Favorite Books of 2019

Another year, more books to review! As we get settled in Boston, it's been so fun to look back at the books I read this year, and recall the favorites. Posts like these on blogs, social media, and book sites often help me think about what I plan to read in the coming year and I hope some of these titles excite you! As in past years, the books below are a mixture of fiction and non-fiction.

Where The Crawdads Sing: This book was quite popular this last year, and I'd say it lives up to the hype. I love a great setting and this book really made me feel as if I was in the North Carolina marsh it's set in. With a murder trial and a fair amount of biology and nature too, it was a compelling read!

Playful Mindfulness: It's always fun to read a book by someone you know! This book with its cute cover was written by the instructor of a mindfulness course by the same name I took in 2018. The book offers helpful strategies for achieving calm and avoiding mind frenzy with funny stories and anecdotes thrown in. 

Atonement: I'd been meaning to read Atonement for far too long, and had even started in 2013, but hadn't finished it. It's a powerful British novel on family and choices set before, during, and after World War II. It's full of depth and sadness and stuck with me after reading. 

When They Call You a Terrorist: A powerful memoir by one of the Founders of the Black Lives Matter movement. Compelling, tragic, and so enlightening. Highly recommended. 

The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter: I love a great historical fiction novel with a female lead. This one didn't disappoint. I had never heard of Grace Darling before, but the novel set in England and Rhode Island 100 years apart in the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries is a fast-moving, detailed, and highly enjoyable read.

Bibliophile: This book is a fun illustrated anthology in celebration of books and reading. Great illustrations demonstrate famous bookstores, libraries, and books around the world, and books of every genre are recommended. It felt a bit like being in a book museum. 

Girl Rising: This was a really inspirational and informative coffee table-like book about girls education around the world. It inspired the documentary by the same name and goes into the stories of several girls around the world and the barriers in the way for them to receive an education. Often I donate books after reading them, but I couldn't part with this one. 

Homegoing: This novel weaved from Eighteenth century west Africa to modern day America, stopping at every generation along the way. It was a powerful and moving novel about race, class, the slave trade, and family and human relations. 

Waking Up White: If you're new to thinking about white privilege and present-day racial injustice in the United States, this book is a great place to start and can jumpstart a conversation with yourself and those around you on how we can all fight racism.

They Called Us Enemy: George Takei's graphic novel on his experience in the Japanese-American prison camps as a child during World War II was so sad, yet beautifully presented. This book is particularly timely today as we see the same internment camps used during World War II being used again. The more we can all educate ourselves about injustices of the past, the more we can avoid history repeating itself. 

The Collected Schizophrenias: I came to this book with a basic understanding of mental illness, but the personal essays by the author contained within were so detailed and revealing into how society, one's peers and family, and the medical community view mental illnesses. It was both sad and hopeful.

Sing, Unburied, Sing: Jesmyn Ward is an incredible writer and I always look forward to her books. Sing, Unburied, Sing explores family dynamics, drug abuse, race relations, and memory in rural Mississippi. Ward's detailed writing style brings the reader into every setting. The novel is intense and raw and deserves the immense praise it has received.

The Birth of Venus: Ahead of visiting Italy this summer, I was seeking a novel about the Italian Renaissance. The Birth of Venus was perfect! I loved the art history, character dynamics, setting, and mystery.

Nasty Women: This book of essays was an encouragement in these upsetting times. If you need a boost in knowing you're not alone or imagining the latest injustices and discrimination, read this book, and stay hopeful. Oh, and vote. 

My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward: Another book that dived deeper into mental illness and powerfully portrayed its affects in one relationship and family, along with how to work through it.

Drowning Ruth: I loved the setting of this book in Wisconsin around the time of the first World War. The story jumps between characters and memories and is mysterious, fascinating, and a little bit dark.

The Invention of Wings: One of my favorite books I read in 2019. Based on a true story and set in the decades before the American Civil War in the Antebellum South, the novel is well written, moving, and filled with strong female characters. It's a deep exploration of female friendship, slavery, and early nineteenth century America.

Reading Lolita in Tehran: I had hoped to read this memoir for the last several years and was happy to finally read it. It was moving, sad, and fascinating to learn of the lives of young women in Iran gathering together for a book club. The memoir traces the author's many years in Iran and the United States and while the book club gathered 25 year ago in Tehran, it seems as if it could be present-day.

Murder in the Rue Dumas: Set at a University in France, this murder mystery is told by two Detectives and was a fun read full of memorable characters. The genre was new for me and I enjoyed the setting.

City of Girls: A page turner for most of the book, though a little bit fluffy and sensational. Its setting in New York City in the 1930s and 1940s was fun and visual, a nice summer or beach read. 

Moving News

California was a fantastic home for 3 and a half years, but a couple of weeks ago, Krishna and I moved to Boston! Krishna and I met in San Mateo, California and are excited to make this move together and begin a new chapter in Massachusetts. 

The awe-inspiring beauty of California, our friends, the fresh produce, and diverse cultures will be missed by both of us, but Boston feels right for us right now. It's filled with memories for me, and we are both looking forward to enjoying the distinct seasons, meeting new and old friends, and becoming involved in a community. I hope to bring more New England travel stories here soon!

Leaving San Francisco at sunrise, and arriving in Boston!

A view from near my office in Cambridge, MA

Visiting Angels Camp & Murphys, CA

California is so vast with such different and beautiful regions. While we love living in coastal California, the San Francisco Bay Area prices and crowds can be tiring. We've loved every opportunity we've had thus far to go inland and explore! Calaveras County in the Sierra Nevada foothillswas new to both of us and was chosen based on it's relatively close proximity to the Bay Area. A 2.5 hour drive from our home meant it would be a fulfilling day trip. The towns of Angels Camp and Murphys were on our list for the day, and some background research told us they were both gold country settlements. I loved my solo trip to Auburn, CA last year, and Calaveras County felt like a similar trip, though a little bit closer. 

Angels Camp on the map

Angels Camp was the perfect first stop for about an hour. There was a well-stocked visitors center and a helpful free walking guide of the main street. Mark Twain's visit to the town was well-publicized and a friendly town resident stopped us on our walking tour to tell us more about Twain and to be sure to see this mural. 

The creek running through Angels Camp was beautiful and the weather was perfect. With the exception of the recent wildfires, the shoulder seasons of fall and spring in California are favorable and so comfortable. 

Angels Camp has some historic buildings and a great small town feel.

Murphys was a short 15 minutes away and seemed to be built much more around tourism. There appeared to be 20+ tasting rooms on the long main street and plenty of day visitors like us. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and found the weekly farmers market in full swing! 

The gold rush history of the town was well documented throughout the main street. We found plenty of antique shops, independent businesses, and friendly shop owners wanting to talk. 

We enjoyed another great visitors center in Murphys, a nice wine tasting with a coupon from the visitors center, a fun ice cream shop, and a very charming and positive experience in Murphys.  

If you find yourself in the Sierra Nevada foothills, or even on the coast of California, a visit to these nice towns will be worth your time for some strolling and relaxation. 😎

Spring Thoughts

Hi again! And Happy Spring! I've noticed the last several years has included a large spring gap in writing on this blog. I'd like to avoid it in the future but wonder if it's a natural effect at working at a school (busy springs!) and a new year beginning, perhaps? Spring feels like it's arrived and nearly passed in the Bay area, but there were so many vibrant shades of green when it first arrived. The winter was extra rainy and even included rare snow on nearby peaks!

I've been finding so much happiness here and often think back to this move to California being a great choice nearly three years ago. This new region has allowed me to grow, gain new perspectives and ideas, experience nature and new cultures, and meet wonderful people. 

Below, I included a collection of spring images captured around the Bay area!

Favorite Books of 2018

Happy 2019! As a lover of reading, I look forward to writing this post each year. Finishing a book, thinking about how to describe it in a few words, and putting together these colorful collages of the covers, is a true joy of mine. The books below make up the majority of the books I read this past year and are all ones I would recommend. I hope some of these books interest you!

Where I Was From: Joan Didion is a fantastic essayist with a distinct style. I read a couple of her books while living in New Hampshire, but reading this one about her life in California while living in the state was very fun as many of the places she describes in detail are familiar to me. I wrote a bit about this book previously here. 

The Night Diary: Before picking up this book, I didn't know too much about the Partition of India and ensuing forced migration of tens of millions between Pakistan and India in 1947. The tragic migration was the largest in human history. This book is excellent and tells the story of one family from the point of view of a young teenager. While designed for middle grades, it's a fantastic book about a time of relatively recent history we don't know too much about in the United States. 

The Fire This Time: Jesmyn Ward is an incredible writer and voice on present-day racism and the black experience in America. I never tire of her non-fiction and fiction books. This book of essays from multiple writers brings the voices of the Black Lives Matter movement to the page and is especially timely today.

Factfulness: Excellent! The author makes the case for accurate facts in reporting and perception, particularly related to global health. He brings forth the facts that poverty and disease are being eradicated globally and the health and wealth of the world is often better than we think it is. Fascinating facts, charts, and an encouragement to look at the world and a myriad of issues with slightly more optimism. 

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: One of my very favorite books from this year. A heartfelt and touching story. While reading it, I wished I had learned more about the specific experience of Japanese Americans during World War II even sooner. Living in California and being interested in the topic allowed me to seek out additional sources of information and museums in the Bay area bringing light to the forced incarceration of American citizens during World War II.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: I've long wanted to read this book but the print version was so overwhelmingly long and I started and stopped it a few times over the last several years. It was the audiobook that allowed me to finish it, mostly while moving a couple of hours away and taking several driving trips in the process. It is an overarching and somber account of the political experience of Native Americans in 19th century America. It is sad and important and I hope continues to be read in the future.

The Angel's Lament: Local authors often interest me and when living in Meredith, New Hampshire a few years ago I read the pre-cursor to this book, Etched in Granite which was set in a nearby equally-small town in the 1870s. It was a fantastic historical fiction novel and it was fun to read this sequel taking place in Lowell, Massachusetts. I felt a definite connection to my New England ancestry. 
Wine. All the Time.: As someone who loves food, cooking, and hopes to learn more about wine, this book was truly useful and very funny. I checked it out from the library but have been considering purchasing it as there were so many helpful pieces of knowledge related to how wine is made, how to purchase it, and the very detailed differences between different types. 

Exit West: This book deserves all the praise its received. Telling a modern story of refugees attempting to reach safety and passing through multiple nameless places in search of a better life, it's vagueness makes it all the more powerful. 

Becoming: Just as amazing as I had imagined and hoped. If you like or are inspired by Michelle Obama, you'll enjoy it!

A Piece of the World: Just lovely. Set on the coast of Maine and told by Christina, the figure in Andrew Wyeth's painting Christina's World, the book is a fantastic dive into early twentieth century life in rural/coastal Maine and explores themes of family and disability. 

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry: I hoped this book would boost my science knowledge/awareness as I struggle to remember much about scientific news. The main piece of knowledge I took away/recall is that galaxies are carnivorous.

Spirits of the Earth: A Guide to Native American Nature Symbols, Stories, and Ceremonies: This book was a really wonderful immediate follow-up to Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. This was a celebration of Native American culture and I sought it out wanting to learn more about our connection to nature as humans. The stories, beliefs, and recommendations about connecting with nature in this book are really wonderful and a great reminder to live and communicate with nature as often as possible. 

The Nightingale: A hard-to-put down novel taking place in France during World War II. Both sad and inspiring. 

South and West: Another great book by Joan Didion. South and West came out in 2017 but is made up of her travel diaries from the 1970's chronicling California and the Deep South. The book reads very much like a travel diary and has a bit of stream of consciousness to it. 

The Secret Lives of Color: A really fun art history/color history book. Very cool to learn about how hundreds of shades of colors came about.

Born a Crime: Extremely funny, enlightening, and fun. I listened to the audiobook and the many short stories about Trevor Noah's childhood in South Africa are touching, powerful, and excellently told. 

Angela's Ashes: I had been wanting to read this popular book for awhile. It was just as sad as the reviews shared, but still provided an interesting light into Ireland before the second World War.

The Sun and Her Flowers: Rupi Kaur's poems are meditative and explore beautiful themes. She's a talented poet.

The Storyteller's Secret: A page-turning novel about India exploring past and present with themes of family, love, and opportunity.

Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness: I wrote a bit about this book here. If you like trees and nature, it's simply fantastic.

Dollbaby: I've long loved novels about the Civil Rights-era South, and Dollbaby doesn't disappoint. Set in New Orleans in 1964, the characters, setting and story come alive.

A Carnival of Losses: Notes Nearing Ninety: I wrote about Donald Hall here when he passed away last summer. I had never read any of his books and this series of essays was a fun read and also very connected to my native New Hampshire. His stories of family, growing old, rural life, community engagement, and grief were captivating. 

Educated: Just as powerful, intense, and unbelievable as many of the reviews made it out to be. A powerful memoir. 

Image credits go to Amazon for these fantastic book cover images!

Meditation

Sometime in the late summer of this year, I felt pulled to join an activity or class beyond fitness after work. I had heard about Stanford University’s continuing education classes for members of the community, and looked at the many options. After some thought, I decided on a class that seemed like it would leave an impact on my ways of thinking and ability to handle stress – a meditation class!

The course, called Playful Mindfulness, engrained meditation and improvisation and provided a closer view into how one's mind works. Also provided was guided meditation and ways to confront stress. Prior to beginning the class, I attended guided meditation occasionally but the course opened up a new window of knowledge for me.

I loved learning about how our bodies and minds respond to stress. It was helpful to learn how to ground my feet, focus my thoughts, and allow my mind to wander when meditating, or to listen to every sound. It was fascinating too, to take notice of how our minds react to prompts, sounds, and actions. Most of all though, learning alongside other interested students was the best part of the class. 

The class met weekly and I’d drive from work and spend time in Palo Alto first, usually having a quick dinner and reading a book. When the class ended at 9 p.m., I’d be tired and with a classmate or two, would walk across Stanford’s grassy oval to find our cars. As I’d drive through Palo Alto heading toward the highway, I remember the autumn darkness and stillness. Still being new to the area, there is much about the Bay area and Silicon Valley that still feels foreign and new. The region is historic and intriguing and seeing it at night when much of the usual traffic has dissipated makes it feel smaller and less busy than it is. With the streetlights illuminating portions of the road and quaint Palo Alto neighborhoods lining the stretch of road before the highway, I would think most weeks on this drive home about Christine Blasey Ford, about her bravery, and how she still hadn’t returned to her home. I’d wonder if one of the dark houses passing by in a blur belonged to her.

Visiting Auburn, CA

For most of this fall, I've looked forward to a taking a day-trip to the town of Auburn, CA. I'd driven past it on the way to Tahoe previously, and remembered the town's beautiful courthouse being visible from the highway. While living in Monterey, I also met people from the town who had great things to say. When a free day presented itself yesterday, I was thrilled to make the trip!  

 

I departed the bay area around 8 a.m. to ensure the drive there would be just two hours. I traveled solo and really love the occasional experience of taking a trip on my own. Auburn was located just off the highway and is in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. As soon as I arrived, I could tell there was a peaceful small town feel. I found a parking spot and noticed this large monument paying tribute to how the town was founded -- when gold was found nearby in 1848.

I walked up to the town's main attraction, the large Placer County courthouse built in 1893 from local materials including granite and limestone. The building is still an active courthouse and has a great free history museum on the first floor that details the Native American period in the area as well as the gold rush and pioneer history of the town. I can't share enough beautiful words about the building. It was magnificent and so enormous and fun to spot from nearly every part of town.

I stumbled upon a farmer's market after departing the courthouse and loved walking among the scent of flowers, fresh vegetables, and herbs. There was live music and with the foliage, clear sky, and smell of food, the farmer's market felt like the perfect place to be in that moment. I bought some vegetables and just when it seemed that the surroundings couldn't get any better, I found a wood-fired pizza food truck and got a personal margherita pizza to eat on a nearby bench. It was delicious!

It was fun to explore the many antique shops in Old Town Auburn, a section of the town which dates back to Auburn's gold rush past. Much of this area was devoted to tourism, but it appeared naturally historic too, nothing seemed inauthentic or too touristy. After exploring this area in full, I noticed it was nearly 80 degrees at noon and to escape the sun, I found a coffee shop to relax and start reading a book. 

 

This nitro cold brew was good! As I'd never seen one before and the coffee shop also served beer and wine, I clarified that it was coffee when it was presented. 😂

 

In short, it was a lovely day trip, and I'd recommend visiting Auburn for a day, or as a quick stop if you're on Interstate 80!