Tuesday, December 31, 2019

2019 in Books (Martha & Shirley)

Another year winds down.  2019 may still be too fresh to strike either of us as memorable but there were some good books we read this year.  Here are your picks for the top ten and, in Friday's gina & krista round-robin, we'll offer the next 20.


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 20182017, 201620152014201320122011, 20102009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005.