These year end book posts always take forever to pull together but I admit I love looking back at them so they are worth the time!
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| I didn't read "New York"yet but I made it through all the others and a whole lot more! |
This year I read 65 books, totaling out at 19,827 pages. (2019 was 62 books at 18,238 pages.) I was pleased to top both my title goal of 60, as well as cover more pages.
As always, mysteries always top my list as a favorite genre. I read some good ones and a few that I will willingly pass long to someone or donate to the library!
Here are the lists by category. Favorites are noted with ***. Books I've featured on this blog earlier this year are hotlinked.
Fiction
In this category, my favorite of the year was "The Dutch House," by Ann Patchett, along with the three books by Antoine Laurain -- very fast, whimsical reads and just what I needed this Covid summer.
I was most disappointed in Julian Fellowes "Belgravia." I was a big fan of his "Downton Abbey," and this is somewhat in the same vein but it just didn't connect with me.
Another disappointment was Ann Patchett's "Commonwealth." I so loved "The Dutch House" and her previous books, especially "Bel Canto," so perhaps I had unrealistic expectations.
*** The Dutch House (Ann Patchett)
Winter Solstice (Elin Hilderbrand)
Reflections (Richard Lassin)
Mystery
My favorite of all these was Louise Penny's newest, "All the Devils are Here," with Anthony Horowitz's "The Magpie Murders" high on my list. Josephine Tey's classic "The Daughter of Time" was a real winner that had me looking for more on Richard III.
But you'll also see lots of repeated names here. Of particular notes are new entries in the remarkably complex "Serralier" series by Susan Hill, more "Ruth Galloway" mysteries by Elly Griffiths and one of my new favorites, Donna Leon's, "Guido Brunetti" books.
With any series, I recommend reading in order, although the most recent Louise Penny ("All the Devils are Here") stands on its own. It was also fun to catch up with the newest "Maggie Hope" mystery by Susan Elia Macneal and Deborah Crombie's newest, "A Bitter Feast."
Kate Atkinson's "Big Sky" brought back Jackson Brodie and was worth the wait. Ann Cleeves has a new "Vera" out in "The Darkest Evening." It is her most recent but my first and I will read more and seek out the TV series based on her books.
I also want to give a shout-out to the British Crime Library Series (BCL, when listed below) which brings back classics from the "Golden Age of Mystery" by authors more obscure but no less clever than Agatha Christie and P.D. James. (And their covers are little art masterpieces in themselves!)
Prisoner in the Castle (Susan Elia Macneal)
***The Various Haunts of Men (Susan Hill) / The Pure in Heart (Susan Hill)
The Silent Patient (Alex Michelides) - This was hot on the NYT Bestseller list this year. Not my favorite but I admit, I was surprised. An unreliable narrator who has ever appearance of being reliable.
Desperate (Patti Battison) / Obsessed (Patti Battison) / Silent Grave (Patti Battison)
*** A Bitter Feast (Deborah Crombie) One of my favorite series with husband/wife detectives working in London.
*** Bryant and May: London's Glory (Christopher Fowler) short story collection of the two eccentric British detectives.
***The Magpie Murders (Anthony Horowitz) A great entry by the writer who also brought us television series "Foyle's War"and "Midsomer Murders."
The House on Vesper Sands (Pariac O'Donnell) -- A fun Victorian mystery set in London. I hope it is the first of a series.
Death at La Fenice (Donna Leon) / Death in a Strange Country (Donna Leon) / Death and Judgment (Donna Leon) / Dressed for Death (Donna Leon) / Aqua Alta (Donna Leon) These are the first books in a the Guido Brunetti series set in Venice. He eats very well indeed. Don't read when you are hungry!
The Janus Stone (Ely Griffiths) / A Room Full of Bones (Elly Griffiths) / The House at Sea's End (Elly Griffiths) / The Crossing Places (Elly Griffiths) / A Dying Fall (Elly Griffiths) Griffiths'lead detective, Ruth Galloway, is a forensic archaeologist working in the Norfolk area of England.
Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night (George Runcie) / Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil (James Runcie) These are the books that inspired the "Grantchester" series on PBS.
The Bookseller (Mark Pryor) This is a new series set in Paris featuring a Paris Embassy and former FBI agent as the lead character. In this one, they are trying to find a bouquiniste who disappeared from his stall - witnessed by the lead character. I will read more of these.
The Division Bell Mystery (Ellen Wilkinson) BCL / Death Has Deep Routes (Michael Gilbert) BCL / It Walks by Night (John Dickson Carr) BCL From the British Crime Library series written in the 30s.
***Big Sky (Kate Atkinson)
***The Daughter of Time (Josephine Tey)
Every Contact Leaves a Trace (Elanor Dymott)
Crowned and Dangerous (Rhys Bowen)
Don't Look Back (Karin Fossum)
No Shred of Evidence (Charles Todd)
***All the Devils are Here (Louise Penny)
***TheDarkest Evening (Anne Cleeves)
Blue Christmas (Emma Jameson)
***Nine Lessons (Nicola Upson) This series of mysteries (this is #6) features the real-life author Josephine Tey as the protagonist. Even though I'm not always fond of real-life characters playing a main role in fiction (see below), it works here because the work is so obviously fiction -- and well written. The plots are very clever in all the books. I'd recommend starting with the first of the series.
Biography/Memoir
My favorite of all the memoirs and biographies in this category was by our blog friend Kathy McCoy -- "The Crocodiles Will Arrive Later." She had long wanted to write a memoir of her years growing up and it is a powerful story of resilience with more than a good deal of humor and loads of love. I was inspired.
Worst on the list was Hector Bolitho's "King Edward VIII" An Intimate Biography." This was written right after the abdication and it was not only poorly written but really very little of what I look for in a biography -- namely, research. Not recommended!
Alex Trebek's "The Answer Is..." isn't deep but it's fun to learn more about the late, beloved host of "Jeopardy." And Ann Hood's "Kitchen Yarns" is more a collection of essays on her life as related to food -- but the recipes look pretty good and the writing is delightful. It was fun to learn more about Richard Rodgers ("Something Wonderful") and Queen Victoria as well.
Something Wonderful (Todd Purdum)
King Edward VIII: An Intimate Biography (Hector Bolitho)
***Comfort Me with Apples (Ruth Reichl) -- I love Reichl's writing, her ability to tell her story with a good deal of self-awareness and honesty. Plus, there are terrific recipes!
Queen Victoria's Sketchbook (Marina Warner) A combination of paintings by Queen Victoria and the history behind them and her love of art.
The Answer Is... (Alex Trebek)
***The Crocodiles Will Arrive Later (Kathy McCoy)
***Beatrix Potter: A Journal Only 32 pages and mostly images and diary entries, this large and lovely book was a real treat.
Fictional Biography (I really don't like this genre!)
For the most part, I find fictional biography the lazy author's "biography." They research some (and you'd better take a look at their sources -- some are better at it than others; always check the notes at the end of the book and then look up those sources to see how they stand in terms of bias). Then they make up the conversations and motivations which may -- or may not -- be close to accurate.
"Love and Ruin" was about Martha Gellhorn and her relationship with Ernest Hemingway. Paula McLain has written about the Hemingways before ("The Paris Wife"). I may not be a fan of the genre but the the book is well written and appears to be much better researched than the others in this category.
"The Royal Governess" is about Marion Crawford, governess to the now Queen Elizabeth II, shunned after she had written a book called "The Little Princesses. From the notes, her research was largely the aforementioned book. The conversations and situations in some cases are accurate (or appear to be, as reported in Crawford's book, which I have read and returned to when reading "The Royal Governess") and in some cases I wondered, "Where did she find this?" I did a pretty exhaustive google search and there was much about her private life I couldn't verify. Or come close.
Even worse was a book called "The Queen's Secret" which is about Elizabeth (Queen Mother) during World War II. I have issues with her sources. By and large most of them have had an agenda against the Queen Mum for a variety of reasons, and maybe for some, those reasons are well founded. But that's not what I really hated about it. Honestly, your 14-year-old diary-writing daughter could pull this book (written in "first person diary form") far better than the author. Anne Frank was younger than that! I have tried to decide if I should just throw this one in the trash (I absolutely hate the idea of tossing a book) or risk someone buying it at a library sale and believing it all without research. It's still sitting by the door next to the garage and garbage can, awaiting my decision.
The Royal Governess (Wendy Holden)
The Queen's Secret (Karen Harper)Non-Fiction
This is a wacky category because it's a little bit of everything, including "Almost Everything," by Anne Lamott -- which isn't really biography and it isn't really non-fiction and it isn't really an essay. It is just wonderful. If anything connected with me more during these past political and Covid months, it was this book (although it was written before Covid hit.)
Tops of this category is "Les Parisiennes" about women in France during WWII, with a heavy focus on the Resistance. "The Wild Remedy" and "Mudlarking" were both fascinating to me -- the first because of its message of the power of nature and art for those dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder and depression; the latter because I was always curious about what those mudlarkers found when combing through the detritus of the Thames when the tide went out.
***London Peculiars (Peter Ashley) If you love London, this is filled with all sorts of off the beaten track spots you might want to check out!
When Paris Sizzled (Mary McAuliffe) Paris during the 1930s with looks at such luminaries as Chanel, Gershwin, Cocteau, Satie and many more.
***Almost Everything (Anne Lamott) - Reading this book helped me get through the trying political and Covid times. Lamott just does that. She is wonderful.
***Les Parisiennes (Anne Sebba) -- This one is fascinating. It covers the WWII years in Paris and the women who were a part of it -- the resistance, the collaboators, the spies.
***Remembrance of Things Paris (ed. Ruth Reichl) Only one piece in this fabulous collection of essays from "Gourmet" is by Reichl but oh, the quality of the writing, the way it summarizes Paris from the war years on. I loved this one! The recipes are a wonderful (but unnecessary) touch. If you love Paris and food, read this one.
***The Wild Remedy (Emma Mitchell) If you are affected by depression (I learned a lot about depression in this one) or seasonal affective disorder, this book may help you through. And if you aren't, it's a wonderful (and beautifully illustrated) read anyway.
***Mudlarking (Lara Maiklem) If you've ever had a yen to go hunting for old coins and bits of pottery on the Thames, check this one out! A fascinating look at London's river -- and what washes up when the tide goes out.
The Library Book (Susan Orlean)
I know everyone has different reading tastes. Mine are somewhat eclectic. But there are some good titles on this list -- in fact, with the exception of "The Queen's Secret" and "The Royal Governess," I would recommend all of them, depending on what you enjoy. Time to turn the page to a new stack of books!
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55 comments:
Thank you so much for putting this together. It will be a good reference for me this year! I finished the latest Louise Penny just a week ago, or so. I loved it. I am on the waiting list for the newest "Vera". I can't wait! -Jenn
Hello Jeanie,
I really enjoy your post on the books you have read. I see so many I want to add to my list to read. Some I have read and loved, Louise Penny is one of my favorites. I have read all the Ann Cleeves Vera series too. Take care, enjoy your day!
We have a lot in common in our reading tastes and I also added some to my list from this post.
Thank you.
Books taking place in Italy and talking about food, the Guido Brunetti series sound like ones I should read.
I really enjoyed this book post Jeanie. I'm glad you enjoyed all the Elly Griffith's Ruth and Nelson mysteries. And I know what you mean about it taking time to do a yearly book post, but how fun it is. I'm slowly working away at one too. Maybe it will be ready for next weekend.
Thanks for all the mystery recommendations. I've read some of these but not many and I am always on the lookout for some good new reads. And Mudlarking was a favorite of mine too. Off to check out a few of your recommendations on Amazon. Hugs-Erika
You've read lots of good books. Glad you discovered the Donna Leon books, I loved them and the films. Hugs, Valerie
You clearing read a better class of books than I do but 2020 turned me into a prolific reader. Once we get past this pandemic when I can concentrate better on what I read I intend to step up the quality of the books I read. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you for this brilliant post about everything you have read.
I must do my round up of 2020 reading - over 80 read and British Library Crime Classics feature large!
You did fantastic and they sound like great reads! I had planned to do at least 52 books in 52 weeks for the year. By the beginning of March I had already read 20. Once the pandemic came along I couldn't concentrate on reading, I became a news junkie instead. Hopefully I can get back to reading soon. Maybe for one of my thirty day challenges I'll shoot for 30 books in 30 days! :)
I always look forward to your annual book review.
I enjoy noticing I've read some of the same books as you have :) Nothing she writes can be as good as Bel Canto ;) I enjoy Donna Leon and Charles Todd and remember introducing my kids to Josephine Tey back in the day.
I love to read memoirs the most. But, I have not done so in a long time.
As you know, I don't read a lot of fiction, but I did a little better this year, including a Margaret Atwood binge. One would hope that during COVID people who don't normally read much might have acquired the habit.
I love Bryant & May, such wonderful characters!
You're the second person to mention Louise Penny whilst I've been browsing blogs this past half hour or so... I think I should definitely check out her books.
I read ALOT of biographies, historical and especially royalty around the world (though my favorite royal periods that I have a large section of my library is medieval, tudor, and then victoria - present. I have Royal Governess for my library, as I have The Little Princesses and the other one about Elizabeth that Marion Crawford also wrote about Queen at time of coronation. I have Queen Victoria's Sketchbook in my library too :). I also love reading about the WW II homefront (especially diaries), such as Nella Last's wartime diaries, which in turn Victoria Wood did the movie Housewife, 49. My section of my library on WWII US & BRITAIN homefront is huge, lol.
Jeanie, sixty five books...wow how impressive. I am going to save this list to use as future reference when I am searching for an interesting read. I applaud your diligence!
Bravo!
Thanks for sharing. I might be ordering some of the mysteries for my mom.
I'm impressed with that total, Jeanie! Wow, 65 books. You have read quite a variety. Well done!!
I can’t wait to read the latest Gamache book! I credit you for getting me started on that series! I should get it from the library in the next couple of weeks. I actually liked Commonwealth more than The Dutch House - but loved both! This post reminds me I need to read some Ruth Reichl!
Thanks for sharing your reads. Lots of work went into this post.
Happy New Year.
Very well put together, and I think 65 books is an impressive number.
All the best Jan
WOW you sure did read a lot of books. I myself have not read in tears. No time. Good luck with this years list.
Your reading is impressive — but even more impressive is that you compiled a coherent list that makes everything fall into place about how and why you read. Cool!
Here’s to more reading in 2021 — but not as locked down...mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Jeanie, I read a lot of books but know that not near as many as you do. I haven't counted the total pages, and I know the genres are not as "stimulating" as yours! I am going to see if I can leave this message, as it always asks me about google and I have to figure that out. So if this comes through that is good but if not, than that is not good..Stay well..xxoJudy
Me again. If I just click into your post when I see it on my e-mail in box, I can't leave message but if I click into your actual blog than I can..Ok, got that one settled..xxoJudy
It's always fun to read through and see what books you read each year.
These book posts are always some of my favorites. ... lots of inspiration here, for sure. Will definitely give Mudlarking a try. Also, I seem to be getting recommendations left and right for The House on Vesper Sands. That's going on my list for sure, too. And thanks for the referral to Antoine Laurain. These look like just my speed these days.
There was so much history in Tey's Richard III story that I ended up returning to Alison Weir's explicitly non-fiction exploration of RIII's role in the disappearance of his nephews, The Princes in the Tower. Somehow Tey's version made it too hard for my COVID-confined brain to keep all the details straight!
Anyway, thanks for this compilation. It's bookmarked in my favorites list!
I used to keep a list, too, but sadly lost track of it. Kindle and such interfered...
Thumbs up for your reading, and no. Too tempting to go through there - I still have more than enough already ;-)
My Big Niece loves to read, too. (Wee One is not at school yet).
Big One hates English, do you have any hints on what to send her`? Charlotte´s Web? I got the Sheep-Over but Ingo said it´s too difficult. 2nd year she has English at school.
Dumb question for a mother tongue person?
You must speed read! I manage one or two books a month. Mind, since the pandemic I have barely been able to settle into any reading at all.
Deb in Wales.
An impressive variety of books you read last year. I do recognise some of them. The Daughter of Time, excellent read. It also got me interested in the mystery of Richard III and the Princes in the Tower. I have read a lot of nonfiction books about it, as well as the exciting find of the grave of Richard III in Leicester. I even went there to have a look at the tomb which is beautiful. You will find some posts on my blog from that time.
Donna Leon is always good. I loved The Silent Patient. It did feel a little bit long at a time, but it was so well put together and kept you guessing until the very end.
Loved The President's Hat and wanted to read more by him, but have not got that far yet. Heard a lot about The Dutch House and have that on my list. I loved the Paris Wife and am sorry to hear that this one is not so well researched. I have a nonfiction book about the women Hemingway was married to, so might go for the 'real stuff' instead.
I also try to read up on real facts when I read historical fiction. I love historical fiction but they have to be well researched.
Good luck with your reading for 2021.
Wow! I am impressed by all your reading, and some very interesting and tempting titles. (I'm looking forward to "Big Sky"! thanks! :) I wonder if the Edward VIII "biography" was so poor because the writer was delivering the kind of "biography" quite common in those days, which was basically a hagiography. I'm not sure the public would have wanted a book which was overly honest, it wasn't until the early 1970s that there were even private informal photos of the royal family, I mean just doing stuff like reading the paper and munching a slice of toast! Which doesn't make the book any better of course. In "normal" times (whatever those are) I put my books into our local library book exchange. It's in their cafe and is such fun, except of course it's shut...
Jeanie,
One of my Goals for the New Year is to read more...Lord knows I have enough books as I bought 40 new paperbacks at library Bag sales last year...
Another Goal is better organization of my Time....
We will se how good I do with those Goals...Thanks so much for stopping by and for all your kind comments..
Hugs,
Deb
Can you hear my applause? You are wise I think to not Instagram or Tik Tok..this year..I have booked out books and 21 days have flown by with me..not reading them.Hardest yr to concentrate on a book.
I think 3 kept my attention..Reading Invisible Girl..and I think it will be fully read..Anxious People on my bookshelf.
That BP Journal is such a keeper..Comfort me With Apples was my fave of hers I think..there were 2 I favored..the rest..for me..meh..I have actually called myself Mehnique lately.
I always look forward to and enjoy your book reviews. I have what might be an odd suggestion for books you don't want to donate or share because they're so bad: keep it; tear out some pages; cover them with a light gesso wash; and use them as a substrate for water colors. Also, after tearing out pages throughout the book, gesso the pages and collage or paint them to use as background pages for an ort journal.
Lovely to see your round-up. I have Les Parisiennes on the shelf. I will read it in a month or so, because I want to read it closer to when I'm studying the history of the WWII.
Now, after reading you post, I reserved Mudlarking by Lara Maiklem too. When the libraries open I will get my copy. It should be fascinating.
You asked me if I'm going back to Oxford. Unfortunately not. We are going to learn online for at least another term. Right now we are in lockdown, until mid February. Unless something radical happens, I think I will finish the year from home, with everything online. It's a bit complicated because the local libraries are closed too, but this is the situation.
Sending hugs xx
I always enjoy your book reviews Jeanie. I think it awesome you topped last years pages and I am impressed with how much you read. I need to be more time organized so I can get more reading time in. Now I am going back and read through your titles. Happy January Jeanie............
I enjoyed this post. You mentioned some of my favorite authors - (Penny, Griffith, Leon) but also gave me some ideas of other things to read. I jotted some down and will make another list on the library website!
I always find your reading list fascinating. I'm a big reader but at this stage of my life I don't count pages, etc. I read what I want and if I have guessed wrong on liking a book will quit a book in the first chapter and delete from my Kindle. As a book lover with strong feelings about books, I too often in life was forced to read and to write about books I didn't like or have an interest in. So now I look for fun, espapist literature.
Enjoyed reading your pros and cons on the books and made a note of a few to look up. Thanks for sharing!
That's an impressive number of books and pages... Well done! :)
Looks like some great reads were among them too.
Kudos to you, Jeanie! Your quite an avid, versatile book reader!
Jeannie, as I have said before, "You are AMAZING!" I plan to keep this list to refer to. I appreciate the effort that went into this post.
Have a great weekend!
I always enjoy your book list. You have a really eclectic taste and I love reading which mysteries you prefer, as well as non-fiction works. It seems you and Divers & Sundry both love Donna Leon. I've read a couple papers on Marion Crawford. From what I read, both the Queen Mum and Queen Elizabeth wanted her gone.
Thanks again for this great review. Time consuming, yes, but time well spent.
Wonderful post about the books. I think it is wonderful to read those books. Book reviews are so helpful. Happy weekend Jeanie.
I love reading your books read post. I want to read more this year. My favorites are mysteries. I’ve been very distracted this year and not in much of a reading mood. I hope this year brings many changes.
A fantastic list! Thank you so much. I found many favorites and wrote down a few that I've not read and I've enjoyed your opinions. Josephine Tey's "The Daughter of Time" is one of my all-time favorite books.
Amalia
xo
Oh we have many reading tastes in common, I would like to sit down and chat with you over coffee or tea. I too love Laurain, Lamott, Donna Leon, Elly Griffiths. Now thanks to you I want to read The Wild Remedy, The Bookseller (I have lived in Paris and love it plus mysteries), and Queen Victoria's Sketchbook. I wrote these down.
Thanks for the suggestions! I'm always looking for the next good read. I love Ruth Reichl's writing and have read many of her books. My latest purchase is Sanjay Gupta's Keep Sharp (nonfiction).I haven't started it yet.
Thanks for your kind instruction of books you read. I would like to read a powerful story of resilience. All of us need to keep not only patience but also Resilience now. It will have us keep hope for the bright future.
65 books is impressive! Thank you for posting as it might help me find some good ones to read this year. My sister is an avid reader, and she gives me the books that she thinks I will enjoy, and I almost always do. Do you have a stack at the ready for 2021? I bet you do! Happy reading ~
Me again, Jeanie!! Thanks so much for visiting!!
Hugs,
Deb
What an accomplishment! I of course loved reading your reviews about Royal themed books. :) I used to read so much more. However, I prefer large print and our library only adds a few titles a year. Still, I did read many many pattern instructions and read oodles of academic research articles. LOL
I'm happy to look through your list of your favorite reads of 2020. I enjoyed all of the Antoin Lauraine books I've read so far. I also liked all of the Ruth Reichl books I've read including Comfort Me With Apples. I'm looking forward to the new Anne Lamott book that's coming out in 2021. I've been thinking about Wild Remedy, and I will look for Les Parisiennes.
Looking forward to Anne Lamott's book, love her others! And The Crocodiles will Arrive Later. I wish I liked mysteries, but aside from No. ! Ladies Detective Agency, I can't seem to get into them. Loved The Library Book. Curious about The Dutch House. And Les Parisiennes. Looking forward to the illustrations in The Wild Remedy.
I realized lately that at this point in my life, it's hard to sit still to read, and yet I love to read. So, I'm starting a new habit of listening to audio books while working with my hands.when I drove places I used to listen to them in the car. I just ordered Anxious People on CD's from my library.
I envy people who are able to read a lot! YOU have outdone yourself!
It looks like you had a great year of reading!!
I really want to read The Wild Remedy and Mudlarking. :)
Going to put Magpie Murders on my list - thanks!
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