My Notable 2019 Reads

I feel terrible because I did not curate what I read last year. I honestly do not know how many books I read. I did join a book club! which was one of my dreams! I have decided to record what I read this year! Let’s see how many books I can get through. This is my list of ten books that stood out to me in 2019 for various reasons.

Becoming — Michelle Obama

I read this book on my way to and during my stay in Botswana. It was my first post school read and I loved it. There was nothing staggering about the content of the book however, I did cry. I cried because Michelle Obama is so ordinary that she is extraordinary. She writes about the same dreams, worries, and interests that I have. She is so normal that it is astonishing that she was so regal while being the first lady of the United States of America. I love that she knew what she wanted and was afraid yet unafraid to switch careers, argued with Obama about marriage, felt antsy about Obama’s candidacy, and then shared her uncertainty about her path after the White House. Michelle’s writing style is beautiful in its simplicity too.

Beloved — Toni Morison

This was probably the most difficult book I read last year. I did read Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, but I was not prepared for the psychological elements of Beloved. Okay..okay…I was not prepared for the novel as a whole! The beginning of the text was confusing, and things did seem clearer once Beloved stumbled into their lives. However, I realize that she complicated things in a different manner that made the text even more confusing upon reflection. I loved the challenge of reading Beloved and I appreciated the fact that I had members of my book club to discuss it with.

Stay with Me — Adebayo Ayobami

I read this book at about the time I was reading the next book on my list and I was struck by the brilliance of the author. There was an ample amount of suspense and the plot twists were everything and more. I appreciate the fact that this book was written by a Nigerian with a gift! A gift of storytelling that I believe is unique, engaging, and entertaining. There was so much drama sometimes it was hard to keep up.

Educated — Tara Westhover

Educated was the first choice for our book club and a wonderful choice too. I have never read a nonfiction text with as many heart wrenching events! Tara’s family members seem unreal from the beginning to the end of the book. I threw the book across the room in incredulity multiple times because I had a strong urge to cry for her. I certainly revisited the concept of being educated in a way I had never before. Contrary to what some critics have written I do believe she was self-taught. Educated was a joy to read and discuss with the bookclub members! It felt like a nonfiction novel and had so many lessons entrenched within it.

Purple Hibiscus — Chimamanda Adichie (Again)

This was the novel that got me into literature. I read it in my first year of high school and I analyzed it for a take home assignment, and I remember that some of my classmates thought my dad had helped me with it. He hadn’t. I just figured out something I was good at and I never turned back after that. Reading Purple Hibiscus and following Kambili’s story again was surreal. It reaffirmed why I loved novels so much and my consciousness of the fact that there are brilliant writers in Africa, in Nigeria.

A Christmas Carol — Charles Dickens

I watched the movies based on A Christmas Carol and I knew what the storyline was, but I have yearned to read it for myself. Unfortunately, images from the movie interfered with the images in my head while I read. Thankfully, I think the adaptations have been accurate enough. I love that fact that A Christmas Carol has a Biblical moral as its theme. I will certainly attempt to read it every year, as a friend of mine does.

Yoruba Girl Dancing — Simi Bedford

I was given Yoruba Girl Dancing when I went for a conference in Halifax and at first it was hard to get through. It is a pretty small text and could almost be a novella. I did not think it was an exceptional book, but I did not think it was a terrible book either. I appreciated the exposition the text gave into the dislocation of Nigerians for study at a young age and the aftermath of colonization. I liked that the author emphasized how well Nigerians dance away their sorrows and the beauty of females dancing. Yoruba Girl Dancing probably felt anticlimactic to me because I had spent the past two years reading complicated texts and it was not as challenging to decipher the main themes.

One Crazy Summer — Rita Williams-Garcia

I absolutely love children’s books! Before 2019, I hadn’t read children’s books in a while. Fun fact! My honors thesis was on children’s literature. One Crazy Summer was interesting because it provides a different perspective and a glimpse into the lives of the Black Panthers. The day to day occurrences as a result of the movement were illuminated. I thought the narrative technique was executed excellently and I certainly laughed out loud when one of the girls said something outrageous. I value the historical insight this novella provides and will certainly recommend it to young people.

Alice in Wonderland — Lewis Carrol

I honestly read this for a class. I know we watched the Disney adaptation a lot when we (my siblings and I) were younger. Reading the actual text was a great experience especially since it was for a class on adaptations. I still cannot explain what I think Carrol’s aim was but it is a great book to get both the young and old thinking about the possibilities suggested by him. I appreciate the issues raised by the text and I am glad I read this classic.

Harry Porter — “Philosophers Stone” — J.K Rowling (Again)

This is an odd inclusion but yes, I read it again and I intend to read the others this year. I read Philosophers Stone for the same class. I was a bit surprised to realize how much the text was for children. See…. I read it when I was much younger, and it was exciting reading books in the series then because I have African — Nigerian parents and I was reading a book about witches and wizards. I think I enjoyed revisiting another text from my past and realizing that it was not what I had thought.

I did read more books for class and leisurely but these books vary in genre and appeal and that’s why I decided on including them.

I told a friend recently that sharing my booklist with people felt intimate and made me seem vulnerable and this is true. I think the books I read are like my spotify playlist. They are personal and occupy space in my bedroom and mind, which is why I appreciate those of you that read this. Thank you for coming into my space and getting to know more about me.