Dorf 2017 Best Books

My year with reading was complicated. I felt like I hit a bad rut with reading in around October and I had to fight and accept it to get through it. I tried the PopSugar Book Challenge. But, after completing 41 of the boxes, I decided it was causing too much stress and not enough joy. Now, I look back on the year, and comprehensively, it was actually one of my best ever year for books.

I’m going to do give you my list of best books of 2017 a little differently this year. I read so many good ones that I’m also going to give you some honorable mentions at the end.

I read a total of 69 books in 2017. These are my top ten recommendations (in order read) from those 69, with the book in bold being my favorite book of the year. (Book summaries are taken from Amazon.com)

1.  Boxers & Saints—Gene Luen Yang

In two volumes, Boxers & Saints tells two parallel stories. The first is of Little Bao, a Chinese peasant boy whose village is abused and plundered by Westerners claiming the role of missionaries. Little Bao, inspired by visions of the Chinese gods, joins a violent uprising against the Western interlopers. Against all odds, their grass-roots rebellion is successful.

But in the second volume, Yang lays out the opposite side of the conflict. A girl whose village has no place for her is taken in by Christian missionaries and finds, for the first time, a home with them. As the Boxer Rebellion gains momentum, Vibiana must decide whether to abandon her Christian friends or to commit herself fully to Christianity.

I dove deep into high quality graphic novels this year and tried to educate myself on some of the best ones out there. One name kept popping up in some of my favorites: Gene Luen Yang. It was difficult picking which one of his to be in my top 10 because I loved them all. But, Boxers/Saints was gripping, and I loved the mythology in it. Boxers and Saints are actually two different books, but they are meant to be read together. They even come in a boxed set. I’m so glad I pushed myself to try a new genre of books.

2.  A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband "Master" —Rachel Held Evans

Strong-willed and independent, Rachel Held Evans couldn’t sew a button on a blouse before she embarked on a radical life experiment—a year of biblical womanhood. Intrigued by the traditionalist resurgence that led many of her friends to abandon their careers to assume traditional gender roles in the home, Evans decides to try it for herself, vowing to take all of the Bible’s instructions for women as literally as possible for a year.  

Yes, I know that some of you may be surprised that I, being of the male gender, would read a book with the words “Biblical Womanood” in the title. But, hear me out. Evans’ book Searching for Sunday made my top 10 list last year, so I was already a fan. I basically stole this from Malinda Upton’s bookshelf and just devoured it. It’s funny, truthful, it’s spunky. I learned a lot about the expectations on women in American Christian culture. I had no idea before this book.

3.  Ashen Winter: Book 2 of Ashfall Trilogy/Sunrise: Book 3 of Ashfall Trilogy—Mike Mullin

I’m not going to give away the plot to Book 2 or 3 if you haven’t read Book 1, so here’s a recap of the plot from Book 1: Ashfall.

--Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.

For Alex, being left alone for the weekend means having the freedom to play computer games and hang out with his friends without hassle from his mother. Then the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, plunging his hometown into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence. Alex begins a harrowing trek to seach for his family and finds help in Darla, a travel partner he meets along the way. Together they must find the strength and skills to survive and outlast an epic disaster.

Matt M worked on me for a while to read this trilogy, and when I did, I couldn’t put it down! Ashfall: Book 1 made my list last year, and Books 2-3 make my list this year. It’s so intense and well written. It was a little out of my comfort zone, but I’m so glad I ventured out!

4.  The Cubs Way: The Zen of Building the Best Team in Baseball and Breaking the Curse —Tom Verducci (Audiobook)

The Cubs Way takes readers behind the scenes, chronicling how key players like Rizzo, Russell, Lester, and Arrieta were deftly brought into the organization by Epstein and coached by Maddon to outperform expectations. Together, Epstein and Maddon proved that clubhouse culture is as important as on-base-percentage, and that intangible components like personality, vibe, and positive energy are necessary for a team to perform to their fullest potential. 
Verducci chronicles the playoff run that culminated in an instant classic Game Seven. He takes a broader look at the history of baseball in Chicago and the almost supernatural element to the team's repeated loses that kept fans suffering, but also served to strengthen their loyalty.

#1 reason: If Tom Verducci writes it, I read it. It could be about the Fashion industry in Prague. I’m game. I’m not a Cubs fan by any measure, but it was a compelling World Series to watch and then read about. I was especially fascinated by the managerial style of Joe Maddon. I actually will be conducting an inservice at work discussing some of his leadership strategies. One memory of listening to this book is that it helped me get through the infinitely long line at the DMV.

5.  The Pillars of the Earth —Ken Follett

Set in 12th-century England, the narrative concerns the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge. The ambitions of three men merge, conflict and collide through 40 years of social and political upheaval as internal church politics affect the progress of the cathedral and the fortunes of the protagonists.

Malinda Upton had always told me it was one of her favorites. Lolita R had said it was one of her favorites. Jennifer M said it was her favorite book of all time. It was supposed to be my gift to myself to read it after I finished my Master’s Degree. That didn’t happen. Finally, I planned to read it starting in June. It’s 983 pages. It’s not in a genre that I’ve ever read before. I had no idea what to expect. IT WAS AMAZING. I was so sad to be done with it at the end. It’s the only print book I read from the end of May to July 17^th. I took it with me on our trip with Malinda Upton on our voyage to New England and 72 other states. I’m so excited to read Part 2 this year!

6.  Johnny's Cash and Charley's Pride: Lasting Legends and Untold Adventures in Country Music—Peter Cooper

Peter Cooper chronicles his many “in the mix” tales since arriving in Nashville in 2000 to cover the country music scene for the Tennessean. Filled with untold stories and newly revealed histories, it is an informal yet well-studied inside view of country music’s greatest characters and pivotal moments. Now a senior director at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Cooper’s stories are akin to a curated behind-the-scenes tour of country music. 

My mother gave me this book for Christmas in 2016. I finally had a chance to read it while I was recovering from a staph infection on my noggin. I was camped out in bed and getting delirious. When I finished, I somehow had the gumption to send a Facebook message to Mr. Peter Cooper, thanking him for his book. Now, I get to interview him at my school in March 2018! I loved this book. It had heart, and it had stories like country music is known for. I especially loved reading the sections on Johnny Cash, Cowboy Jaqck Clement, and Tom T. Hall.

7.  The Invention of Hugo Cabret — Brian Selznick

Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.

I read skimmed this book when I had to read it for Library Science grad school. By golly, I had a paper to write on that book! However, it never went away in my head. I was always fascinated by the incredible artwork included in the text. It was such an intriguing idea. Finally, I checked it out of my work library. What a beautiful story. It’s also a genre I’ve never read before (Steampunk). When I finished this book, it made me feel all warm and cozy all over. I look forward to reading other books by him.

8.  The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4 , African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian -- W. Kamau Bell (Audiobook)

The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell is a humorous, well-informed take on the world today, tackling a wide range of issues, such as race relations; fatherhood; the state of law enforcement today; comedians and superheroes; right-wing politics; left-wing politics; failure; his interracial marriage; white men; his up-bringing by very strong-willed, race-conscious, yet ideologically opposite parents; his early days struggling to find his comedic voice, then his later days struggling to find his comedic voice; why he never seemed to fit in with the Black comedy scene . . . or the white comedy scene; how he was a Black nerd way before that became a thing; how it took his wife and an East Bay lesbian to teach him that racism and sexism often walk hand in hand; and much, much more.

This is a book that I knew I needed to listen to it, especially with Bell reading it. I loved his CNN show “United Shades of America.” I loved his book just as much. Yes, it’s funny. But, he makes some amazing insights on…well,  check the subtitle of the book. I ran a lot in the Murfreesboro streets while listening to this, and I would have to stop sometimes—either to laugh or just stop and think. He really opened up my eyes to elements of African American culture that I had not previously really considered. Whether that’s what he meant to do with this book or not, it’s sure worked with me. I also laughed my tail off.

9.  Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War—Steve Sheinkin

“a tense, narrative nonfiction account of what the New York Times deemed "the greatest story of the century": how whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg transformed from obscure government analyst into "the most dangerous man in America," and risked everything to expose years of government lies during the Nixon / Cold War era.

No, I didn’t read this because of the movie The Post coming out. I read it because I had heard the author speak at my Tennessee Association of School Librarians conference. The 1960ss-1970s is my favorite era to read/learn about. I love reading about the intrigue of Watergate. Sheinkin wrote this for young adults, and honestly, it helped with my understanding with some of the more complicated elements of that part of history. He didn’t make Ellsburg out to be a hero or a villain; he lets you figure out that for yourself. Sheinkin is the best in the young adult/high school market for great narrative nonfiction.

10.              Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign-- Amie Parnes and Jonathan Allen

It was never supposed to be this close. And of course she was supposed to win. How Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 election to Donald Trump is the riveting story of a sure thing gone off the rails. Through deep access to insiders from the top to the bottom of the campaign, political writers Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes have reconstructed the key decisions and unseized opportunities, the well-intentioned misfires and the hidden thorns that turned a winnable contest into a devastating loss. Shattered offers an object lesson in how Hillary herself made victory an uphill battle, how her difficulty articulating a vision irreparably hobbled her impact with voters, and how the campaign failed to internalize the lessons of populist fury from the hard-fought primary against Bernie Sanders. 

Last year, I had a book about George H. W. Bush in my top 10. So, this year I have a Hillary Clinton book! I love political books, especially ones about the evolutions of campaigns, the highs and the lows. This election was shocking—for all sides of the spectrum. I will be honest—it was painful for me to read parts of this book. But, I didn’t let pain get in the way of how well a book was written. Riveting!

Honorable Mentions:

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World's Most Precious Manuscripts—Joshua Hammer

American Born Chinese—Gene Luen Yang

Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology—Leah Remini

March: Book 3—John Lewis

Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir –Stan Lee

The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports—Jeff Passan

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's—John Elder Robison

Navel Gazing: True Tales of Bodies, Mostly Mine (but also my mom's, which I know sounds weird)—Michael Ian Black

Wishful Drinking—Carrie Fisher

George Lucas: A Life—Brian Jay Jones

The Bassoon King: Art, Idiocy, and Other Sordid Tales from the Band Room—Rainn Wilson

Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America-- Firoozeh Dumas

Persepolis & Persepolis 2-- Marjane Satrapi

The Hate You Give-- Angie Thomas

Jesus Wants to Save Christians: Learning to Read a Dangerous Book—Rob Bell & Dan Golden

Return of the King: LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Greatest Comeback in NBA History—Brian Windhorst

Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?: And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House-- Alyssa Mastromonaco

From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars—Virginia Hanlon Grohl

The Beet Fields—Gary Paulsen

I Am the New Black—Tracy Morgan

Malinda's Top 10 Choices of 2017

New rules this year – since I’ve been doing this for a decade, I’ve started getting a lot of repeats on my list.  So, although at least half of the 144 books I read this year were rereads (did you know that in bygone days, women could be committed for “excessive reading”?), each of these 10 was a book I read for the first time this year. These are my top 10 recommendations for a general audience, not necessarily the 10 books I liked best. One of my favorites was a book on the collection of historical medical specimens – unless you have a very strong stomach and a passion for medical science, I would not recommend it to you.

So – 10 books I read for the first time in 2017 and would recommend to you.

1.       Salt to the Sea, Ruta Sepetys

I read this book because I absolutely adore Ruta Sepetys. You may remember her book Between Shades of Gray making my list before. I think Sepetys writes some of the most compelling novels of our time. For one thing, she chooses topics that are familiar and yet completely new. This book is about one of the worst maritime disasters in history. In happened during WWII but you probably never heard of it, even if you love WWII history, because it was information known to those behind the Iron Curtain and largely hidden from the West. The characters are compelling, the writing beautiful.

2.       Out of My Mind, Sharon Draper

Everyone was all about Wonder this year – so I read it. And I did not care for it. I though the end was contrived and patronizing. This book deserves all the praise – and the big budget movie deal that Wonder got. The main character is a young girl with cerebral palsy who is nonverbal. The story is brilliantly told from her point of view as she attempts to communicate, to make friends, and to navigate school. Thanks to Jennifer for lending it to me.

3.     The Master Butcher’s Singing Club, Louise Erdrich

This is my friend Lolita’s second favorite book, sandwiched between Pillars of the Earth and A Prayer for Owen Meany. Since those are two of the greatest books of all time, I figured I might as well read this one as well. If it tells you anything about how good this book is, while I had pneumonia and was too sick to read, I told myself the story of The Master Butcher’s Singing Club over and over in my mind.  Like Erdrich’s other books, the plot involves a cast of unique, often eccentric, characters whose lives magically intertwine. In this book, the characters include a German soldier turned American immigrant who owns a butcher shop, a Native American veteran who performs a balancing act in side shows, a beautiful mortician, and a mysterious scrap gatherer who searches the night for treasure.

4.     A Man Called Ove, Fredrick Backman

I’ve spoken to many people who tell me they liked this book despite the character of Ove. I loved this book because of Ove; because I am Ove. I am, at my core, a grumpy, anti-social old man who checks the neighborhood parking lot every morning to see who is parking illegally. (Okay, my neighborhood doesn’t actually have a parking lot. However, my blood pressure markedly improved when my neighbor whose friends did not understand the purpose of a driveway finally moved away.)  This is another story with a great cast of characters – not just the immensely lovable Ove but his neighbors – old and new – with their own sweet, sad, and hopeful stories. Becky  picked this book for bookclub.

5.      Ashfall, Mike Mullin

The Yellowstone super volcano both fascinates and freaks me out.  Even if you don’t geek out about volcano science, you can still enjoy this post-apocalyptic  “what if” book DH recommended to me. The worst case scenario eruption occurs at the opening of the novel, leaving much of North American in a dark, ash filled landscape where they must fight for the few remaining resources. Total edge of your seat kind of stuff.

6.       Underground Airlines, Ben H. Winters

Brian D, who is 1000x smarter than I, recommended this book to me. I enjoyed Winter’s Last Policeman, but this book is on a completely different level. Winters imagines an America where a compromise prevented the Civil War but left modern day America with slave states. Plantations are now run by big corporations and undercover policemen infiltrate abolitionist groups to recover runaway slaves. As different from reality as the premise professes to be, it is the light shed on our own society through Winter’s fiction that makes this book so enthralling.

7     The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver

I adore Barbrara Kingsolver from Beantrees  to Poisonwood and back again, so I chose to read The Lacuna this year. I was not disappointed. The main character is taken from the United States to Mexico at a young age. There his life becomes entangled with those of Frieda Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Leon Trotsky. It is absolutely seamless how Kingsolver blends history with imagination, mystery and intrigue with raw reality. And the ending is golden.

8.      The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins

I listened to the audiobook version of this book because Becky told me that it had an excellent example of an unreliable narrator. It was so much fun! It’s just a really juicy, brain-candy mystery with a deliciously unreliable narrator. I adored it. Beach read for sure.

9.      I am the New Black, Tracy Morgan

When I heard an old episode of Terry Gross interviewing Tracy Morgan about his book on NPR’s Fresh Air, I knew that I wanted to read it. Yes, parts of it are as side-splittingly funny as Morgan was on SNL and 30 Rock, but it is also deeply emotional. Morgan writes about his struggles with a father who was a drug addicted Vietnam veteran who recovered from addiction only to succumb to AIDS – about Morgan’s own days selling crack on the streets – about dealing with fame when he didn’t know who to trust. It is good to learn to understand people who have had very different experiences from our own.

  10.The Cursed Child, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne.

Okay, so every other Harry Potter fan in the world  has probably already read this. But I didn’t want to read it at first because JK Rowling didn’t write it herself and despite some notable exceptions (hello, Heartless, my love) I generally hate it when a writer tries to take on another author’s characters (yes, I am referring to you Wide Sargasso Sea, Havisham, and Wicked – you suck [no, not you Wicked the musical, you’re awesome sauce – just the book by that man who likes to ruin other people’s stories]). Yet, I finally gave in and gave Cursed Child a go. And I loved it. I loved it so, so, so, so, so much! Thanks for letting me borrow your book, B.

PS A Christmas Carol is the greatest book of all time period. You should read it.