1) Naomi Klein's ON FIRE: THE (BURNING) CASE FOR A GREEN NEW DEAL.
Ava
and C.I. reviewed this one in the gina & krista round-robin. Said
it was the best non-fiction book of the year. Clearly, the community
agreed. As Robyn observed when voting her choices, "How have we spent
decades ignoring this issue? This should be front and center of every
discussion." Instead, it barely made it as a fleeing topic in the Democratic debates this year.
2) Jacqueline Woodson's BROWN GIRL DREAMING.
Betty
and C.I. led the book discussion for this one at the gina & krista
round-robin. They divided the book into four sections and moderated
four discussions on it with participants Keesha, Gina, Beth, Ann,
Marcia, Cedric and Darren.
3) Carly Simon's TOUCHED BY THE SUN.
Ava and C.I. noted the book in a TV piece and Polly reviewed it for POLLY'S BREW. This was a book with built-in interests -- first, you had another book by Carly whose BOYS IN THE TREES topped the 2015 list, second, you had a book about Jaqueline Onassis.
3) Marguerite Young's MISS MACINTOSH, MY DARLING.
Twelve
weeks. A book discussion every week. This mammoth novel is almost
1200 pages. When Lauren announced she wanted to do a book discussion on
this book, she warned about the page length. Lauren moderated the
discussions and participants for every one of the 12 discussions (we're
not naming those who dropped out) were Gina, Krista, C.I., Ava, Wally,
Kat, Trina, Bradley, Tori, Gareth, Elaine, Polly, Maria and us (Martha and
Shirley). We don't know about the others but that book was a heavy
lift. A worthy read, absolutely, but a heavy lift. Lauren notes that
HARP SONG FOR A RADICAL, Young's book about Eugene V. Debs, is what made
her want to read MISS MACINTOSH, MY DARLING. "But I knew it was going
to have to be a group read to keep me focused on a book this huge," she
told us.
4) Ronan Farrow's CATCH AND KILL
Meryl
knew. That really is the take away as Ava and C.I. pointed out in
their review of the book for the gina & krista round-robin. "Did
Meryl think Rose was a fool?" That's what they titled the book. Rose
McGowan called Meryl Streep out on her s**t and Meryl lied to the
world. 'Oh, I just found out, I never knew.' Maybe she could get away
with it before Ronan's book. In the book, Ronan tells Meryl what he's
working on -- the assaults by Harvey Weinstein. Meryl's response?
Don't do that, Harvey donates to so many great Democratic causes.
Oh, Meryl. Cheap is not a good shade on you.
So,
yes, she knew long before anyone. She appears to have known when Ronan
told her -- already known. But if she wants to try to offer a
non-defense, she can correct the public record to, "I didn't know until a
year or so ago."
She
could also explain why she refused to speak out during that time.
There are a lot of nuggets in the book and -- to quote from Ava and
C.I.'s review -- "Don't think for one moment that you know the whole
story and can skip the book."
5) Debbie Harry's FACE IT: A MEMOIR.
Blondie was a one of a kind band and Debbie's produced a one of a kind book. Elaine nailed it in her review, everything about the book, including its look, is unique.
6) Joni Mitchell's MORNING GLORY ON THE VINE.
Betty reviewed this one and the book works best as an art book, a showcase for Joni's watercolors.
7) Toni Okamoto's PLANT-BASED ON A BUDGET: DELICIOUS VEGAN RECIPES FOR UNDER $30 A WEEK, FOR LESS THAN 30 MINUTES A MEAL.
Ann and Trina covered this one for HILDA'S MIX. Both love to cook, both can enjoy a meatless meal and are trying to find new ones. "The ideal starter cookbook," they concluded. "And one that benefits all levels of cooks."
8) Graham Farmelo's THE UNIVERSE SPEAKS IN NUMBERS: HOW MODERN MATH REVEALS NATURE'S DEEPEST SECRETS.
Hilda reviewed this book in HILDA'S MIX. Hilda dubbed the book "fascinating" and insisted "you don't need a science background to understand or enjoy" the book. Enough of you agreed with her to make it the eighth most popular pick for 2019.
9) Stephen L. Carter's INVISIBLE: THE FORGOTTEN STORY OF THE BLACK WOMAN LAWYER WHO TOOK DOWN AMERICA'S MOST POWERFUL MOBSTER.
Roundtables are spontaneous, not planned. Back in April, a gina & krista round-robin roundtable took a detour when Marcia and C.I. began discussing this book with regards to Gina raising the issue of whether family members can write memoirs worth reading or not? Stephen L. Carter wrote a book about his grandmother and it's very much worth reading.
10) Holly George-Warren has produced JANIS: HER LIFE AND MUSIC.
Kat reviewed and ranked this book among the best of the books focusing on Janis Joplin.
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Martha and Shirley have also done the year in books for 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005.
