into a hilarious tale at Blandings Castle. Though everything works out just fine.
If you are a Wodehouse fan this should not be missed.
Conclusion
It was a fun year looking at the books.
Read — Read — Read — Re-read.
