Favorite Books of 2019
January 6, 2020
It’s hard to believe it’s already 2020. It seems like everyone was worrying about “Y2K” just a few years ago. I managed to read 159 books in 2019 – 95 print, 56 audio, and 8 e-books. These were books I read last year – not all of them were published in 2019. It was hard to select just a few favorites but, in the end, I chose those that have stuck with me. Here they are, with links to my thoughts, in no particular order.
- ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keane
- THE DEARLY BELOVED by Cara Wall
- BAKER TOWERS by Jennifer Haigh
- NOTHING TO SEE HERE by Kevin Wilson
- THE WORLD WE FOUND by Thrity Umrigar
- DARING TO DRIVE by Manal Al-Sharif
- BOTTLE OF LIES by Katherine Eban
- THE BODY by Bill Bryson
- COUNTRY MUSIC by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns
- THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY by Garrett M. Graff
- SONG FOR A WHALE by Lynne Kelly
- MAYBE HE JUST LIKES YOU by Barbara Dee
- LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green
- THE SCARECROW by Beth Ferry
- MARGARET AND THE MOON by Dean Robbins
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I haven’t read any of these, but now I’m adding Ask Again, Yes and The Only Plane in the Sky to my list. Thanks for sharing, and enjoy your week…and the New Year.
You had a great reading year! Ask Again, Yes was my favorite novel of the year, followed closely by The Dutch House. I’m still thinking about the characters in The Dearly Beloved. Most of your nonfiction favorites are on my to read list.
You’d a great reading year! I’ve not read any of the books you listed but I’m definitely intrigued by Ask Again, Yes after seeing many positive reviews of it.
I am one of the few people who haven’t yet read Only Plane in the Sky. I too loved Maybe He Just Likes You. Ask Again, Yes is on a lot of lists . . . another one I didn’t get to.
A few are on my TBR (or listened to) list. After seeing it on your blog I bought Margaret and the Moon for my granddaughter who shares the name with the character. I need to check in with her to see what she thought!
A hundred and fifty nine, wow that’s a lot of books! You’ve added quite a few to my list this past year, I really hope to get to some of them soon.
I love Thrity Umrigar, but it has been awhile since I read one of her books. I am glad to see you enjoyed The World We Found. Maybe He Just Likes You is one I really want to get my hands on. I think the message of that one is important. Great list, Kathy!
Kathy,
Thank you for sharing your favorite books of 2019! I haven’t read any of these books, but many of them are appealing to me.
I hope 2020 will be as good!
I own 5 of these, all as yet unread. Have heard such good things about these books, which is why I picked them up. I love these ‘best of’ lists because I get so many new book ideas.
There are so many on your list—Only Plane in the Sky; The Body; Scarecrow; Looking for Alaska—that I loved, too.
I really love Umrigar’s books. She’s so talented. I don’t think I’ve read any of these other than Umrigar.
Great list of books! I got a copy of Only Plane in the Sky on your recommendation and am really looking forward to reading it.
I haven’t read any of these yet. Looks like you had a great reading year.
I loved The Dearly Beloved and have The Only Plane In The Sky on my list for this year, as well as a few more of these.
Great favorite list Dearly Beloved and Daring to Drive we’re exceptional.
Thanks for sharing your favourites, great list!
Ask Again, Yes was on my list, too. I think I mentioned elsewhere that I’m currently reading The Only Plane In the Sky. What a powerful book about a turning point in our history. I can’t put it down! I’ve been meaning to read more of John Green (The Fault in Our Stars was on my Top Ten list in 2013), so maybe I’ll try Looking For Alaska. I have an ARC of The World We Found that has been lingering on my shelf for quite some time. Moving it to one of my stacks. 🙂
Great Lists! I too like the writing of Thrity Umrigar and Jennifer Haigh — I think I got them from you. Kevin Wilson’s recent novel was wonderful. You had a terrific reading year in 2019 … here’s wishing you more in 2020!
I haven’t read too many of these but many I have on hold. Curious about the Bryson book. I adored him in the past but one book, just set me off. He was so grumpy and crotchety in the telling of it that I had to put it down.
That is an incredible number of books. I liked Ask Again, Yes too, A few of those are already on my wish list thanks to you 🙂