I did mean to publish this end of 2020/early 2021. I had 80% of it drafted and everything, y’all! As the saying goes: better late than never. So here are my faves of 2020.
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From 2020 draft: I’m gonna say something similar that many have said this year: I had a hard time. With a lot of things but especially my tried & true love: reading. Jess Zimmerman at Electric Literature wrote a really good post about having a hard time reading due to the events of 2020 that are also bleeding into 2021 and will be in our psyche for a long while.
Now, I did start and stop many books. Some that I just didn’t have the bandwidth to finish due to content but were/are great reads and others I just wasn’t feeling and gave up on 50 or more pages in. If I had included those my tally would’ve been 50+, which is still less than my 62 aim for 2020. Perhaps next year I’ll go above and beyond my goal or perhaps I won’t and may get stymied from our current situation extending. Who knows? I do know that by not reading, notice the dearth of poetry on this list (sigh), really hampered my own creativity. I get SO much inspiration from arts and not being able to go to museums or live shows, socialize, or read steadily/daily impeded other ways I was absorbing methods for my own artistic expression. TV and film can do but so much. And a hope I have for 2021 is to not only be healthier by moving/exercising more in my current WFH life but to also carve out time to read at least 45 minutes a day to help get the mind percolating. Wish me luck! Now on to some of my favorite reads of 2020.
The Illness Lesson by Clare Beams (2020): I believe this may have been one of the first books I read start to finish in 2020 and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. The premise had me intrigued and the writing dug the hooks in so that I couldn’t stop. I even wrote an essay about the themes in Illness Lesson because Beams’ prose really tapped into how much the world can beat you down and make you second guess yourself.
Infinite Country by Patricia Engel (2021): The writing is sparse but the emotions run high in what would become an immediate bestseller for Engel. This is the kind of book you can also learn from, tightly packed, clear details, sensory utilized consistently. So beautiful and not a “typical” immigration story as labeling it as such is not only inaccurate but a limitation. Really enjoyed this and can’t wait for more from Engel, and to read her backlist.
Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry (2020): I am a huge fan of Mabry’s National Book Award longlisted YA novel All the Wind in the World. So I was pleasantly surprised when I received a copy of her latest book smack dab at the start of quarantine. This was one of the first books I read start to finish once quarantine was officially in play throughout the United States and Mabry did not disappoint! Mabry’s writing is always excellent and her sentences are to be savored. Get this one if you hadn’t already.
Class Act by Jerry Craft (2020): I wouldn’t dare compare the bestselling Class Act to the bestselling/award-winning New Kid because they stand solidly on their own. This was exactly the type of book I needed during quarantine. Graphic novels in general have, finally, been more sought out by major publishers. And I’m glad because books that combine humor, commentary, and put you at ease like this one are really great for kids, especially Black kids, to have when times are dreary.
Twins by Varian Johnson & Shannon Wright (2020): As I mentioned, I craved graphic novels as we headed into fall and several months in quarantine. I needed the visuals and “lighter” fare. So you’ll see a few on this list because I wanted more and more. I loved the sisterly bonds in Twins and how their love for each other, even as they were coming into their own never wavered.
A Is for Audra: Broadway’s Leading Ladies from A to Z by John Robert Allman and Peter Emmerich (2019): Emmerich’s illustrations really make this book for me, no offense to the wonderful rhyme from Allman, connecting each letter and person(s). It’s so vibrant and encapsulates the beauty of Broadway that I miss so much. Whether you’re a fan of Broadway or not I highly suggest this book as a celebration of women in the arts.
The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans (2020): I’m a big fan of short stories and wish I had been able to read more or had more on my radar. Either way, Evans’ latest was a great read utilizing humor and reality and, on occasion, turning the world on its head slightly to show how what we’re dealing with now has been part of a larger history. Read this and her debut Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self ASAP if you hadn’t already.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020): One of the biggest bestsellers of 2020, Bennett’s second novel was one everyone heard about. And it is a lovely and piercing read. Switching POVs over time—and you know I love multi-POV stories—as well as looking at passing and giving us a bit more context from a contemporary lens, though a good chunk of the story is in the past/recent past, outside the Harlem Renaissance tomes, Bennett’s look at two sister’s choices in how to live their lives doesn’t skirt hard truths.
Max & the Midknights by Lincoln Pierce (2019): Another graphic novel! And a fun one to a bestselling series from Pierce. Max and his merry friends are on a mission and it’s great to see a kind of Scooby Doo gang vibe in this medieval look at young people finding their destinies. Super cute and funny.
How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang (2020): Longlisted for the Booker Prize and shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, Zhang’s debut is phenomenal and a great first read of 2020. I’m hoping we’ll see a worthy adaptation of this to the screen because Zhang’s storytelling is absolutely cinematic.
Running by Natalia Sylvester (2020): Sylvester’s YA debut is just the book we need. As the daughter of a conservative politician comes into her own politics and beliefs there’s a lot to traverse. You can love folx and also disagree but this is hard. How much have people sacrificed for other’s dreams and what about broaching hard conversations? In Running, there are no easy answers, which is why I love this book and what it provides for young readers who are more politically aware than I was at their age.
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi (2020): As always Emezi’s prose is pristine, taut, and emotionally charged. The beauty of Vivek Oji is the love for a character we know from the start will pass, but has such a bright life on the page as a corporeal being and in the after life.
Other enjoyable reads in 2020 include: Real Life by Brandon Taylor, Memorial by Bryan Washington, Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson, and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds & Dr. Ibram X. Kendi.
Happy reading!