What I Read This Month: September 2020

September 2020 Reading:

The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman (Amazon, Bookshop) -- A wonderful children's book that reminded me of The Lorax and The Phantom Tollbooth.

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig (Amazon, Bookshop) -- Shortlisted for The British Book Industry Awards. A thoughtful memoir about the challenge of depression. Now I also want to read his new book The Midnight Library (Amazon, Bookshop) which is getting huge buzz.

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison (Amazon, Bookshop) -- Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize; National Book Critics Circle Award. A classic. I hadn't read it in many years, and it was even better than I remembered.

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach (Amazon, Bookshop) -- I'm working my way through Mary Roach's work. Love it.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo (Amazon, Bookshop) -- Booker Prize. A gripping novel that creates a whole world of characters.

I. Asimov by Isaac Asimov (Amazon, Bookshop) -- Hugo Award for nonfiction. I can't remember why I happened to pick up this memoir; enjoyed it.

Fire Shut Up in My Bones by Charles M. Blow (Amazon, Bookshop) -- Over the Rainbow Project book list award. A haunting coming-of-age memoir.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (Amazon, Bookshop) -- National Book Award; finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize. This was the third time I've read this book—I went to look up a passage, then ended up re-reading the whole thing. It's that good.

Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning by Tom Vanderbilt (Amazon, Bookshop) -- In galley. A great book about the power of being a beginner.

Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz (Amazon, Bookshop) -- Absolutely fascinating. I've been talking about this book ever since I read it.

Up Country by Alden R. Carter -- A 100 “Best of the Best” ALA Best Books for Young Adults of the Last 25 Years. This was a re-read, I love this book. For one thing, it's the story of being an Upholder child in a chaotic household.

The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead (Amazon, Bookshop) -- A dreamlike meditation on New York City. Beautiful.

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (Amazon, Bookshop) --ABBY award. Romance, recipes, and magical realism...who could resist?

Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart M. Brown Jr. (Amazon, Bookshop) -- A terrific book about the importance of play.

Colored People: A Memoir by Henry Louis Gates Jr. (Amazon, Bookshop) -- Chicago Tribune’s Heartland Award; Lillian Smith Prize. A wonderful memoir of Gates's childhood, of his extended family and their West Virginia town.

Dig. by A.S. King (Amazon, Bookshop) -- Michael L. Printz award. A complex, fascinating young-adult novel. Oops, I almost made an observation that would've been a spoiler!

As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds (Amazon, Bookshop) -- NAACP Image Award; Kirkus Award Finalist; Schneider Family Book Award Winner; Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book. More Jason Reynolds! I'm working my way through his entire list. I do love a book about city kids who go live with relatives in the country (see also Up Country, above).

Fool's War by Sarah Zettel (Amazon, Bookshop) -- A 1997 New York Times Notable Book. I love a twist, and this science-fiction novel has great twists.

Videocracy: How YouTube Is Changing the World with Double Rainbows, Singing Foxes, and Other Curious Trends by Kevin Allocca (Amazon, Bookshop) -- Terrific, thought-provoking, and very accessible look at the YouTube's influence.