Monday 29 December 2014

Best of 2014: January - June

2014 was a reading year of two halves for me.  For the first six months, I was pregnant and this contributed to me reading so many books.  Especially towards the end of my pregnancy, I was so tired that I would literally come home from work, eat dinner, and then snuggle in bed with a book.  Reading was also a great companion during the first part of my maternity leave as I had a very late baby!  After Giles was born, I stopped reading for about a month, and then slowly started to fit it back into my life again. Now that he is six months and going to bed at a regular time, I have time for a bit of bedtime reading again, and it's been lovely to rediscover all of my books.

Here are my monthly top reads from January to June, with the rest of the year to follow at a later date.


January:

The World Until Yesterday by Jared Diamond
This is a really interesting non-fiction book about what we in the modern world can learn from traditional societies, and the way we lived for most of human history.  It covers child care, war, the elderly, health and religion and it made me think about the way I live my own life.


February:


Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
In a dystopian society, human emotion has been controlled so that no one suffers.  But is a life without experience, even negative experience and pain, worth living?  Does our emotional pain make us who we are?  I really enjoyed this classic sci-fi novel, as it combined really interesting concepts and stories with a fast moving plot.


March:


Kindred by Octavia Butler
Dana, a modern African American, is flung back through time to the slave-era South.  This is a really interesting look at slavery that doesn't shy away from complex situations and moral ambiguities,  I need to pick up more Butler in 2015.


April:


The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
Kitty must accompany her husband into a cholera-stricken area of China as punishment for having an affair.  All of the characters in this novel are immensely unlikeable, but the character growth and development is superb.


May:


We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
An unflinching look at the life of Darling, growing up in a shanty town in an unnamed African country.  She dreams of moving to America, but when she actually gets the opportunity, it's not all she thought it would be.  Darling is one of the best protagonists I've read all year.


June:


The Golem and the Djinni by Helene Wecker
I love stories that blend fantasy into the real world, and this one follows Chava, a golem made out of clay to be a bride, and Ahmad, a djinni accidentally released into nineteenth century New York.  This book is so atmospheric and magical, and I just adored it.

Have you read any of these books, or do you want to?
Also, if you've done a 'top reads of 2014' list, I'd love to hear about it!

16 comments:

  1. I read Brave New World so many years ago I barely remember it, though I do remember liking it. The Painted Veil is on my list and I'm hoping to read it in 2015. I'll post my booklist on January 1!

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    1. Painted Veil is definitely worth reading, I went out and bought more Maugham after finishing it. Looking forward to your list.

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  2. Of these, I have only read Brave New World. I definitely want to read Kindred and The Golem and the Djinni, but the others look wonderful too. I love your short descriptions -- I should try that next time! I did post a list under "Gems of 2014."

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    1. Looking forward to reading your list. I didn't expect to love Kindred as much as I did, it's an important book.

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  3. My aunt was reading The Golem & the Djinni over Christmas which reminded me I've been meaning to read it since it came out! Glad to see it made the list of some of your top books of the year :)

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    1. That's 2 indications that you need to read it now!

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  4. i'm so impressed that you read that many classics during your pregnancy -- and I guess it's not surprising that the classics were the best book(s) you read in any given month.

    I really thought NoViolet Bulawayo's book was terrific and definitely hinting at great things to come, I think. But it took place in Zimbabwe, not an unnamed country, fwiw.

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    1. I had nothing but time to read sometimes while pregnant!
      And I didn't know that about Bulawayo's book, thanks for the heads up :)

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  5. I so want to read We Need New Names! I think I'll have to put that higher on my list for 2015.

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  6. I will probably have a "Best Of" list up in January.

    Thanks for reminding me to read The Golem and the Djinni sooner rather than later!

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  7. I loved The Painted Veil and The Golem and the Djinni too. I think they were both on my 2013 list! I read Kindred earlier this year and enjoyed it - I would like to read more of Octavia Butler's books in 2015 as well.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed some of the same books as me. Someone bought me a copy of Fledgling, Butler's vampire based story, for my birthday, so that's going to be my next pick of hers.

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  8. Nice list! I've read both Kindred and The Painted Veil, both of which I thought were very well done. I have The Golem and the Djinni on my massive TBR pile and since it gets such positive feedback I really need to make an effort to read it soon.

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    1. The Golem & the Djinni is definitely worth bumping a few places up the TBR pile. Happy reading :)

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