1. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed - Everyone read this book this past year if they hadn't already, it seems. But what a story. Redemptive, gritty, powerful. Her honesty is the kind so many of us wish we had but lack the eloquence to reveal.
2. My Berlin Kitchen: A Love Story by Luisa Weiss - I kind of despise anyone who was born into a life like hers that was spent between Berlin and New York City, rich with food and culture and romance. But I muddled through despite my jealousy and got a few good recipes out of the deal, namely her recipe for pea soup with little German wieners (I am a little ashamed of how much I loved a green soup with hotdogs).
3. The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert - Glorious. A steady-paced story that captures the quiet beauty of nature and the wilder, unpredictable nature of our souls. I loved following Alma through her scholarly pursuits and ongoing quest for answers. Lovely metaphors for life. And let's be honest, I was dying to know if Elizabeth Gilbert could write good fiction. Yes, she can.
4. Provence, 1970: M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and the Reinvention of American Taste by Luke Barr - Like #2 on my list, this book was just pure indulgence in food nerdery. I came away desperately wanting to name our house something as charming as Julia and Paul Child's home in France, dubbed "La Pitchoune," or more affectionately, "La Peetch," where some of this history takes place. Even more, I longed to have been part of the food dream team in their element, cooking for each other.
5. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner - I wasn't sure what kind of ending I was waiting or hoping for, but it was a gratifying read. It certainly wasn't easy, though. There were times when I felt sick with hopelessness for the characters that I had to leave the book alone for days at a time. And yet, not long ago I was in a bookstore in Boise (where much of the story takes place, coincidentally), thinking of buying another one of his books. As a Boise native, I was entranced by his portrayal of the barely settled west, of the deals people made with each other and with themselves just to get by, of the optimism that faded to dust.
6. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - This was a difficult follow-up to #5. The two main characters, both young, both vulnerable, were heartbreaking in completely different ways, coming through in the end with subtle triumph. There is so much to consider and imagine when it comes to writing about a country in war time, and for as much fiction and non-fiction I've read surrounding World War II, I find that stories like these capture the mindset of survival and the heart of humanity - particularly those of young people - in a way that makes me feel so humbled.
7. The Sasquatch Hunter's Almanac by Sharma Shields - I never read these kinds of books - totally surreal and imaginative. But I am so, so glad I read this one in the name of supporting Spokane authors, because Sharma Shields knows how to write an incredible story. After the books I'd been reading, this was the most perfect palate cleanser. So playful, so funny and sad. A few gentle homages to my city, sure, but I found myself loving the Sasquatch and wanting things to end well for him.
8. You and Me and Him by Kris Dinnison - Another Spokane author, this time one I've gotten to know a little in the last year, wrote this sweet story. I think I enjoyed this book in that context most. But as best I could, I tried to read this young-adult novel through the eyes of my 15-year-old self and believed this book would have been a solace to me. Like the main character, Maggie, I was mature for my age and liked old music - would have loved to have worked in the record store Maggie worked in, and found comfort in making cookies.
9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Clearly I was still riding on a young-adult jag when I picked this one up. What can I really say about this one, but yes, I was completely entertained. I feel like I am up with pop culture now.
10. Shirley by Susan Scarf Merrell - I loved the premise because it sounded like a psycho-thriller. In the end, it was a misguided, last-minute grab from the library that made me loathe intellectuals writing about intellectuals. I don't even want to do a synopsis of this one. Even though I read the entire thing. Waste. Of. Time.
Partially read, to be resumed at a later date: Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck, Table Comes First by Adam Gopnik, The Road to Character by David Brooks - I know I will enjoy these books, just not at the moments I tried to read them this year.
Accidentally omitted from last year's list: Delancey by Molly Wizenberg
As always, please feel free to suggest what should be on the list for the coming year(s)!
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