 |
| Photo credit: https://www.thefarwoods.com/mending-life |
If you read my Five Favorite Books of 2020 and thought, "Gee, I sure wish I could hear 20 more book recommendations from last year!" then this blog post is for you. It's been sitting in my drafts for ages, so it's time to throw it out into the world! Without further ado, here are quick reviews of books that I found charming, uncomfortable, thought-provoking, helpful, and otherwise awesome in 2020.
Poetry/Fiction/Graphic Novel:
The Penguin Anthology of 20th Century American Poetry edited by Rita Dove
When's the last time you sat down and just read some poetry? I've found it to be a really calming way to focus my mind in a way it's not used to focusing. This anthology is great.
New Poets of Native Nations edited by Heid E. Erdrich
A beautiful collection of Indigenous poetry— I particularly loved the contributions by Hawai'ian poet Brandy Nalani McDougall.
This is an anthology of graphic (comic) stories, telling chapters of the history of Canada through a First Nations perspective. It's one thing to read about history, but another to see it interpreted through art and storytelling. So beautiful and so thought-provoking!
Manga Shakespeare: As You Like It by Richard Appignanesi
This author took a bunch of Shakespeare's plays and turned them into manga and it is PERFECT. This is the only one I've read so far, but am looking forward to reading all the others in the series! They are abridged, but would be an amazing intro (or re-intro) to Shakespeare for those who have a hard time following the written word. His plays were meant to be seen, not read, and experiencing it in manga form is a great compromise.
Hypercapitalism: The Modern Economy, Its Values, and How to Change Them by Larry Gonick
This is a comic book about capitalism, which is awesome. It's funny, well-illustrated, and a great introduction to the forms that capitalism has taken over the centuries, as well as systems to reimagine the way we create economies.
How-to Books:
Mending Life: A Handbook for Repairing Clothes and Hearts by Nina and Sonya Montenegro
I love the Montenegro sisters' artwork, and this book mixes art and text to create a manual for sewing different stitches, honoring the work that goes into every garment, and rethinking consumption habits. It was good as both motivation and instruction for me as I set to work mending all my clothes to make them new again.
Unf*ck Your Habitat: You're Better Than Your Mess by Rachel Hoffman
This book is utterly delightful. It's about cleaning your house for people who hate cleaning and are exhausted and/or mentally ill. So good. So motivating. Full of mini challenges to help give you a boost, and tips for hacking your brain to help you make your home a bit more welcoming to yourself. Highly recommend!
General Nonfiction:
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Part memoir and part manual, this book had so much food for thought packed in that I'll need to revisit it again soon. A wonderful introduction to antiracist work and why it's not enough to just "not be racist"— especially for those of us who grew up with the "just be colorblind" dogma.
Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life by David R. Montgomery
A book about conservation agriculture, how it's being implemented across the globe, and how the techniques point to a farming future that is more sustainable. Good standard stuff if you want an introduction to these concepts.
Get Up, Stand Up: Uniting the Populists, Energizing the Defeated, and Battling the Corporate Elite by Bruce Levine
This book shook me out of my "right vs. left" paradigm forever, as he argues that we should be looking at the political spectrum as "authoritarian vs. populist"… and most people, from gun-toting conservatives to BLM liberals, fall on the populist side of things. This book was written at a time of political activism slump (the Obama years), so some of the despair feels outdated, but it's a useful thought experiment and gave me a lot to ponder.
From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want by Rob Hopkins
From the author of The Transition Handbook, a practical guide to shifting toward a life-giving sustainable future, comes this book, which is basically just one long argument for why we need to cultivate and encourage imagination. It left me feeling energized and hopeful.
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
A vibrant, easy-to-read but hard-hitting book about living in America as a Black woman, part memoir and part analysis. I especially appreciate Brown's Christian perspective as she discussed various aspects of race through the lens of her own experiences.
Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm's Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman
This book was mostly a manual about farming, but I included it because of all the in-between information it contained: a detailed history of Black farmers and how they were forcibly removed from the land, anthropology and history about how enslaved peoples carried African plants and created a resilient living on the land; stories about the farm's social justice projects, and more.
Beating Guns: Hope for People Who Are Weary of Violence by Shane Claiborne and Michael Martin
I expected this book to be just ragingly anti-gun, but it was surprisingly balanced. A great introduction about the dangers of guns, the various perspectives surrounding them, and philosophy that will help us work toward a more sensible future.
Christianity:
After years of dismissing Evans as a "liberal," I picked up this book and found myself touched on a deep emotional level by her warmheartedness, her honesty, and her courage. This memoir about her relationship to the church really struck a chord with me, and is one I'm sure I'll read again in the future.
Shalom and the Community of Creation: An Indigenous Vision by Randy Woodley
I've been trying to read more Indigenous authors, and I really appreciate Woodley's Christian perspective in both interpreting the Bible and discussing our responsibility to our relations— the animals, the plants, and the earth.
Practicing the King's Economy: Honoring Jesus in How We Work, Spend, Save, and Give by Michael Rhoads, Robby Holt, and Brian Fikkert
A great practical book discussing how Christians' faith might impact their finances, with tons of hands-on suggestions.
Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: an Agrarian Reading of the Bible by Ellen F. Davis
This book was definitely dense, but as someone interested in the intersection of environmentalism through farming and faith, it was a great thought-provoking read.
Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of St. Francis by Richard Rohr
An engaging introduction to the practical theology of St. Francis, St. Clare, and various Franciscans throughout history, told in Rohr's signature thought-provoking style.
The Year of Small Things: Radical Faith for the Rest of Us by Sarah Arthur and Erin Wasinger
I'll be honest, I didn't necessarily like this one as much as I wanted to (primarily because it's hard for me to relate to suburban parents), but it really stirred up a lot in me, making me think about how I want to live out the call of Jesus in my life.
What were your favorite books you read in 2020?
~~~
No comments:
Post a Comment