Best Books of 2020

As I looked back on the books I read in 2020, I realized that most of the titles on my "best of" list were examples of finding the perfect book at the perfect time. Had I read these in a different season, they may not have affected me the same way. Never the less, these are books I continue to think about long after I've turned the final page. I'm going to share my top three fiction and nonfiction reads from 2020.

FICTION

Les Misérables 

by Victor Hugo

I checked this doorstop of a book out at the library just a few weeks before the lockdowns went into effect.  I lost myself in this story and found so much hope in its pages during a time when the hope wasn't always easy to see. You can read more of my thoughts about this classic, here and here. 

Station Eleven

by Emily St. John Mandel

I chose this book to fulfill the "book outside your comfort zone" challenge for the Brighter Winter reading program. Sci-fi is a genre I know almost nothing about but this book left me with a desire to explore it more in the future. You can read my full review here.

The Dutch House

by Ann Patchet

I listened to this book on audio. It is read by Tom Hanks and is a delight to your ears. This is a story about two siblings and all the ways their childhood shaped and haunted them. Even though Mauve and Danny went through the separation of their parents together, their experience and perspective of it was so different because of their different ages and genders. I related to this book so much because I've done a lot of thinking this past year about my own childhood and the ways it continues to affect me today. This would be an excellent book to read and discuss with siblings. (Lauren and Nicole, this is me dropping a hint.) Haha!

NONFICTION

His Gift, My Story

by Kim Collingsworth

I have loved the Collingsworth family's music for many years. After reading this memoir, I have a new appreciation for their ministry. Kim begged God for a gift when she was three years old and God gave her the gift of music. If you see her play the piano in person, it is not something you will soon forget. This book is a glimpse into the struggles and joys of living on the road. But the part that will stay with me is her humility and desire to give her gift back to God every single day. It made me ask myself, "What is my gift? How can I serve God with it?"

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

by Laura Hillenbrand

Louis Zamperini was on track to become the first man to run a four minute mile when World War II started. He joined the Air Force and when his plane was shot down he was launched into a harrowing fight for survival. Him and the pilot survived on a raft for forty plus days only to be captured by the Japanese and tortured in prison camps until the war was over. There is no reason Louis should have survived. But by the grace of God, he did. The resilience, hope, and forgiveness he possessed in the face of impossible circumstances is something I continue to ponder. When I finished this book, I texted a friend and said, "This man is my hero!" It sounds dramatic but after reading the book, you will understand. 

The Book of Waking Up: Experiencing the Divine Love That Reorders a Life

by Seth Haines

Seth is a recovering alcoholic writing about addictions and all the ways we try to numb pain. Reading this book convicted me of all the things I turn to instead of God when experiencing the pains of life in a fallen world. This book is about so much more than just alcohol, sex, and drugs. It's about anything that we love more than God. I thought I knew what my word for 2021 was going to be but after finishing this book, I decided it needed to be "awake."

Have you read any of these titles? What was the best book you read in 2020? And one more question.... would you appreciate if I added photos of the books I share? Happy reading, friends!