For the final months of 2021, I read a wide assortment of books -- from non-fiction investigations to mystery thrillers to escapist fiction. Christmas brought some eagerly awaited books to start the new year, but the following wrap up the 55 books I read in 2021.
I was raised believing china dinnerware was used only for special occasions, which meant Thanksgiving and Christmas. (Crystal wasn’t an issue because Mom didn’t have any and didn’t drink.) A set of silver flatware from my Smith grandparents was also safely stored and rarely seen.
Another quarter of this crazy year is over. I managed to get in a fair amount of good reading, so enjoy my list if you're looking for a new read.
The decision was made. I had thought about it, picked a design that was meaningful to me. Then I waited. Waited to be sure. Waited for an artist reference. Waited for my friend to return. And when it happened, it happened fast. He asked “today?” and I said “okay.”
Reading the novel, The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer really sent me down a path of thinking about women, work, mentors, and how we grow each other. Didn’t hurt that it flooded me with memories of my early feminism in the 70’s.
Most weeks (and days) are a mix of emotions and energy, some good and some not so good. Just another week on the calendar. We tend to expect so much, but even the detours may look like yellow brick roads in the rearview mirror.
A full year into the pandemic found my book stack dwindling, just in time for new birthday and Mother’s Day books, plus a few bargains from the overstock shelves. What have you been reading?
Losing a friend, a contemporary, is not something I want to get used to, but as I get older I see more warning signs. My own health isn’t exactly ideal, and friends struggle with a variety of ailments. I certainly don’t dwell on it, but I want to embrace the lessons.
January in my house means new Christmas books to read! I won’t get into the carefully curated gift lists Rebecca and I devise for holidays, but it works. The one thing I didn’t notice about my Christmas 2020 list until I gazed upon all the new books together is the common theme of do-overs, life regrets, and life and death overall. If you’ve been following along, you know I am drawn to heavier topics, so this theme fits right in.
Sometimes the universe pokes at me until I acknowledge her messages. Recently, the universe has hinted that I need to tell my story about mental health. My family’s story brought me to this place but sharing it is harder.