5 books read in October 2023

 

1. Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing by Lauren Hough* (audiobook) (Cate Blanchett narrates half of this so that's a win. People are wayyyyyyy too harsh on this book because Hough is annoying online sometimes. Good thing I'm not like other girls and I can separate author from the book. It makes reading so much more enjoyable and intellectually fulfilling, try it sometime.) (My storygraph review: ignore the people who gave it 1 or 2 star reviews they have worms for brains. This is an incredibly nuanced and interesting collection of essays about a lesbian ex-military ex-cult former incarcerated who lived in many countries. My "favorite" bits were about her bouncer and blue-collar job days and dealing with her mental health. And hearing her describe her past relationships. I haven't read Stone Butch Blues yet but based on vibes this feels like it's in conversation with that.)
2. The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith (okay yes I separate book from author but that doesn't mean I give money to transphobes. I illegally downloaded this so the author doesn't get any money from me. I'm not a huge detective mystery fan but I loooooove the books in this series. I view JKR as a John Grisham type now, kind of a pulpy writer. This is the weakest in the Strike series.)
3. Biting the Hand: Growing Up Asian in Black and White America by Julia Lee* (Good! Felt like an accessible college textbook, I could see this being used in a discussion group.)
4. Strong Female Character by Fern Brady* (audiobook) (a memoir by a Scottish comic who is autistic. I think this is my first nonfiction book by an openly autistic person. I learned a lot and will definitely recommend it widely. Love a Scottish accent audiobook.)
5. Open Throat by Henry Hoke (library) (POV of a mountain lion who lives in LA and has very interesting thoughts. About climate grief and human/animal interactions and a very quick read.)

the star * symbol means it's very good. But it's important to know that I never complete "bad" books, so if I finished it then that means there's something worthwhile about it.

Books Read in Peace Corps

I've read a lot of Peace Corps blogs and my FAVORITE part is always their reading lists. People read a lot more when they don't have internet! Wild concept! My average books-per-year since graduating university is 79.4, with 69 being the minimum and 101 the maximum, so let's see how much I can read when I my data at site is so slow it might as well be non-existent. :) 

Here's a list of all the books I read during the Peace Corps, starting January 31-TBD.

KEY:

ª audiobook

** favorite 

+ poetry

~ nonfiction

Year 1:

1. ~The Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah 
2. ~Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman
3. N.P. by Banana Yoshimoto (translated by Ann Sherif)
4. Embarrassing Book #1 That I Shan't Name
5. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
6. ~Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
7. The Last Days of Judas Iscariot: A Play by Stephen Adly Guirgis
8. I'm a Fan by Sheena Patel
9. **The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
10. **Pod by Laline Paull
11. Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
12. Heartstopper Volume 2 by Alice Oseman
13. ~Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott
14. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
15. Heartstopper Volume 3 by Alice Oseman
16. ~A Concise Guide to the Quran by Ayman S. Ibrahim 
17. ~Perfect Compost by Simon Akeroyd
18. ~Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Sheryl WuDunn and Nicholas D. Kristof
19. **Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
20. The English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt
21. ª~Testosterone Rex by Cordelia Fine
22. ~Man's Search for Meaning by Victor E. Frankl
23. **Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore
24. Ms Ice Sandwhich by Mieko Kawakami (translated by Louise Heal Kawai)
25. ª~Embarrassing Book #2
26. Posh by Lauren Wade

Guinea? I Hardly Know Yee!

 

I arrived in Guinea on February 3rd and I'll be here for the next 27 months, if all goes according to plan. 

Guinea is in West Africa. There are FOUR countries with the word "Guinea" in their name but the Guinea I'm living in is the only straight-up GUINEA. Yes it can be confusing so here's a short animated youtube video you can watch to learn about the naming history of the four guinea's. 

It's my first time on the continent of Africa and I'm vibing with it so hard. Nice people, good food, lots of lizards and fruit producing trees. Of course, I've only been here for a short time and explored a little bit of the town our Peace Corps training center is in. But from that small glimpse I really like it here! I feel better here, like I can breath a bit more deeply.

Speaking of breathing deeply, I have COVID lol. I had allergy-like symptoms last week but then last Sunday (almost a week from writing this) I woke up with a really stuffy nose so I took a rapid test just to check. If we get a positive Covid test we have to be in quarantine for 5 days from when symptoms started, then do another test and if it's negative do another test 2 days later. So if you're "lucky" you're only in isolation for 7 full days. Sadly on Thursday I tested positive again so that added 2 more days to my sentence. Today (Saturday, day 6) I tested negative so I'll take another test Monday and if THAT'S negative then I'm a free woman. 

I've tried to keep up with my French studying but man self-study is so hard. And not as fun! It's fun to learn something and then go out into the community and actually use it. But c'est la vie. These are the cards I've been dealt. It's better to get Covid during training than when I'm at my site. At least here I have internet and oscillating fans and a shower!

Reading List

This is a continuously updated post.

Here's a list of great books I've read from different countries and US regions! Some are translated, some are written in English by authors whose families are from those countries. This is obviously not an exhaustive list but a jumping off point. I have SO MANY books by Japanese and Korean authors downloaded on my Kobo for Peace Corps reading 

If you want to buy any of these books, please purchase them through my Bookshop page! Independent bookstores will get the sale and I'll get a few cents. I'll try to update my Bookshop list often but this list is so big so forgive me if I'm behind.

Countries are in alphabetical order and authors are in alphabetical order by their last names.

Argentina

    Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin (translated by Megan McDowell)

Chile

    The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

Egypt

    When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt by Kara Cooney

France

    Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard

    French Exit by Patrick deWitt

    Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (don't judge it's fun ok!!)

    The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani (translated by Sam Taylor)

Ghana

    Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Iceland

    Magma by Thora Hjorleifsdottir (translated by Meg Matich)

    Miss Iceland by Auour Ava Olafsdottir (translated by Brian FitzGibbon)

India

    Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo

    Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

Ireland

    The Secret Place by Tana French

    Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

    Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

    Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

    Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney

Japan

    Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami (translated by Sam Bett)

    If Cats Disappeared From the World by Genki Kawamura (translated by Eric Selland)

    The Woman in the Purple Skirt by Natsuko Imamura (translated by Lucy North)

    The Lonesome Bodybuilder: Stories by Yukiko Motoya (translated by Asa Yoneda)

    Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata (translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori)

    Earthlings by Sayaka Murata (translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori)

    The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (translated by Stephen Snyder)

    Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi (translated by David Boyd and Lucy North)

    Dead-End Memories: Stories by Banana Yoshimoto (translated by Asa Yoneda)

    Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (translated by Megan Backus)

Nigeria

    My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

    Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

    Questions for Ada by Ijeoma Umebinyuo

North Korea

    Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick

    Without You, There is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea's Elite by Suki Kim

    The Girl with Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee

South Korea

    If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

    Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo (translated by Jamie Chang)

    DMZ Colony by Don Mee Choi

    The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo (translated by Chi-Young Kim)

    Human Acts by Han Kang (translated by Deborah Smith)

    The Vegetarian by Han Kang (translated by Deborah Smith)

    The White Book by Han Kang (translated by Deborah Smith)

    I'm Waiting for You by Bo-Young Kim (translated by Sophie Bowman and Sung Ryu)

    If You Leave Me by Crystal Hana Kim

    Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook and Ryan Estrada

    b, Book, and Me by Kim Sagwa (translated by Sunhee Jeong)

    The Cabinet by Un-su Kim (translated by Sean Lin Halbert

    Lemon by Kwon Yeo-sun (translated by Janet Hong)

    Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

    Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park (translated by Anton Hur)

    Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin (translated by Chi-Young Kim)

Sweden

    The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson 

    An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten (translated by Marlaine Delargy)

United Kingdom

    Brick Lane by Monica Ali

    Talking to Women by Nell Dun

    Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

    Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

    84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Haniff

    Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

    The Ghost MapL The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic by Steven Johnson

    To Bed With Grand Music by Marghanita Laski

    How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran

    One Day by David Nicholls

US South

    South of Broad by Pat Conroy

    The Great Santini by Pat Conroy

    The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy

    The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy

    Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

    Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

    Shug by Jenny Han

    Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett

    The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

    The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.

    Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

    The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

    Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney C. Stevens

    The Color Purple by Alice Walker

    The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

    Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams

US West

    The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich

    Unsolaced: Along the Way to All That Is by Gretel Ehrlich

    Billionaire Wilderness: The Ultra-Wealthy and the Remaking of the American West by Justin Farrell

    Cowboys Are My Weakness by Pam Houston

    Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country by Pam Houston

    The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman with Tectonic Theater Project

    Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer

    They Called Her Mrs. Doc by Janette Oak

    Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx

Vietnam

    The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

General Travel

    Atlas of a Lost World: Travels in Ice Age America by Craig Childs

    All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft by Geraldine Deruiter

    From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty

    Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (let go of your judgments, the book is actually good)

    The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green

    Less by Andrew Sean Greer

    The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Place in the World by Eric Weiner

    Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds: 100 New Ways to See the Word by Ian Wright

Top 20 Books I Read in 2020

 

I read 103 books in 2020, if you can believe it. Here are my 20 favorite, in alphabetical order. There's some crossover with my 15 Best Books I Read in the First Half of 2020 list, so head over there if you want more recommendations. 

I'll be linking all books to Bookshop.org, where you can support independent bookshops and give me a few cents to buy more books if you purchase through one of my lists. REMEMBER: no buying books from Amazon! 

1. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

        WHAT I LOVED: It's a collection of letters between Helene and a used bookshop in London and how she becomes friends with all the staff over the years. Sounds lame but the moral of the story is to Just Go! Live Your Life! The Future Doesn't Exist So Don't Count On It To Be There! That's what I gathered, at least. Also it's a cool look into post-WWII England. 

2. Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds by Ian Wright

        WHAT I LOVED: Lots of fun maps that highlight different facts and issues in the world! Just lots and lots of data compiled in a pretty way and honestly it's the perfect gift book for all ages.

3. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

        WHAT I LOVED: The audiobook was amazing and the best fiction book I've ever listened to. The narrator gives me big Carrie Fisher vibes. If you need an interesting, boozy auntie to give you life advice through stories (which is something we all need tbh), then this is the perfect book for you.

4. Cowboys Are My Weakness: Stories by Pam Houston

        WHAT I LOVED: 2020 has really turned me into a short story bitch. I love short stories! There's no time to fart around with a short story, the author needs to make every line and word count. And Pam Houston is so good! These stories are about women living interesting lives and I've already put this collection on my "to re-read" list.

5. Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong

        WHAT I LOVED: You'll love this collection even if you've never seen her Netflix stand-up specials. Ali is hilarious and relatable. Her essays on motherhood and study abroad in Vietnam and her relationship with her husband are my favorite. Definitely required reading for anyone that wants to marry me. 

6. Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains by Jon Krakaur

        WHAT I LOVED: Listen. There is only one living white male author I love with my whole heart and that is Jon Krakaur. This is a collection of his best essays he's written over the years, so it's a great way to learn about all the different ways humans recreationally interact with the natural world.

7. Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton 

        WHAT I LOVED: I love how honestly she talks about her friendships and big mess ups. Big Frances Ha (2012) vibes. 

8. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

        WHAT I LOVED: Evaristo is amazing. She is able to fit so many issues into ONE GOOD novel! The writing style is more "artsy" compared to typical fiction, but it's still super accessible. I liked how all the stories connected in little ways that make you feel a detective for piecing things together. 

9. If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

        WHAT I LOVED: I've read a fair amount of Korean-focused fiction and this one really hit it out of the park. It's follows four women navigating life and trying to survive in spite of the patriarchy. Explores how beauty = power, but is it really power if you're only "allowed" power through men who think you're beautiful? Much to think about. 

10. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakaur

        WHAT I LOVED: I love Jon, okay? It's not a phase, mom! Hostels are great because you have no other option but to read the books you've always been meaning to get to someday. Today is someday!

11. Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez

        WHAT I LOVED: The perfect book for men who claim to be feminists or don't think feminism is necessary. You should give this book to your male friend who says he's "fiscally conservative and socially liberal" and is an Elon Musk fan. That's the demographic this book will have the most impact on, because there's so much data they can jerk off to. A good book for everyone to read, should be on high school and college recommended reading lists. 

12. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

        WHAT I LOVED: Very soothing, a balm for the soul. Reading this book was one of the rare times I felt truly relaxed in 2020. 

13. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

        WHAT I LOVED: Actual complicated characters and questionable morals! Love that.

14. Shug by Jenny Han

        WHAT I LOVED: A re-read of a middle school favorite! You probably know Jenny Han from the All the Boys I've Loved Before fame, but I think this is her best book! She captures that weird kid-turning-into-adult conundrum perfectly. 

15. Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny

        WHAT I LOVED: A true joy! Usually zany, kooky female characters can be insufferable or obvious wish-fulfillment, but this book is so sharp and smart! Can't wait to let a few years pass and I forget all the details so I can read it again.  

16. The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

        WHAT I LOVED: A fantastic history of the American prison system and how its been used to target black people. Another book that is Required Reading on my life syllabus, along with Invisible Women.

17. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

        WHAT I LOVED: I can't even describe to you how much fun it is to read this entire series. The first three books are narrated by Anne Hathaway and I NEED her to do more audiobook work because she is extremely talented. These books are great for when you need to give your mind a break but they're still very smart. 

18. Three Women by Lisa Taddeo 

        WHAT I LOVED: Taddeo follows three women and their sex lives over the years. Gets into the nitty gritty and I LOVE nitty gritty!!! You will cringe, laugh, feel sad, feel optimistic, feel everything. Especially when you remember these are real people. 

19. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith

        WHAT I LOVED: When I say I inhaled this book, I mean I read all 900+ pages in 4 days. I can't remember the last time I've obsessively read a book. I love how this is somehow fast passed and a slow burn at the same time??

20. You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld 

        WHAT I LOVED: I've been toying with the idea of liking short stories for awhile, but Sittenfeld has me 100% convinced. I adore everything she writes. She really is That Bitch.

I read a lot of good books in 2020 and am excited for what I'll read this year!

What did you read in 2020?

xoxoxoxo Vic