#philippe beeson

What a reading year! This was the year that I decided to get back into reading for real - I wanted to prioritize reading in a way that I haven’t been doing for years. I set my goal to 25 books but very quickly surpassed my goal and by the end of year I’d read 275 books. WOW. It’s been a wonderful journey - here are some of fondest memories:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reed

I loved this books so much. It was one of the first books I read this year and it was such a wonderful reading experience. I often feel that I’m too detached while reading but with this book I was completely immersed. The characters came to life on the page - they felt “real” - and for the first time since I cannot even remember that I cried reading a book. I cried more than once. This book got me good and in terms of star rating I’ve never been so sure of five stars.

The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich

I’d never heard of this book until it was gifted to me by my brother on my birthday in January. It wasn’t something that I was particularly looking forward to read - one of those “I should care more thank I do” kind of things. As part of my efforts to read more nonfiction this year, I decided to power through it instead of just leaving it to collect dust on the shelves. It was a struggle to get through, not gonna lie, but it was also a pretty amazing read. I was touched by the silences, the voices and the strength of these women, and I was fascinated by lives lived completely outside my own experiences.

Parkland by David Cullen

I teach, among other things, American history and culture to young adults (ages 16-19), and “American gun culture” is a popular topic that I find both interesting and trite. I read Parkland on a bit of whim, and not only was it comprehensive and well-written, it gave me some great ideas for alternative approaches to teaching the subject - I cannot wait! Also, the book is a great read. Kudos to David Cullen.

How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones

A fierce and poetic coming-of-age memoir. It’s a powerful read that is hard to really pin down into words and which opens important conversations - read it with a buddy and have them!

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater

An oddly mediative experience. It is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel by Craig Thompson about, among other things, growing up. Gorgeous.

I don’t have much to say about this… This is one of the only books since the days of Harry Potter that I’ve actively waited for with desperate anticipation. It didn’t disappoint. The book was what I expected to the degree that you can expect anything from Maggie Stiefvater. I warmed to most of the new characters and fell more in love with the old ones. A win. I look forward to the next one which will, hopefully, have even more Adam Parrish, my magical boy.

Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

I’d forgotten about this till leynes posted her review. I ended up going for a walk on Dec 25th and listening to this fabulous collection of letters. Didn't stop walking till the book was done. I absolutely ADORED this book and it was such a perfect holiday read. I highly recommend reading this over Christmas.

Bear Town and Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

Friday Night Lights is one of my all-time favorite television series (still haven’t read the book!) and Backman’s duology has the same vibe. It’s about a sport, a town, a community, though really it’s about people. I loved the first book and enjoyed the second one even more. They are atmospheric and “real”.

Lie With Me by Philippe Beeson

This book narrates the love affair between two teenagers, Philippe and Thomas, in the 1980s and is so succinctly, beautifully and intimately written. I felt this book.

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

I struggled with this book initially due to the narration - there’s a second person POV that is hard to get down with - structure and world building, though it was always a positive form of struggle. There is a freshness to Jemisin’s writing and characters - who are wonderfully complex - and there was an originality to the book that I needed in my fantasy/sci-fi reading at this point. Jemisin seems to have a very distinct voice, and I am looking forward to reading more from her in 2020.

March by John Lewis

John Lewis is someone I much admire and a huge inspiration. When I received the March 1-3 box set, I was stoked and devoured them pretty much straight away. Insightful, heartbreaking, touching and hopeful. I find that I really enjoy nonfiction, in particular memoirs, in the sequential art format.

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

I just enjoyed this. Liked the narration, characters, world and premise - all finely executed.

A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood

I found myself somehow really relating to the protagonist, George, and was struck hard by Isherwood’s prose. I fall in love with classics fairly often, though they also often require a lot of effort from me. Not so with this book, which felt strangely effortless and poignant from the first page.

Blankets by Craig Thompson