Best books of 2019
Personal favorites from my last year’s reads
Last year, my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal was to read 60 books, and at end of the year, I had read 95 books — major thanks to audiobooks!
I loved most of them and it is tough to pick out a few but I decided to limit myself to single digits. And under that constraint, these are my favorite books of 2019:
1. An American Marriage
A thought-provoking work of fiction and a story that beautifully portrays the racial struggles of people of the United States of America — the emotional complexities and the gray areas of each character have been written with such detail by the author, Tayari Jones, that you empathize with each of them for the situations they have been put in by circumstances out of their control. I read this book for a book club, and it made for a great discussion.
2. The Nightingale
This historical fiction by Kristin Hannah is set in World War II and has two sisters as the main protagonists. What I loved the most about this book was that it shed light on something we don’t usually see in movies or read in books — how the lives of women were in those times, the roles they played, and the strength and resilience they showed as unsung heroes of the war. Word of caution: this one can be emotionally heavy, but it’s a must-read book in my opinion. I also read somewhere recently that this book is being made into a movie — I hope they do it justice.
3. Know my name
Chanel Miller’s raw and honest memoir shows us the hidden side of sexual assault — the side of the survivor, one of trauma and victim-blaming, one of questions and distrust, one of injustice and loneliness, and one of healing and growing too. It’s a case we have all heard of, but if you don’t know her name, read the book. I will not use the perpetrator's name above hers.
4. The Last Lecture
Randy Pausch wrote this book after his successful lecture, the last lecture, written as the last words of love and wisdom to his family and his students. Filled with little gems of wisdom, optimism, perspective, and resilience this one is bound to add value to anyone and everyone’s life.
5. The Power of Habit
Undoubtedly one of the best ones in non-fiction — the author describes the science of habit-forming with such simplicity. The concept is explained with such simplicity that you can see for yourself how it applies to almost everything we do and also helps us find creative ways of making better habits so we can reduce the mental load of decision-making in everything.
6. The Little Book of Hygge
Written by Meik Wiking, the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, this book is about the Danish way of a happy living. I loved everything about the book and the life it showed me — homes filled with candlelight, warm socks, fireplaces, delicious food and mulled wine, and above all happiness, friendship, and belonging — all of it made me want to make my life hyggelit!
7. Small Great Things
This gripping piece of fiction by Jodi Picoult felt all too real. It is a real page-turner, and hearing this story of race from three different perspectives leaves you questioning the difference between right and wrong at many points. It really makes you think about the role of upbringing and environment, and the messages that young people get, that can define their entire lives. It also highlights the systemic hurdles that minorities face while privileged segments of society can be totally oblivious to them.
8. On Love
A beautiful, beautiful, beautiful story of a couple’s journey through love showing the little things of love and the changes we go through as we grow with someone and individually at the same time. Even though the book is set as a story, there are so many life lessons and bits of wisdom in this one. That’s the magic of Alain de Botton’s writing!
9. Becoming
Michelle Obama’s Memoir Becoming was truly inspirational for me and so relatable in many ways.
What were your favorite books? Book recommendations are always welcome!
