2020 Top Recommendations

 

Happy Thanksgiving, fellow readers!

Over this past year, I read about 90 books thanks to stay-at-home orders and quarantines. I am eternally grateful for the joy, knowledge and adventure that good literature brings into my life.

During the course of the year, I also started a dedicated Facebook page (which eventually grew into this literary blog!) to share outstanding books with fellow readers beyond my private circle of friends. I am thankful for the expanded opportunities share good books.

In keeping with a tradition started with my friends, here is my annual book review list. During 2020, I was especially thankful for these books. Happy reading, fellow readers! 💛

Gift Ideas
Count Monet's Lilies by Julie Appel & Amy Guglielmo
What a cool book! This board book for young children has great works of impressionist art with something for children to touch and count on each page. Age appropriate but also elevating. A gentle introduction to the arts. It is now out of print, but you can still find like-new copies.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/count-monets-lilies-by-julie-appel-amy_24.html

101 Places to Pray Before You Die: A Roamin' Catholic's Guide by Thomas J. Craughwell
Do you know a Catholic anxious to travel again? Stoke their excitement with this book. A convent of Viking nuns in Connecticut, a mission church in the desert of New Mexico, the Nuns of the Battlefield Monument at Gettysburg and more... each spot welcoming visitors to prayerful contemplation.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/101-places-to-pray-before-you-die.html

Theology of Home: Finding the Eternal in the Everyday by Carrie Gress, Noelle Mering, Megan Schrieber & Kim Baile
Catholicism meets HGTV. This strikingly beautiful coffee table book features gorgeous photos of upscale Catholic homes and families with spiritual reflections. Inspirational and aspirational.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/theology-of-home-finding-eternal-in.html

Adult Fiction
Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
This is a seriously great piece of literature set in medieval times from a Scandinavian Catholic convert. Originally published in 1920’s Norway. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize. The trilogy is long, but take one book at a time and you’ll find it hard to put down.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/kristin-lavransdatter-by-sigrid-undset.html

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Originally published in 1859, this story spans London and Paris during the French Revolution. This lengthy classic takes effort to read, but the book’s themes of mob riots, public upheaval and personal redemption will speak to the modern reader.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/read-tale-of-two-cities-by-charles.html

The Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Ring #1) by JRR Tolkien
I've been wanting to read this for a while; I knew it would be great literature. But I was intimidated by the old language and length. So, this year I cheated... I got it on audiobook and listened in my car. Hearing the story spoken to me, I could relax and appreciate the beautiful language and images of the story. I highly recommend checking it out on audiobook!
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-fellowship-of-ring.html

Biographies & Memoirs for Adults
Never Erased in My Mind: My Life as a Child Survivor of the Minsk Ghetto, the Forest and the Gulag by Esfir Kaplan Lupyan
I don't have a blogged review for this book because I read it in early 2020, but it stuck with me. It is the first-hand account of a Russian Jew during WWII, told in a very personal way. The short paragraphs and conversational tone make it seem like someone's grandmother is talking to you. Some translation issues, but still a worthy read. The author now lives in Oak Park, Michigan.

Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles by Raymond Arroyo
Woah! There is so much backstory to this seemingly sweet old nun with religious a tv show. A compelling read!
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/mother-angelica-remarkable-story-of-nun.html

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff
This book contains about 500 firsthand accounts of September 10-11, 2001 from firefighters, police, WTC workers, Pentagon workers, newscasters, government officials and more. I cried my way through it, but it was a worthwhile read that will stay with me!
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-only-plane-in-sky.html

Parenting
Made This Way: How to Prepare Kids to Face Today's Tough Moral Issues by Leila Miller & Trent Horn
Everyone wants their children to be innocent and happy. But what do you do when the world exposes them to things YEARS before they should have to deal with it? Every catholic family should have this resource on their shelf! It provides orthodox catholic teaching in a relatable way as well as tips for talking to little (prepubescent) & big (teen) kids about various issues.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/made-this-way.html

Politics & Religion
The Divine Plan: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, and the Dramatic End of the Cold War by Paul Kengor & Robert Orlando
This is a great, short book to read with a glass of wine while pausing to ponder! It discusses the role of God in history, specifically a "divine plan" involving Reagan and JPII to overthrow communism. https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-divine-plan-john-paul-ii-ronald.html

Can a Catholic Be a Socialist? [The Answer Is No - Here's Why] by Trent Horn & Catherine R. Pakaluk
This modern book is relevant to the culture! I know several left-leaning catholic friends have all but embraced socialism as a "catholic" concept. This books discusses catholic theology, the history of socialism and why it is incompatible with Catholicism. It also explores catholic social teaching, what is & isn’t socialism as well as potential problems with capitalism. An easy and educational read!
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/09/can-catholic-be-socialist.html

Miscellaneous NonFiction for Adults
Perfectly Yourself by Matthew Kelly
Do you have a new year’s resolution in mind? Whether your goal is weight loss, advancing your career or something else, this book contains a large dose of encouragement and motivation. https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/perfectly-yourself-by-matthew-kelly-210.html

Slim Aarons: La Dolce Vita by Christopher Sweet
Wow! I discovered Slim Aarons after watching a documentary on his work this year. He was a renowned American photographer famous for capturing the lifestyles of the rich and famous in the 1950s and 1960s. This coffee table book is highly inspirational and aspirational.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/09/slim-aarons-la-dolce-vita.html

What Would Mrs. Astor Do?: The Essential Guide to the Manners and Mores of the Gilded Age by Cecelia Tichi
This book explores the lifestyles of the rich in the Gilded Age, which includes a large dose of manners and etiquette. Readers can rest in the rarefied air of the time period. If you are fascinated by the lifestyles of the rich & famous (my personal guilty pleasure) circa 1900, this book is for you!
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/10/what-would-mrs-astor-do.html

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
This may be particular to me, but I’ve always been fascinated by fraud. What makes someone decide to defraud their employer or friends? This was an interesting and timely book as federal charges make their way through court against fraudster Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos. It was well written and an easy read, if a bit long in parts.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/09/bad-blood.html

Children's Literature (for kids & the young at heart)
The 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith
Trying listening to this 1956 classic on audiobook during your next road trip! It will entertain all ages and elevate your use of language!
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-101-dalmatians.html

When the King Was Carpenter by Maria von Trapp
This year I discovered many great books by Maria von Trapp (from Sound of Music fame). This short book is one of my favorites because it contains riveting historical information about Jesus’s times and can be read to children. Similar to Little House on the Prairie in style.
http://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/when-king-was-carpenter-by-maria-von.html

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis
If you haven’t read the Chronicles of Narnia, now is the time! I read the entire series this year to my great enjoyment. Middle schoolers may wish to start with the prequel, but younger children should start with this book which is suitable for all ages. See blog reviews of the other books in the series for age appropriateness.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-lion-witch-and-wardrobe.html

Biographies for Children
The Strange Birds of Flannery O'Connor by Amy Alznauer
This is an exquisitely startling and beautiful children's picture book on the life of author Flannery O'Connor. Age appropriate, but with an elevated tone. A worthwhile biography for children (ages 4 – 7), especially catholic girls.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/10/strange-birds-of-flannery-oconnor.html

John Ronald's Dragons: The Story of J.R.R. Tolkien by Caroline McAlister
This picture book is a gentle introduction for children (ages 4 - 8) to JRR Tolkien and the world of hobbits. It is especially great for young boys.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/11/john-ronalds-dragons.html

Through the Wardrobe: How CS Lewis Created Narnia by Lina Maslo
This picture book is a gentle introduction for children (ages 4 - 8) to CS Lewis and the world of Narnia. This is a great "starter" book before reading The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe.
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/11/blog-post.html

Ordinary Extraordinary Jane Austen by Deborah Hopkinson
This picture book is a gentle introduction for children (ages 4 - 8) to Jane Austen. I loved that this book showed Jane enjoying a rich family life with her large family - listening to recitations, playing games, dancing, staging plays, writing letters and, above all, reading. What great ideas to plant in children's minds!
https://booksjulieliked.blogspot.com/2020/11/ordinary-extraordinary-jane-austen.html