My Favorite Books From 2020
Inspired by the year-end survey hosted by Perpetual Page Turner
2020 Stats
- # of Books Read: 80 (See full book list here)
- # of Pages Read: 25,723
- # of Re-Reads: 4
Note: My answers pertain to books I read this year, no matter when they were published.
1. Best Book You Read in 2020?
Nonfiction
Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow
Farrow led the journalistic charge in taking down Harvey Weinstein. In this book, he exposes not only Weinstein's heinous acts, but also the elaborate plot at the highest levels of media, politics, and espionage to cover it all up.
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
This book instantly became one of my top 10 favorite novels of all time. Gates of Fire is a work of historical fiction about the battle of "300." Although the book version doesn't contain an oil-slicked Gerard Butler (sorry, ladies), it places you in the middle of the action as the Spartans battle the Persians in Thermopylae.
2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going to Love More But Didn’t?
How Will You Measure Your Life? by Christensen, Allworth, and Dillon
I really wanted to like this book, but I don't understand what all the buzz is about. It's a pretty ordinary book about trying to live for more than money. I prefer a lot of other books on that topic, including David Brooks's The Second Mountain, which I read this year.
3. Most Surprising (in a Good Way or Bad Way) Book You Read?
A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin
The storytelling mechanism used in this book makes it one of the most interesting novels I've ever read. As a little teaser, here's what Stephen King has to say about this book: "[The novel’s] real screeching bombshell is neatly tucked away about one hundred pages into the story. If you should happen upon this moment while thumbing randomly through the book, it means nothing to you. If you have read everything faithfully up to that point, it means...everything."
4. Book You “Pushed” the Most People to Read (and They Did)?
The Running Man by Stephen King
This is one of the books that King published under the pseudonym "Richard Bachman." It tells the story of Ben Richards, a poor man in a dystopian world that pits "runners" against trained killers in a reality game show. The longer Richards survives as the runner, the more money he wins for his impoverished family. I encouraged a couple of friends to read this book, and they also enjoyed it.
5. Best Series You Started in 2020?
The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Okay, I kinda cheated on this one. I didn't start many new series this year, but I did really enjoy this Hunger Games prequel.
6. Favorite New Author You Discovered in 2020?
Ira Levin
Levin passed away in 2007, but I just discovered his work this year. I loved his books so much that I read three of them within a month: Rosemary's Baby, A Kiss Before Dying, and The Stepford Wives.
7. Best Book from a Genre You Don’t Typically Read/Was Out of Your Comfort Zone?
V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
I don't usually read many graphic novels, but Alan Moore's V for Vendetta and Watchmen may have converted me. Not only are this book's illustrations amazing, but the storytelling is up there with any novel I've ever read. The character "V" is a cunning anti-hero with a compelling backstory and one hell of a vendetta against the British government.
8. Most Action-Packed/Thrilling/Unputdownable Book of the Year?
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
You may have seen the Netflix movie with Sandra Bullock. The book is equally thrilling.
9. Book You Read in 2020 That You Are Most Likely to Re-Read Next Year?
Stein on Writing by Sol Stein
A new mentor in my life recently recommended this book. I had never heard of the book or its author before, but it's definitely a top-tier writing craft book that should be regarded right up there with Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and On Writing by Stephen King. If you're curious, you can read Stein's top 13 writing tips here.
10. Favorite Cover of a Book You Read in 2020?
11. Most Memorable Character of 2020?
Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Wow, this dude is a psychopath. If you're not familiar with the book or the movie adaptation starring Matt Damon, you should definitely check out this story.
12. Most Beautifully Written Book Read in 2020?
We Are Okay by Nina Lacour
Sad but beautifully told, this story centers around the life of a young woman named Marin who (unsuccessfully) tries to outrun tragedy by moving from California to New York.
13. Most Thought-Provoking/Life-Changing Book of 2020?
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Lawyer Bryan Stevenson tells the story of Walter McMillan, a Black man who was sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit. McMillans' story is a horrifying and saddening example of the systemic issues that plague our criminal justice system.
14. Book You Can’t Believe You Waited UNTIL 2020 to Finally Read?
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
If you haven't read this book, it's super weird but also fascinating. Vonnegut is one of a kind.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
I've been trying to gradually chip through the Top 200 Books of All Time, and this is one of the books on that list. I should have read this years ago.
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From a Book You Read in 2020?
From Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
“So this, I believe, is the central question upon which all creative living hinges: Do you have the courage to bring forth the treasures that are hidden within you?”
From Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
"I will tell His Majesty what a king is. A king does not abide within his tent while his men bleed and die upon the field. A king does not dine while his men go hungry, nor sleep when they stand at watch upon the wall. A king does not command his men's loyalty through fear nor purchase it with gold; he earns their love by the sweat of his own back and the pains he endures for their sake. That which comprises the harshest burden, a king lifts first and sets down last. A king does not require service of those he leads but provides it to them. He serves them, not they him." -Spoken by Xeones (injured Spartan squire) to Xerxes (King of Persia)
16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read in 2020?
Shortest: The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White (105 pages)
Longest: The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1 by Neil Gaiman (612 pages)
17. Book That Shocked You the Most?
Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow
I was astounded by how many people knew about Weinstein's actions for years and tried to cover them up.
18. Favorite Book You Read in 2020 from an Author You’ve Read Previously?
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
I've read nearly two dozen books by King, and this one quickly became one of my favorites.
19. Best Book You Read in 2020 that You Read Based SOLELY on a Recommendation from Somebody Else?
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
This book wasn't on my radar at all until my friend Dan recommended it. I'm so glad I read it. It's an exceptional book and a heartfelt story about the relationship between a dog and his owner.
20. Best 2020 Debut You Read?
21. Best World-Building/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
This dark dystopian tale follows a rebellious teenager named Alex who leads a group of young criminals who take pleasure in violence. Burgess even invents a slang language that mirrors the youths' attitudes and their perspective on the world.
22. Book that Was the Most FUN to Read?
American Kingpin by Nick Bilton
I love true crime stories, so I flew through this tale about the creation (and takedown) of the "Silk Road," a billion-dollar online black market for drugs and other illicit materials.
23. Book That Made You Cry or Nearly Cry in 2020?
24. Hidden Gem of The Year?
The Great Pretender by Susannah Cahalan
I stumbled upon this book at Powell's Books in Portland. I had heard of Cahalan before (she wrote the bestseller Brain on Fire), but I had never heard anything about this one. It's 400 pages long, but I blazed through it in three days. It's the story of a psychiatry study from the 1970s that forever changed the way we understand mental illness.
25. Most Unique Book You Read in 2020?
The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1 by Neil Gaiman
I'm a huge Gaiman fan, so I wanted to check this one out. The story is dark, but it's masterfully told and beautifully illustrated.
26. Favorite 5 Nonfiction Reads of the Year?
- Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow
- Pity the Reader by Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnell
- American Kingpin by Nick Bilton
- Blind Eye by James B. Stewart
- It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
27. Favorite 5 Fiction Reads of the Year?
- Gates of Fire by Stephen Pressfield
- The Dead Zone by Stephen King
- V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
- The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
- Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
1. One Book You Didn’t Get to in 2020 But Will Be Your Top Priority in 2021?
The Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov
I've wanted to read this for years, and my wife just bought me an awesome leatherbound version of it for Christmas, so this will be one of my first reads in 2021.
2. Book You Are Most Anticipating in 2021?
Think Again by Adam Grant - Release Date: February 2nd, 2021
I love Adam Grant's work, and I've reviewed two of his past books on my site: Give and Take and Originals. I already pre-ordered this one and am looking forward to reading it in February.
A World Without Email by Cal Newport - Release Date: March 2nd, 2021
Newport is another one of my favorite authors. I just learned about this forthcoming book, so I had to include it here as well! 😉
3. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2021?
Doors of Stone (Kingkiller Chronicle #3) by Patrick Rothfuss - Release Date: ???
I included this on my Year in Review post last year and it still hasn't come out, so I might as well carry it over to this year! Rothfuss has been working on this novel for years and fans have been dying to read the conclusion of the series. I have no idea if this will actually come out in 2021, but I hope it does!
4. One Thing You Hope to Accomplish or Do in Your Reading/Blogging Life in 2021?
I want to surpass one million total combined pageviews on my blog and Medium account.
What were your favorite reads from 2020?
I'd love to hear about them. Please leave a comment at the bottom of this page or drop me an email!
Bobby:
I’m not a avid reader like you, but I have liked the Stephen King movie adaptations. The two books of his in this list are excellent movies. I thought Dead Zone was a very creepy premise and well acted by all. I highly suggest watching it – if you have enough time between your reading, that is…
David Thompson
That’s good to know! I’ve really enjoyed some King movie adaptations like “Misery,” “The Shining,” and “It,” but other ones have been difficult to adapt to the screen (for example, “The Dark Tower” was really bad and I’ve heard that a few other King movies are as well).
I’m glad to hear “The Dead Zone” movie is good. I’ll have to add that one to my list! Thanks for your comment and I hope you’re doing well, my friend! Happy new year!
I’m so glad you continue this tradition of completing the book survey each year.
Let’s see…
-I read Bird Box this year, too, amazingly for book club. It was a very different book for us. It does have a pervasive feeling of dread running throughout.
-Just Mercy should be required reading for all Americans. Don’t you agree?
-I disagree with you on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. It just didn’t seem necessary to me, other than making me hate Snow more than I did before.
-The Art of Racing in the Rain has long been a personal favorite. Carly and I listened to the audio version of it while we were on a college visitation weekend. I can remember both of us in Corvallis (OSU) pulling into our hotel parking lot crying about something in the book.
-Clockwork Orange is one of the few books that I read a bit and decided I couldn’t continue. I hated it that much.
-What did you think of Little Women? I reread it a few years ago after having read it as a child, and I found the tone a bit condescending.
-I read Slaughterhouse-Five a few years ago. I, too, ma attempting to catch up on all those books “everybody” has read except me. This year I managed to complete East of Eden.
-Here is my 2020 Book Survey: https://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020-end-of-year-book-survey.html
Yes, Just Mercy should be required reading. I wish I read books like that when I was younger.
It took me a little while to get into A Clockwork Orange and understand the language used by Alex and the other guys in his gang. But after I got used to that, the story was interesting–especially what happens to Alex at the end. The book raises some interesting questions about individual freedom vs. government control.
I loved Little Women. I was blown away by Alcott’s ability to write a “book within a book.” It was clever how she set up the reader to eventually realize that they had been reading Jo’s book the whole time.
I really enjoyed your book survey too, Anne! Happy New Year and happy reading!
You have a lot of patience and dedication to read a lot of books in one year. I admire you Bobby. I wouldn’t be able to read a handful of the books you’ve mentioned. They’re probably all fantastic reads. Keep up the great Work. Thanks 🙂
Thanks so much, Shravan! I appreciate it. 🙂
Hello Bobby! From reading to learn something new, books are considered to be the best teacher in life. My favorite “Yes I Can”, is the one that helps me to get out of every tense situation, to fight with the problems, or to learn from it. Thanks for sharing the list of your favorites, I must read some from it. Keep writing!
Thanks so much, Eva! I really appreciate your comment. 🙂 Best of luck with your 2021 reading list!