Favorite Books of 2020

Though this year undoubtedly brought more hardship, suffering and misery than any of us could have guessed, it also made many of us appreciate the moments of escapism we could find in a good (or even a bad) book even more than before. There is comfort in a story being told to you and there is value in learning about people, places and experiences we may not have a chance to without books. In the beginning of this ordeal in early spring, I suddenly found it incredibly hard to focus on reading, few stories captured my attention and I forced myself to finish more than a couple of books. Yet in the early summer, my fondness for reading returned and I ventured into territories I hadn't before, reading far more nonfiction and delving more deeply into the realm of poetry. There are so many best of 2020 lists floating around, and though they may seem a little monotonous in some ways, I like the idea of people commemorating the best things they found in a year that was filled with so many worsts. It feels a little hopeful, and highlights human resilience and the desire to find the good amid the bad.

I'll stop yammering on now, and just give you the old list already, that's what you're here for, after all;-) Interestingly, few are new books. I didn't enjoy popular fiction very much this year for some reason.

I wish you all a happy, healthy and hopeful new year!