Even though I’m a slow, careful reader of what might be considered “heavy” books, much to my
disappointment, embarrassment, and chagrin, I read only four books in the
year just ended:
- Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain: From the first page, the author was talking directly to me, and thanks to her wisdom, I try not to beat myself up for
needing space and time to decompress, for despising video conference calls
that force my brain to function in ways that it was not designed to work,
and – now that I’m finally writing about the book – for not
marking the many passages that resonated so powerfully with me.
- Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery: Somehow this book slipped through the cracks
until I finally caught up with it in 2017. Pure escapism to a simpler time
and a true joy to read, the book's brief review on my page on goodreads.com says:
“Now I understand why fans want to visit Prince Edward Island. Count me
in!”
- The Beautiful Possible, by Amy Gottlieb: Having learned from Amy Gottlieb, one of my instructors
at “Beyond Walls,” the Kenyon Institute’s spiritual writing seminar, I was
eager to read the personally inscribed copy of this book – and it did not
disappoint. Her richly detailed characters came vividly to life and the
intricate weavings of the tale have stayed with me in the months since I
turned the last page.
- The Gene: An Intimate History, by Siddhartha Mukherjee: At more than 600 densely, but incredibly
well-written pages, this book, more than the others, accounts for this
list’s brevity. A detailed, attention-grabbing exploration of every
possible facet of genetics, Mukherjee seamlessly blends his own family’s
personal narrative with the history of the gene and genetics. At the heart
of the volume, are the richly drawn profiles of the scientists and
researchers whose hypotheses, persistence, and discoveries brought the
field to life – and whose work continues to shape this critically important
field today.
I’ve just signed up to participate in goodreads.com’s 2018 Reading
Challenge and, given my dismal number for 2017, have set a modest goal of
six books for the year. I’m nearly halfway through the first,
The Weight of Ink, by Rachel Kadish, which I started over Thanksgiving weekend. Stay tuned
for updates and happy reading to one and all.
