The Books That Made the Biggest Impression on Me This Year (2015)

I have been deeply impacted by the books I've chosen this year, in part because I set these aggressive (for me) reading goals. I knew I was facing a serious reading challenge and was more conscientious in the books I chose. I chose books that complimented each other or balanced each other. But also, books that complimented me or balanced my current life.

The books that made the biggest impression on me this year weren't necessarily the books I enjoyed the most; though I did enjoy each of the ones I'm mentioning. The books I enjoyed the most were valuable, but in a different way (Dune, Boys in the Boat, Tiny Beautiful Things, etc).

Wild - Because, hello. Cheryl Strayed.
She conveyed humanity as seen through an individual's choices - the good, the bad - and everything else. The basis of her story was overcoming and progressing through grief by hiking the Pacific Coast Trail. Along the way, she addresses complicated relationships with mothers: the difficult, the straightforward, and the complicated web that it weaves over our lives with or without her physical presence. I feel lucky and grateful to have a mother that taught me to see the beauty in the world. Cheryl discusses romantic relationships and reflects on how love can be both powerful and life saving, and not enough. As she takes a step forward on the trail, you as a reader travel back through her life and find out what brought her to this place often full of stark beauty.

I agreed with a friend of mind that I probably wouldn't have found the "character" in the movie all that sympathetic. Yet, I found the book deeply moving. There was a lot more substance and depth in the book. The book addressed her personal, emotional journey much more than the physical journey - allowing you to feel the triumphs of both as reached milestones and ah-ha moments.

I'd also say that this book would be best read if you're in the mindset for this kind of book. Some books you can plow through - to keep up with the lastest bestsellers - and while that would be very doable with this book. it's the type of book that would be almost wasted to be read like that.  

Quick shout-out to Tiny Beautiful Things! A compilation of letters and responses from Cheryl Strayed's advice column, Dear Sugar! It was a quick read, but thought provoking. It covers so many topics from people in a variety of places in life. Not only does Cheryl normalize the letter writer's experience, but she puts things in perspective in such a unique way. Each letter and response is compelling and somehow relatable. Thank you, Stephanie, for the fabulous book! 

Spinster - I was actually underlining through this book. I don't do that! But listen to this: One woman speculated that, "the woman may write her own life in advance of living it, unconsciously, and without recognizing or naming the process." To which the author inquires of herself, "Is this what I've been doing ...writing my own life, unwittingly, in advance of living it?" 

There were numerous stories of women in history that are not present in our modern concept and daily images of what women are and have been in American History. Our cultural concept of women has forgotten these incredible women of the past centuries that have gone the non traditional route; who listened to themselves over the droning shouts of society and lived on their own terms. Successful or not, they bravely lived true lives. It makes sense that they aren't championed through society. It would be mayhem. Or so we are lead to believe. I'm beginning to believe that there's a secret society of a large portion of women living single and loving it and letting expectations roll right off. 

"I couldn't shake the sensation that I was living out someone else's version of success."

I certainly am not able to recommend this book to everyone. It was written in a very literary style and has a fairly specific audience (that I happen to fall into), but it impacted me far more than I anticipated. It helped to re-frame the choices available to women; it was a reminder that we have more choices than we are led to believe. We can create options if we don't like what we are being served. And that was just what I needed.

Flyboys - This is an older book, but I found it phenomenal. James Bradley shows humanity as seen through war. It's not beautiful, but it's fascinating. It was terrifying in parts and heartening in others. He walked through the life of nine different American airmen - including George W. Bush (Sr.) (I now feel differently about him, and would like to learn more about him).

The facts and the commentary made these abstract ideas of war, that we've grown up hearing about, tangible in a new way. Through interviews and a fairly in depth history of American and Japanese war tactics and propaganda we learn about the mentality of both sides of those that were shooting each other down. He told stories about the bombing of Tokyo, first with facts and then with stories from those that actually remembered it from the ground and describe what it was like to see people they love gone in an instant. You feel the heat from the fires started by the bombs and you know the stories of the men who were starting them. It's this dual, full story about war. It almost neutralizes the inhumanity of war while humanizing it in a way I'd never heard or imagined it before. 

East of Eden -  The only fiction book to make my list for this year. This book has stuck with me. It is a story of original sin, it questions the possibility of salvation. Steinbeck ponders with us, as readers, the ability for someone to overcome their inherent goodness or badness. It contrasts those that actively take control of their life compared with those who let life happen to them. He delves into family dynamics and those influences over individual choice. 


In Conclusion: 
Of the books that have had the greatest impression on me this year - three out of four are nonfiction. Reading challenge: Triumph! It's been incredible waking up to new types of reading again. The importance of reading nonfiction has never been so clear.

Information feels like it is actually pouring in through different neural pathways when I read nonfiction. Narrative nonfiction feels different from other nonfiction, too. I hadn't really realized there would be such differences. When I started this reading quest - I just knew I needed more nonfiction generally. It's been interesting discovering which types of nonfiction I enjoy more, and am curious how that might evolve over time.

I'm excited to be on a new plane of reading and no longer have reading shame. I'm excited to be learning new things and expanding my mind.  

For a full list of the books I've read this year, see 2015 Reading Goals Accomplished!