My Year in Books (a love story, really)
Insert bonkers adventures, fluffy fiction, lemurs, extreme baking and The Drifters!
In 2013, I began recording all the books I read throughout the year. I’m a Virgo, and we’re prone to doing these types of annoying things. My “year in books” perennially reveals undeniable themes that I often don’t recognize until a reflective moment like this.
My yearly lists also double as easy indicators of books that I have intentionally pre-selected and the wild card desperado selections made from Little Free Libraries or English book-less destinations like the uber Dutch Bloozz Resort in Bonaire and French-ified Madagascar. I never anticipate enough books for our travels and end up in a paperback desert. Last year in Barbados, after poaching six desired books from hotel freebie shelves in our radius, I was down to a woman’s body manual (circa 1972), the Holy Bible and The 100% Official Justin Bieber bible.
Pro tip (learned on our last day in Barbados): For $20 Bajan dollars ($10 US) you can buy a library card at the Holetown branch. At the end of your stay you can opt for a refund, keep the card or donate the money back to the library. This branch also has a stack of free paperbacks at the front of the library for keeps or trades.
However, being in a book pinch often results in finally reading a classic I’ve backburnered in favor of others. In Bonaire, I read Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises because my only other viable option was a 1980s guide to juicing with a food processor. Note to self: Learn Dutch, French or German before next trip to take full advantage of the “take a book, leave a book” shelves. Note to you who is saying “GET A KINDLE”: No.
Last year, my book list revealed a very obvious pattern. I was clearly exhibiting farmer fantasies with farmy memoirs rooted in Spain, Ireland and Africa. I went through a bout of surfer and yachtie delusions. Apparently, I have a thing for Caribbean isles, star charts, ocean wayfarers, transcontinental voyages with a dog. I also hallucinate about Everest but have zero interest in any part of it beyond a North Face jacket. I had an equally big crush on sommeliers, chef and cookbook-y memoirs with interspersed recipes. It was a summer full of memoir-ization!
My leanings are still very foodie and travel steeped. I bounced across Borneo, Belfast, Denmark, Madagascar (literally and physically), Vietnam and Nunavut. I responsibly read Hemingway, James A. Michener and Ondaatje and felt all the smarter for it. However, Michener’s 752 page monster, The Drifters, should count as two books!
I read Emily Henry and Nine Perfect Strangers for some fluffy fiction in between tagging along on a few trying pilgrimages through the Appalachians, soggy Ireland and wildflower-strewn Spain too. In the end, it was a gratifying and satisfying year of bonkers adventures, quirk, lemurs, Jeremy Clarkson’s saucy self, extreme baking and history.
In 2023, I challenged myself to create a one-word book review round-up. This year I’m brazenly reviewing each book in two succinct words!
The 39 Books of 2024 (in chronological order and not according to this stack and not counting The Drifters as two books)
The Art of Living Dangerously: True Stories from Life on an Edge by Richard Bangs— “Adrenalin Surge” (*You can follow Richard Bangs here on Substack
Quests. He has spent decades navigating first descents of rivers and is co-founder of MT Sobek adventure travel company.)A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco by Suzanna Clarke —“Dangerously Tempting”
My Life in France by Julia Child—“Buttery Evocation”
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery—“Non-stop Inspirational”
The Way of the Gardener by Lyndon Penner—“Blooms + Blisters”
Happy Place by Emily Henry—“Cotton Candy”
If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name: News from Small-town Alaska by Heather Lende —“Frank + Funny”
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway— “Quintessential Homework”
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty—“Mindfulness Madness”
The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood—“Weepy Wonderful”
Divisadero by Micahel Ondaatje—“Pay Attention!”
The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff “Fierce Friendships”
Sarah Conley by Ellen Gilchrist—“What? Who?”
Kon-tiki by Thor Heyerdahl—“Supreme Survivalism”
Beyond Belfast: A 560-Mile Journey Across Northern Ireland on Sore Feet by Will Ferguson —“Damply Dense”
Into the Heart of Borneo by Redmond O’Hanlon—“Whoa + WOW”
Silly Isles by Eric Campbell—“Fun Romp”
The Storied Life of A.J. Firky by Gabrielle Zevin—“Hello Hallmark!”
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams—“Lovely + Lyrical”
Can You Make This Thing Go Faster? By Jeremy Clarkson—“Salt & Vinegary”
The Drifters by James A. Michener— “Generation Awesome”
Nowhere for Very Long: The Unexpected Road to an Unconventional Life by Brianna Madia— “Lost & Found”
Barns of the Queen’s Bush by Jon Radojkovic—“Halcyon Days”
Gone Bamboo by Anthony Bourdain—“Classic Tony”
Chasing Lemurs: My Journey Into the Heart of Madagascar by Keriann McGoogan —“Fascinating Foray”
The Measure of my Powers: A memoir of food, misery and Paris by Jackie Kai Ellis—“Sweet Treat”
She Explores: Stories of Life-Changing Adventures on the Road and in the Wild by Gale Straub— “Wonder Women!”
The Aye Aye and I: A Rescue Journey to Save One of the World's Most Intriguing Creatures from Extinction by Gerald Durrell—“Madcap Madagascar”
A Short Ride in the Jungle: The Ho Chi Minh Trail by Motorcycle by Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent— “Harrowing History” (*It pairs exceedingly well with Spicy California Rolls, a Lake of Bays Off the Grid Hazy Pale Ale and lakeside Adirondack chair. You can also follow
’s Under the Hawthorn Tree on Substack!)The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World’s Happiest Country by Helen Russell—“ELSKEDE DET!”
The Imposters by Tom Rachman—“Wonderfully Woeful”
The Irresponsible Traveller: Tales of Scrapes and Narrow Escapes by Bradt Guides—“Carry-on Friendly”
The Best American Short Stories 2006 edited by Ann Patchett—“Not Really”
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett—“Consuming Saga”
SOLA: One Woman’s Journey Alone Across South America by Amy Field— “Boho Dreams”
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh—“Pinch-me Absurd”
Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq— “Bone Deep”
The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal— “Perfect Pour”
The Curve in Time by M. Wylie Blanchard —“Super Natural”
You can check out last year’s slightly dusty shelf here. I may squeeze in one more book before a new year’s eve cork signals a fresh blank page but let’s end with this beautiful and fitting curve in time!
Fun throwback: In the summer of 1985 I read 10 books from the Brantford Public Library and was entitled to a hands-on computer lesson. What incentive would motivate you now?
Fun fact: In the throes of pandemic panic, when libraries were closing faster than our minds, I launched The Bathtub Book Club. I decided to create my own space, a virtual bathtub, at a time when a little non-fiction and a whole lotta Calgon “take me away” seemed appropriate.
Fun brag: How did I get to be CEO of The Bathtub Book Club? I’ve reviewed dozens of books for The Vancouver Sun, Cottage Life, Harrowsmith and Coast Mountain Culture. I also read piles of books for reasons other than income and had undiluted fun pairing books with beer and bathtubs. A tub crawl if you will…
What was your best read in 2024? I’m awarding my very official ribbon to The Year of Living Danishly. It was endlessly entertaining (at the expense of the author) and I am now overly confident to take on the $10,000 Denmark category in Jeopardy! Who knew that Billund, Denmark is the birthplace of Lego?
Thank you for reading along until the very last drop. I appreciate having you in my circle and reading your comments. They bring the same thrill as tiny folded notes passed between desks and aisles in the classroom. Next Saturday I’ll be rounding up the very best of 2024—-from the best sunsets to the best hike, best bird and…the spoiler alert ends here! Come visit and pass me a note in between!
I loved The Imposters, quit on Commonwealth. This year’s favorites included biographies of Katharine White and Judith Jones, who discovered Anne Frank’s diary and launched Julia Child (among other cookbook authors).
WHERE is the Justin Beiber book review!?!? 🤣🤣🤣