Stop making plans
Since 2008, I’ve started each year with a reading theme. It began because I was like “I don’t read enough nonfiction!” So I declared 2008 to be my Year of Nonfiction, and I tried to read more nonfiction that year, and it was nice! Then 2009 was my Year of Fantasy, and so on and so on (best year was the Year of Books Upon Which Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar Winners Were Based; worst year was Year of Russians, but I think I just didn’t do it right, and I should have let George Saunders guide me—see EELS: Working title).
For a big chunk of these years, I did this theme with my closest friend, so that was fun too, and 2009 may or may not have involved a sketch I drew of two dragons, reading books. Fun!
But a couple of things happened to me lately:
1️⃣ I did a reading contest with my friend Kira last year (she handily won), and we both agreed the experience kind of sucked. Reading is not a competitive sport! I always have friends who get guilty looks on their faces when they tell me they don’t read as much as they’d like. Guilty-looking friends, banish this look! It simply doesn’t matter, unless reading is something you wish you had more time for because it makes you happy and your time is being taken up by things that make you unhappy.
In that case, then yes. Delete those other things, and slot in more books. But don’t feel like you are a lesser person because your book count is lower than mine or your brother-in-law’s. There are plenty of garbage books out there that are not making anyone smarter. Some of my favorite genius friends read very few books or no books at all! Who cares! Reading is just my hobby, and if you read one book a year and I can help you choose which book that is, then, well, I will be that much more pleased.
2️⃣ My stupid Fitbit broke, and I received a gorgeous vintage Swiss Army watch from a friend who collects vintage watches. I love this watch. And wearing it instead of an ugly step-counting device did something to my brain—just the idea that I could stop tracking my literal every move, which I have done for years, and instead look upon an attractive timepiece that has one glorious useful function.
This seems unrelated to books, I know, but it made me think a lot about how I have over-optimized and over-planned my life in the age of technology. I have too many lists and track too many things, including how I read. Now, I crave the freedom to look at my piles of books and library queues and just pick whatever speaks to me at that moment.
Thus, 2024 will be my first unthemed year! No goals, no plans… just happily wading through my backlog. I love a backlog. A backlog isn’t homework, it is opportunity.
If, however, you want to build a good queue for yourself and fill your time with more books, I’ve written about how to do this here. But truly, I urge you to give yourself some grace in the new year. Take each reading mood as it comes, and read whatever you want, when you want. And whatever you do, don’t compete with a friend. Do, however, draw them a bad sketch of a dragon reading a book. They will laugh really, really hard.
Anyway, that’s my advice for the new year. What follows are three books that I haven’t been able to fit into any themes this year, but loved just the same. And if I’m giving out awards for the best books I’ve read this year, I’m gonna say that has to go to Demon Copperhead (see EELS: Tell it to me again), with honorable mentions to The Whalebone Theatre (EELS: The boards we hath trod) , Endless Night (EELS: Secret theme), and A Town Like Alice (EELS: Bootstrap’s boostrap).
Two of those were recommended to me by
, so… Sangeeta, you are my year’s hero.But please do check out my archive spreadsheet to see all my recommendations from this year in one handy spot! If you’re a member, you can have it! Become a member to get it—it’s free, it’s fun, it’s weekly, and it doesn’t always start out with some massive essay like this week, I promise.
🇱🇰 This Divided Island: Stories from the Sri Lankan War
Samanth Subramanian, 2013
I bought this book not just because Samanth is my friend and colleague, but because he’s so dang good at everything that I knew it was going to be a page-turner. And I do not throw that word around lightly where nonfiction is concerned. Going in, I knew embarrassingly little about the Sri Lankan civil war, which is the topic of this book—though my sixth grader picked it up and said “Oh, is this about the Tamil Tigers? We learned about them in class,” so, great work, Seven Hills School. Not great work, me.
Samanth goes deep into the hearts and minds of people who have witnessed and also done some really wild things that I simply cannot fathom in my “Oh a reading competition kind of sucked one year” life. I wept real tears, which is rarely a response that nonfiction can rip from my eyeballs, and while I love Samanth with my whole heart, I want to assure you that I would not put this in this newsletter—especially since it is nonfiction—if I didn’t really want it to be.
Recommended for: Those who are not afraid to look moral ambiguity in the face—this protracted, murky conflict is an all-too-familiar story, and Samanth’s increasing discomfort will mirror your own as he navigates his conversations with those involved.
✒️ Writers and Lovers
Lily King, 2020
I have said so many words today already, so let me be brief here. This book contains:
An excellent depiction of the writing process
An excellent depiction of the dating process
An excellent depiction of men of a certain age who think they know more than you
An excellent depiction of men of another age who think they know more than you
An excellent depiction of waiting tables
An excellent take on the Ben Folds Song “Brick.”
Recommended for: Those who have worked to make ends meet while trying to make a creative endeavor work out while also trying to date.
🧵 Yellow Wife
Sadeqa Johnson, 2021
This recommendation does not come to you simply because I live in the city in which it is set. If there were a list of “Things Even the Most Right-Wing Conservatives in Richmond, Virginia Are Very Openly Ashamed Of”, the Lumpkin Slave Jail would be on it. Johnson is fairly new to town, learned of the Devil’s Half-Acre while on a history walk, did some research, and wrote this fictionalized version of the family’s events (she changed Lumpkin’s name and many of the characters’ details). But the historical atrocities are there, and they are appalling.
Yellow Wife moves right along—you can read this in just a few days, and while I don’t know that this is the best-written book in the world (there were several times where I saw some real jarring editorial mistakes that I won’t blame Johnson for) I think it’s a really important read, and I’ve thought about it a ton of times since. Like with This Divided Island, relationships are complicated, and sometimes people have to do what they have to do to survive.
Recommended for: Those with incredibly strong stomachs, but also those who want to understand the gray areas and the margins. I just liked this book so much, though “like” is a weird word because the experience is not exactly pleasant. Friends, I am sorry to leave your 2023 with this sad recommendation. I hope my pal Oliver’s upcoming recommendation is cheerier! I intend to read it myself, as he told me it was the best book he’s read all year!
And now, a bonus recommendation
Golden Hill — Francis Spufford, 2016
Recommended for: “Lovers of historical fiction, for readers interested in colonial New York, for anyone who loves deft wordplay and creative narrative structures, and for appreciators of great writing, generally.”
Recommended by: Oliver, who is extremely good at trivia and climbing mountains. The last three books he loved were The Blue World, Master of the Senate, and The Cold Millions.
A request!
What was the best book you read this year? I’d love to know, and to let EELS readers know next week! Hit reply or leave it in the comments!
Happy new year, EELS readers! That was the thirty-third EELS! I’ve had so much fun doing this this year, and would love any and all feedback you’ve got to give. Want to see anything new? Want me to change up how I do things? Let me know by emailing me back or leaving a comment! As always, send any and all questions, feedback, and shouted book recommendations by hitting reply.
📚 Susan
Best book I’ve read in 2023 is Elif Shafak’s the Bastard of Istanbul. I didn’t read a lot of books published in 2023 but the best of one in that batch was Yellowface, which despite and awkward start and ending is a very enjoyable read.
Uh, gotta see the watch!