Ah, 2021. I don't know if things (big picture, worldly, societal at-large sorts of things) will actually shift much any time soon, but it is nice to at least have some semblance of a fresh start and the potential for a clean slate and new beginnings. As for myself, some of my changes thus far this year have been removing social media from my phone for the time being and committing to daily yoga, at least for the month. I've had to check in on facebook a couple times to contact folks about the monthly herb shares I've been doing since the summer, but I haven't so much as peeked on instagram- a far cry from the way-too-often checking in I was doing there for the last several months. Ever since the lead up to the election in November I'd been fairly glued to my phone- whether it was news or social media as a 'break' from the news...... it was just too much, and I was recently starting to feel like I wasn't as in charge of my own time and energy as I ought to be. I mean, come on- I made it until two years ago with no smartphone and I was just fine, plenty content. It truly isn't a necessary part of my well being and my world. All that said......... I do think there is also some good to the world of social media and all it entails. But. There has to be balance. And there wasn't for me, not for a while there.
I suppose that's all for another day though, because today I'm here to share my annual list of books read (novels, mostly- I don't typically count my nonfiction here). Maybe soon I'll go back and add my annual birthday gratitudes from 2020, a bit about our last year in general (we bought a farm! we both got covid! we're well!) and our epic summer road trip of 2019.
For now, books. Shared in the order they were read with favorites marked with an asterisk. It was a year of finally diving into Outlander (LOVE it) and His Dark Materials (such a magical and mysterious and thought-provoking series), among other things. As always, I'd LOVE if you saw fit to share your own favorite books read.
Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All - Laura Ruby
*Giver of Stars - Jojo Moyes
Whiskey When We're Dry - John Larison
Watershed - Mark Barr
The Overstory - Richard Powers
The Golden Compass - Phillip Pullman
The Subtle Knife - Phillip Pullman
The Amber Spyglass - Phillip Pullman
(*suffice to say I enjoyed the series very much and though it's hard to choose a favorite I'd say The Subtle Knife would probably have to be it)
Farm Girl - Corinne Cunningham
Lyra's Oxford - Phillip Pullman
Once Upon a Time in the North - Phillip Pullman
Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
The Book of Dust - Phillip Pullma
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander book 2) - Diana Gabaldon
The Orphan of the Salt Winds - Elizabeth Brooks
*The Huntress - Kate Quinn
*Voyager (Outlander book 3) - Diana Gabaldon
*The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey (this was a reread of one of my all time favorites)
The City Baker's Guide to Country Living - Louise Miller
Drums of Autumn (Outlander book 4) - Diana Gabaldon
The Fiery Cross (Outlander book 5) - Diana Gabaldon
La Belle Sauvage - Phillip Pullman
*Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander book 6) - Diana Gabaldon
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek - Kim Michele Richardson
Echo in the Bone (Outlander book 7) - Diana Gabaldon
The Salt Path - Raynor Winn
*Written in My Heart's Own Blood (outlander book 8) - Diana Gabaldon
Lord John and the Private Matter - Diana Gabaldon
Midwife of the Blue Ridge - Christine Blevins (this was good for the 'Outlander withdrawal')
The Burgess Boys - Elizabeth Strout
Olive, Again - Elizabeth Strout
Rose Madder - Stephen King
Remarkable Creatures - Tracy Chevalier
The Exiles - Christina Baker Kline
Wintering : The Power of rest and Retreat in Difficult Times - Katherine May
Well, there you have it. If you'd like to look back over lists from years past, you can follow this link to last year's post which includes separate links to each previous year.
Cheers and Happy New Year~
Glad to see all is well with you, great news to read that you have bought a farm how wonderful. Wishing you and yours best wishes wishes for the new year.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm going to pick up the Outlander series :)
ReplyDeleteMost of the 80 books I read last year were audiobooks but out of the print books "American Wife" by Curtis Sittenfeld and "True Colors" by Kristen Hannah were favorites. Both were randomly grabbed at Little Free Libraries. I always enjoy seeing your annual book list. Any you are really looking forward to this year?
ReplyDeleteI had been spending less and less time on social myself... Also trying to restore balance. I definitely felt like I was completely sucked into it when I first joined instagram. I'm getting better at finding the balance. I found it helped me a lot when I turned off all of my notifications. I'm glad to see you on the blog!! I've been posting on mine again as well... But in an opposite way... My posts are entirely photos... But I feel they still tell a story. I love your book lists. I read "his dark materials" last winter and am beginning to embark on "his darker materials"* now and the various other companion books. Looks like I need to add "outlander" to my list.
ReplyDelete*Philip Pullman is referring to this new trilogy as his darker materials. I think there is supposed to be a third book coming out. We read all of "harry potter" last year (like you) and loved it. I've mostly been reading non fiction... Although I did read "travels with Charlie" by John Steinbeck. I bet you would like that one!
What a lovely thing to see you here in this beautiful old space. Have been pondering whether similar might be possible for me this year. Have made some pretty big work changes that might be good for my personal writing; we'll see!
ReplyDeleteAnd books! Glorious books. Love this list. I had a solid reading year in 2020 and am hoping for even more in 2021.
I've seen other writers returning to their blogs lately, and I'm all for it. I always preferred the thoughtfulness that came out of posting on blogs and personal websites rather than on social media, but I'm glad that found your blog through Instagram. Your pictures and writing are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of middle grade novels last year, mostly because my oldest turned nine and we've been reading together. My favorites were:
Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
A Kind of Paradise by Amy Rebecca Tan
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
The Art of Showing Up by Rachel Wilkerson Miller
The End of Absence by Michael Harris