Most Impactful Books Read In 2018

I read over 100 books in 2018, and choosing traditional favorites would be impossible. Friend me on Goodreads to see how I rated each book.

For this list, I simply chose the books that I can't stop thinking about, the ones that made a difference in how I live my life, the ones that created scenes playing on loop in my brain. They are rich and strong and exactly what books are supposed to be. Since I have fully reviewed them in other posts, I simply tried for a quick snippet of description here.

Fiction

Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong-A father and daughter learn each other anew in this tender novel.

Putney by Sofka Zinovieff-A frighteningly accurate look at what grooming looks like and the effect sexual predators have on us all.

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai-A beautiful, heartbreaking novel about the 1980s AIDS crisis and its effect on a group of gay men in Chicago.

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan-A shattering tale of racism in the 1940s American South.

So Much Blue by Percival Everett-An unfolding tale of marriage, friendship, and betrayal as an artist recalls his past.

Short Stories

You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld-A collection of short stories dealing with current issues and overflowing with strong, flawed characters.

Essays

Feel Free by Zadie Smith-Smith pours her unlimited talent into essays that cover a variety of topics, including art, death, and current issues.

We Are Never Meeting In Real Life by Samantha Irby-Get ready to laugh so hard you cry.

Amateur Hour: Motherhood in Essays and Swear Words by Kimberly Harrington-Both hilarious and poignant, this book of essays about motherhood is perfection.

Not That Bad: Dispatches From Rape Culture by various writers and edited by Roxane Gay-A disturbing, honest look at rape culture that should be required reading.

Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan-A collection of wonderful stories about communicating more effectively with those we love.

Look Alive Out There by Sloane Crosley-Crosley's latest book of essays is her best, both funny and moving.

Nonfiction

A Book That Takes Its Time: An Unhurried Adventure in Creative Mindfulness by Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst-An interactive book full of activities and articles that will teach readers the balance between being and doing.

Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide by Kay Redfield Jamison-A comprehensive exploration of why people commit suicide and what can be done to help those struggling with mental illness.

Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown-Brown flawlessly teaches readers how to stand on their own while still embracing community and honoring others.

The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams-A masterful, researched book about being in nature for a better life.

Meditation For Fidgety Skeptics by Dan Harris and Jeffrey Warren-A down-to-earth guide to meditating and why you should.

I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O'Farrell-A memoir about the author's brushes with death and how they have affected her life.

Hygge and West Home: Design for a Cozy Life by Christiana Coop and Aimee Lagos-A book that helps readers find their own path to creating a cozy home.

Poetry
If They Come for Us by Fatimah Asghar-Breathtaking in topic and talent, it's a book of poetry to savor.

November Book List

I am so behind on book lists that I am just now posting November's on the last day of 2018. There were some great picks.

Nonfiction

Small Animals: Parenting in the Age of Fear by Kim Brooks

I finished this book in about a day because it was hard to put down. After leaving her four-year-old in a well-ventilated car within sight for a few minutes, Kim Brooks found herself under arrest and trapped in a system that believes every thing we do or don't do is a threat to our kids.

Small Animals is vastly researched while still being personal. It explores the sexism of most neglect claims, the statistical realities of risks to our children, and the consequences of living in a world that teaches us to fear everything all the time. Brooks' straight talk about anxiety will likely resonate with most parents, especially since it shapes our lives more than facts at times. I highly recommend.

A Big Important Art Book (Now With Women) by Danielle Krysa

I am still working my way through this one but wanted to include it. It would be a great gift for any art or book lover (I purchased it and I hardly ever purchase books). Current female artists are featured in each section, and assignments are also given to the reader to help him or her explore the creative side of life. It's beautiful, inspiring, and well written.

The Great American Read: The Book of Books by PBS

This was a fun book that I was able to scan instead of go through thoroughly. It lists and summarizes 100 books that are considered great reads for a variety of reasons. I skipped the ones I had already read and instead added more books to my list that I haven't gotten around to yet. I wasn't taken with every recommendation, but it was still a worthwhile read. It's a great reference for any book lover.

Hygge and West Home: Design for a Cozy Life by Christiana Coop, Aimee Lagos, James Carriere

The word hygge is in the title, so of course I had to read this one. Hygge and West is written by the owners of the Hygge and West company, something I didn't know existed until I read this book. They interviewed people whose homes have a hygge-like feel to find out what they value when designing a  place to live. What I loved is the advice is just like hygge in that it's specific to each person.

Some people recommended leaving all walls white while others swore by color. Some said a small home where everything is close is best while others said space was essential. Everyone was right because creating a hygge environment is about finding what is cozy and right for the individual.

The pictures were lovely, and I savored this one.


There Will Be No Miracles Here by Casey Gerald

I read this book early in the month, and it took me a while to get through. However, I never lost interest. Gerald's memoir explores his life as a gay black man growing up in the south who finds himself at Yale for college. Gerald explains the allure and trap of playing football, family issues, and  adjusting to life at Yale. Finding his way through tragedy  helps him see himself clearly, and he is wonderful when giving readers perspective on a variety of issues.


And Now We Have Everything: On Motherhood Before I Was Ready by Meaghan O'Connell

This was one of my first reads of the month, so I remember more how it struck me than the details. It was an honest, hilarious, and shattering view of motherhood when it is thrust upon a woman who wasn't planning it. It details her experiences while pregnant, how her relationship changes, and the struggle of staying yourself while becoming a mother. Very enjoyable.


Feminasty: The Complicated Woman's Guide to Surviving the Patriarchy Without Drinking Herself to Death by Erin Gibson

This book was put in my hands by a friend and I fell hard for it. Hilarious, accurate, and well-researched, Erin Gibson explores all the ways females can live in a world that offers us Mike Pence, periods, and a variety of other women-torture devices. D caught me laughing so hard at this one that I had trouble breathing, but I was also deeply disturbed by how stuck we still are in a patriarchal world.
This book is for everyone, so go read it now.


Everything's Trash, but It's Okay by Phoebe Robinson

Phoebe Robinson made me a fan after her first book, You Can't Touch My Hair. She brings research and humor, true stories and knowledge. No subject is off limits, from money to sex to racism, and she uses her comedic abilities to tackle hard topics with perfect results.

My friend said, "Phoebe is challenging me. I don't want to just say I'm a feminist. I want to be one and do the right thing according to that." It is so hard to write work this funny, so the fact that it has such a strong impact as well is nothing short of a miracle.

Fiction

Those Who Knew by Idra Novey

When we know someone has the ability to be violent, what is our responsibility? That is the question at the center of Those Who Knew. The death of a young woman who knew her former lover leaves Lena wondering if she should have made known what he did to her years ago or if it would have made a difference.

This book was captivating and hard to put down, but the ending felt anticlimactic. The whole book felt like it was building towards something, but I guess I didn't feel as satisfied as I expected when I turned the last page. I felt the same way about Severance, and I would still recommend both books because they were great stories.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

Taking a myriad of pills prescribed by the worst psychiatrist in the world, the narrator of this story decides she needs some time to herself. She has the money to hibernate until she makes it through whatever it is she's experiencing, so she attempts a year of drug-induced rest with frightening results.

Set in 2000, this book offers a personal story of discovery in the shadows of the last pre-9/11 days. It's a hard book to categorize, but I enjoyed it.

Graphic Novel

The Three Escapes of Hanna Arendt: A Tyranny of Truth by Ken Krimstein

This is a hard book to review because I loved it and also feel unqualified to explain why because I am so unfamiliar with philosophy. This was my introduction to Hannah Arendt and, in true book overlap style, I have now started running across her name everywhere. 

This graphic novel explores her life in three parts and breaks down her beliefs, their genesis and evolution, for those of us who didn't major in philosophy. I am excited to read books by her and further understand how he she thought. This book does a great job of illustrating her life and all that she offered to the world.

Poetry

If They Come for Us by Fatimah Asghar

Poetry has a way of opening me up and then slaughtering me. Asghar's book is a great example. It's beautifully written, female-focused, and shattering. I sat on the front porch one night and tried to absorb the words, needing every intake of breath just to make it through.

There's a Tree In My Backyard: What Persevering Looked Like in December

December does whatever the hell it wants, thank you very much. It's such a complicated time of year for me and has been for years. Two of my children entered the world in December. One almost left it during December. This December has brought birthday parties and time with loved ones as well as the death of two friends I went to school with from kindergarten to graduation. They were 39.

I can't ever tell if December wants to hug me or punch me in the face. Anyone else?

The tree in our backyard apparently has no idea what to do in December either. After shedding most of its leaves and being named the naked tree, I woke up last week to new buds on the ends of the branches. I went into the backyard and yelled, "NO, NO, NO!" and then remembered I was talking to a tree. Besides, it didn't know better. In Texas the weather is so weird it's hard to tell, are we in a season of blooming or dying? Are we hibernating or clinging to that 60 degree day in hopes of new life?

I don't know. I may never know.

This month I persevered in what author Brooke McAlary calls the wobbly balance. I celebrated and I mourned. I enjoyed planning parties and indulging in cake while simultaneously wishing for my old woman routine to return and my pants to fit. I had spurts of creativity followed by days of wondering if I even wanted to be creative. I enjoyed looking at Christmas lights and eating cookies while also hating the fact that illness kept us from extended family this year. I lit Advent candles for two days before just totally giving up because I didn't feel like it anymore. Wobbly, just all super wobbly. I'm trying to be okay with it. December, for me, is always wobbly.

Regardless of if you are happy the holidays are over or are already entering the post-Christmas slump, know that the balance usually returns. Embrace what you can when things are off. Right now I am behind on book list blogs, procrastinating on work, and generally just trying to find a routine again. We'll get there.

Favorite Things 2018

There will be a separate blog post for my favorite books of 2018, but here are a few other things I really enjoyed this year.

Television

The Haunting Of Hill House

I don't like to be scared. I don't like plastic snakes on the floor or people sneaking up on me. I don't go to haunted houses. That's why I wasn't enthusiastic when D recommended we start this show. However, Shirley Jackson wrote the book and I love her work, so I agreed to give it a try.

We finished all ten episodes in a matter of days, binge watching until 3 am the last night. The writing is tight, the casting is perfect, and the haunting is both more harrowing and real because of how the story unfolds. Real life nightmares collide with ghosts, and the outcome left us talking about this one for weeks. Sometimes when I'm feeling spicy, I turn on the soundtrack and wait for D to walk in the room and try to figure out if our house has turned on us.

The Man in the High Castle

The third season is the best so far and draws from scenes in the book with astounding results.

Glow

We binged this one as well, and I loved it. It was funny and smart, and I can't wait for the next season.

Panda Planner

I was a hard core Erin Condren follower until a friend introduced  me to the Panda Planner. I will never go back. The positive psychology approach and thoughtful organization has helped me complete projects, figure out when I work best during the day, and prioritize the important things in my life instead of feeling like everything on my list is urgent.

Full disclosure: this is not a yearly planner. It's more like a quarterly planner. For some that is a deal breaker, but I will pay for this one multiple times a year for the benefits.

These Bags

They are huge, which can make it difficult to fit more than one or two in a lunch box, but I love them. We use them for storage and for travelling snacks, and we have cut way down on how many plastic bags we purchase and trash. We also haven't lost any, and that is a small miracle in this house.

Insight Timer

I wanted a free meditation app to help me stay committed to the practice, and Insight Timer delivers. I love that you can choose how long you want to meditate and what your intention is, such as dealing with anxiety, trying to sleep, or focus. The kids like this one, and we meditate almost daily.

All Things Flow

I had never heard of Flow Magazine or any of their publications until March. Now I am a straight up crazy fan who knows when anything they produce is coming out. A Book That Takes Its Time was nothing short of lifechanging for me, and I draw in 50 Ways to Draw Your Beautiful, Ordinary Life weekly. I am going through challenges in Creativity Takes Courage, and I like to just go to bookstores and touch their magazines.

Flow is all about living well, living simply, and being creative. Their next book is out in 2019, and I can't wait!

An Electric Pencil Sharpener

Why did a pencil sharpener make the list? A variety of reasons. We have managed with hand held, crappy pencil sharpeners for too long, and I homeschool. Plus, my kids draw about 400 pictures a piece a day, and you can break your wrist trying to sharpen with those hand held ones when that is what you're dealing with.

I finally splurged and bought a $25 pencil sharpener. Every time I hear it being used, I smile.

Our Current Phase

We have our challenges, but I really like that I don't have toddlers anymore. I loved them when they were toddlers, but I was tired. The kids are currently very easy to transport and full of hilarious stories. They're fun people. They also fight and scream and threaten to poop in a water jug (long story), but this phase seems a bit easier for the most part.

She found a skull in an owl pellet. Science!

Exactly one person was excited about posing for this picture.

Persevering In November

In some areas, I did a really great job in November. There were other areas where I set out to do particular things and didn't consistently succeed. That's how it goes. It was still a good month and I was able to focus on progress as opposed to only final results.

Waking Up Early

If you have read this blog before then you probably know I am constantly dealing with sleep issues. I am a natural night owl with children who don't want to sleep in, ever. I tried to get up early this month so the start of my day would be peaceful, and here's how that went:

I woke up at 5 am...one day. It was great. It happened one day.

I revised this plan so I will get up around 5:45 and go from there. The kids have to stay in their rooms until seven, so that at least gives me some time. I am working on it. I like silence to be the first sound I hear. I like bathing without someone asking if they can see my boobs or rub my soft mom belly. I like putting in an hour of writing time before the day takes off. I like coffee and if this works, coffee will likely deserve all the credit.

However, I still hate going to bed early, and I need seven hours of sleep. It's tricky business.

Anyway, I woke up at 5 am one day. It's not exactly an exercise in perseverance, but I did it.


Reading Poetry

I started the month with a beautiful book of poetry, and I tried to read poetry daily. I didn't succeed, but the mornings I did read it were wonderful. I grabbed four new books of poetry at the library and am going to give this another shot.

Riding Ripsticks

How we ended up with three ripsticks in our home, and how the two males in our house who can't stand up on roller skates learned to glide down steep hills on boards with two wheels that will not even stand up on their own, is a long story. However, we are now a ripsticking family, and this has kept us at parks in all kinds of weather daily.


Playing Games

The children have been introduced to Clue. Now they are using deduction skills to solve problems while also trying to figure out how someone kills a person with a candlestick. We have them thinking about reasoning and murder. Good for us?

Adios Social Media

I don't use social media on the weekends, and this morphed into me taking all of Thanksgiving week off. It was awesome. Now I am sporadically checking in maybe once a week. I don't hate social media or think it serves no purpose, but life spent off of it most of the time is more enjoyable for me when it's possible.

No TV

Sitting at my computer writing about how anti-technology November was is hilarious, I know. I am not anti-TV or social media or any of that, and my approach this month wasn't planned. I just decided the kids would get to watch TV one, maybe two, days a week, and otherwise it wouldn't even be turned on.

We already had limited TV time and my kids don't have their own devices, but we were at parks or homeschool events or working on actual homeschool so much that even the little bit of screen time we tried to squeeze in felt like a pain. So from Monday through Friday, my kids know not to even ask about playing video games or watching TV. I thought it would be a big deal, but it hasn't been at all. No one has really complained, and I feel like there is a calmer vibe in our house.

Celebrating My Mate

D finished his Master's degree and also put a comic into the world this month. He wrote it and secured an amazing artist to do the art, and you can find it here.  He also learned to ripstick with his kids. I got lucky with this guy.

We also mourned Beto's loss but did not forget to celebrate all he 

accomplished and all he still has left to do.