I read a lot of nonfiction in 2020, a lot of good nonfiction. Here are 12 of my favorites;

The Library Book by Susan Orlean. How could I not like this book all about libraries, specifically the Los Angeles Public Library, main branch, and the fire that almost destroyed it in April 1986? Part true crime, part nonfiction exploration of a subculture, part LA history, this book was my favorite nonfiction of 2020.

The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity by Axton Betz-Hamilton. Creepy. The more I read about this family in hiding from identity thieves, the more I suspected that something just didn’t jive. And indeed, there is more deception and lying and all round creepiness in this book and in this family than meets the eye at first. Family secrets and family dysfunction make this memoir a difficult and sad read, but fascinating nonetheless.

God’s Hostage: A True Story of Persecution, Imprisonment, and Perseverance by Andrew Brunson. Pastor Brunson, imprisoned in Turkey in 2016 and accused of being a spy, owes his release to the negotiations undertaken on his behalf by the Trump State Department. And he does thank Donald Trump and his administration for their work to gain his freedom. However, the story of his imprisonment and eventual release is riveting, and the author is vulnerable and honest about his weaknesses and his wavering (but never extinguished) faith as he endured over two years of trial, prison, and false accusation. He also acknowledges to Whom he owes the real praise and gratitude for his ability to persevere and eventually gain his freedom.

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou. Discouraging. People can be such liars that they even deceive themselves. This book and the one by Axton Betz-Hamilton cited above showed me how easy it is to get caught up in a web of lies—and how easy it is to deceive the people closest to you, partly because they want to believe.

The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson A very odd story. Who knew that certain feathers were so valuable and coveted? And how much damage can one thief do? Apparently a lot of damage to the historical record—just by stealing feathers!

Dorothy and Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy L. Sayers and C. S. Lewis by Gina Dalfonzo. Gina is an internet friend and a good author. She has another book out this year about Charles Dickens that I would like to read soon.

Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1939-1944 by Aranka Siegel. I think I read this memoir a long time ago when I was a teen, but re-reading it was good, although it ends rather abruptly in the middle of the ongoing war.

Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave by Virginia Hamilton. An excellent Messner biography about a man I had never heard of.

What Is a Girl Worth?: My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics by Rachel Denhollander. This memoir/advocacy is heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. I read the copy that I purchased for my daughter for Christmas, but I may need a copy of my own.

The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield. Hospitality can take many forms, but however it manifests, sharing one’s home and life with friends and strangers is a part of the Christian mandate. Even during a pandemic?

New Found World by Katherine Shippen. A history of South and Central America. I found this absorbing, maybe because I’ve never actually read a chronological history of Latin America. It’s written for middle grade readers, but I can testify that it’s fine for adult readers, too.

Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S.C. Gwynne. Absolutely fascinating. I am a Texan, steeped in Texas history, but much of the information in this book was new to me. I thought it was fair to both Native Americans and to the incoming immigrant settlers who come from all over the world, but mostly the U.S., to completely change their own lives and the lives of the Comanche people they displaced.

The following is a letter from artist Julius Stockfleth to his brother. Stockfleth is known for his paintings of Galveston’s ships and harbor, including the only known painting of the aftermath of the Galveston hurricane of 1900.

Wyk on the island of Foehr

December 15, 1908

My dear brother,

This letter will serve as a Christmas card to you. It was with great sadness that our widowed mother and I returned to our native village. My failing finances forced me to leave Texas. This Christmas will be a quiet one for us.

I often dream of the great ships I used to paint in Galveston. As I walk along the beach of this island in the North Sea, I remember the boats I loved in Texas.

Nightmares of the tidal wave still haunt me. So many lives were lost in that terrible storm. Sometimes, I wake up in a cold sweat. Then, I dress, put on my black slouch hat, pick up my silver-headed cane, and walk up and down the beach. This calms my nerves. I hope we find the peace we seek here. May you and your family find peace and joy in the New Year.

Your brother,

Julius

from Artists Who Painted Texas by Marjorie von Rosenberg

I’ll start posting my best of 2020 book lists after Christmas, but until then here are a few more lists from bloggers that I found intriguing and tempting (to add more books to my TR list).

Katie’s Favorite Books of 2020. Katie has The Library Book by Susan Orlean on her list, a book which will also figure in MY list for 2020. I thought it was loads of fun to go behind the scenes at the Los Angeles Public Library and see how it works. The fire part, not so much fun, but interesting nonetheless.

Pastor Keith Simon has a long list with lots of good books on it: The Best Books I Read in 2020. Being Mortal, Evicted, The Stranger in the Woods, and The Silent Patient are all books that I’ve read in past years and enjoyed to varying degrees. The most intriguing books on Mr. Simon’s list that I want to read is Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity—and Why This Harms Everybody by James Lindsay and Helen Pluckrose.

Laura Gaskill: My Favorite Books of 2020. Good list, mostly fiction.

Lazy Genius Collective: My Favorite Books of 2020. Some of these are NOT my favorites; I’ll leave you to guess which ones. Others (The Body by Bill Bryson, Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee) sound worth a check out.

Janet’s Writing Blog: Favorite Books Read in 2020. Janet recommends two books I’ve already added to my TBR list, The Splendid and the Vile and Call the Nurse. And her descriptions of The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel and The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton, both books about children in danger during WWII, make me want to try those two novels soon also.

Sarah Joy: My Top Five Favorite Books of 2020. These books all share the themes of finding peace, joy, courage and freedom from anxiety, some themes we can all use this year for sure.

Bright April by Marguerite de Angeli. Doubleday & Company, 1946. Reprint published by Purple House Press. Bright April was a ground-breaking story in its time, about a little girl living in Philadelphia with her mother and father and older brother and sister, an intact and loving African American family. April does experience prejudice and some discouragement, but mostly the book is about her and her family and her Brownie troop, celebrating the ordinary days and the holidays throughout the year and acting as any American family might with one son in the military and three young people at home, growing up in the Birthplace of Freedom.

Brian Wildsmith’s Animal Gallery. Oxford University Press, 2008. Reprint published by Candlewick. I can hardly wait to get my hands on this one. It’s a book of collective nouns, like Eve Merriam’s Gaggle of Geese or Ruth Heller’s Cache of Jewels, but I think this one may become my new favorite collective nouns books. Brian Wildsmith is one of my top ten illustrators, and I’ve enjoyed every books of his that I’ve seen. Thanks to Betsy at A Fuse #8 Production for bringing this reprint to my attention.

The Ark and Rowan Farm by Margot Benary-Isbert. Harcourt Brace, 1953. Reprint published by Purple House Press. Really, these are the only historical fiction books I know of that are set in post-war Germany, about an ordinary German family trying to survive in the aftermath of the war. I read both books when I was a young teen, and I think I’ll take some time in January to re-read them. I remember the drama of the family subsisting on limited resources, and I remember the love of animals that characterized the story. And I remember Benary-Isbert as just an excellent storyteller.

Hallelujah: Cultivating Advent Traditions with Handel’s Messiah by Cindy Rollins. New edition published by Blue Sky Daisies. Not exactly a reprint, this little book constitutes a new edition of Cindy Rollins’ Advent family traditions book. It includes Scripture passages, hymns, poems, information about the church calendar, recipes, and suggestions for celebrating the feasts of St. Lucia and St. Nicholas. Get it now for next year’s Advent celebration.

Gladiola Garden by Effie Lee Newsome. Published by Living Book Press. I looked through the preview of this book of poetry by an African American poet of the early twentieth century, and I found the poems to be delightful, short and sweet and all about childhood and nature in the voice of a black child and influenced by the Harlem Renaissance. The illustrations are the original ones by artist Lois Mailou Jones, also a black artist influenced by the Harlem Renaissance and by her life and studies in both the U.S. and in France.

• Our Little Italian and Spartan Twins, and Roman Cousin by Lucy Fitch Perkins.
• Our Little Irish and Scotch Twins, and Celtic Cousin by Lucy Fitch Perkins.
• Our Little Dutch and Belgian Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins.
• Our Little Japanese Twins and Siamese Cousin by Lucy Fitch Perkins.

Published by Libraries of Hope. I absolutely loved the Little Twins books by Lucy Fitch Perkins when I was a beginning reader. I can’t wait to see them again and see if the magic holds up.

No Flying in the House by Betty Brock HarperCollins, 1970. Republished in paperback by Harper Trophy. This 1970 title was recommended to me by someone at Reshelving Alexandria, I think. I haven’t read it, but it looks adorable. It’s about a little girl who finds out she’s part fairy and must choose whether to be fully human or completely a part of the fairy world.

In a Blue Room by Jim Averbeck. Harcourt, 2008. Another Purple House Press publication. This book was definitely recommended by the folks at Resolving Alexandria, and I can’t wait to get my own copy. Thanks to Purple House Press for all the lovely books you have made available to a new generation of readers. (Just take a look at what they have coming out in 2021.)

Master Skylark: A Story of Shakspere’s Time. by John Bennett, 1897. Published by Yesterday’s Classics. A choir-boy, kidnapped and taken to London, eventually sings before the Queen herself. Another book that I can look forward to enjoying, this story was quite popular around the turn of the century when it was first published.

I used to have a feature here on Saturdays called the Saturday Review of Books. And every year around the end of the year, I dedicated that Saturday Review to lists of books for the old year or for the new year or for anything in between: Favorite Books of This Year or What I’m Reading Next Year or The Best Books of All Time According to Blogger #1 or really any book list that came out on a blog somewhere at the end of the year. So, I’ve been collecting these lists, and now I’ll post a few each day. If I don’t already have yours linked here, please leave a comment and a link. I love book lists, and I like sharing them with you all.

Sarah’s Bookshelves: Most Underrated Gems of 2020. I guess they are underrated because I’ve never heard of any of them, nor have I encountered any of their authors before. Sea Wife by Amity Gaige sounds particularly interesting.

Modern Mrs. Darcy: 11 Series Kids Love (and their parents do, too!). Great list of new and old series books just in time for gift-giving.

Blue Willow Bookshop: Best Books of 2020. Some of these sounded worth checking out. I’ve seen several recommendations for the picture book The Old Truck by Jarret and Jerome Pumphrey. Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri is a book I just finished reading a few days ago, and I highly recommend it. A couple of nonfiction books from this list appeal to me for reading next year: The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia by Emma Eisenberg and The Book of Eels by Patrik Svensson.

Bibliosanctum: Best of 2020, New-to-me Author Discoveries. I didn’t now that Christopher Paolini (Eragon) had written an adult science fiction book. I didn’t care for his Eragon series, but some of these other authors look interesting.

Bookstoker: Books for Christmas 2020. These recommendations from a British blogger are not your heart-warming Christmas tales of peace and goodwill, but rather the books this blogger enjoyed reading in 2020, mostly thrillers and poetry, and a couple of nonfiction books. She recommends Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet and American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins, among others.

neverimitate: My Books of 2020. Another British blogger recommends some favourites. These are more literary, mostly published by small, independent presses. And the selections are very British, Irish, and European. Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce sounds like something I might enjoy from this list.

More book lists tomorrow.

I spoke with a friend recently who implied, perhaps without intending to do so, that my story and my growth in wisdom and understanding are at an end. This friend was, of course, a young person, and I am, to her, a very old person. Because I am not becoming more progressive in my political ideas and more culturally attuned in my thoughts and beliefs, I must be stuck in the past and somewhat irrelevant. I am not growing.

A lot of that first paragraph consists of what I read into and sensed from my friend’s attitude, but I don’t think it’s inaccurate. There is an idea abroad in the culture that if you are not moving in a progressive direction in your beliefs and convictions, you are not growing. Conservatives are assumed to be mired in a web of out-dated and prejudicial beliefs that are destined to die. In fact, as far as the life of the mind and the spirit are concerned, conservatives, particularly Christian conservatives, are half-dead already.

But I say, along with Mr. Twain, that the report of my death is an exaggeration. I am not becoming more unsure and doubting and open-to-all-comers in my beliefs. I no longer feel the need to revisit the intellectual and emotional struggles and insecurities that I went through and that were resolved (by my own work and the work of the Holy Spirit) years ago. I believe in certain things by faith and by decision, according to the preponderance of the evidence that I have been able to see and evaluate. I believe in God, in Jesus Christ His only Son, in the Christian church, in the authority of Scripture, in Christian marriage and family, in life, liberty, and the pursuit of joy in a free society. I believe in representative democracy with all its flaws and in a free market economy with all its limitations and inequities as the best political and economic systems geared to produce the most human flourishing in a broken world. I have seen very little that inclines me to doubt those fundamental truths and much that leads me to trust them.

But that does not mean that I have ceased to grow. I believe that, with much hesitation, vacillation, and indecision, three steps back and then four or five ahead, I am growing in the right direction, thanks to the Holy Spirit within me. I am growing in trust in a good God who will make all things right and just. I am growing in peace and acceptance of what is and what will be. I am growing in firmness of conviction and courage to face whatever may come, whether it be pandemic or hurricane or misunderstanding or disappointment or grief. I am growing in the knowledge that God is enough, that the life He gives is abundant and filled with joy, and that I am allowed to rest in Him. I am growing in prayer that believes even when the answers are not seen. I am growing in the assurance that even death itself will not put an end to the growth that I will experience in Him because Jesus Christ has promised me eternal life through His name.

If my friend sees me as old and set in my ways, perhaps she is right, in a certain sense. Nevertheless, just wait! “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (I John 3:2) And that, my dear young friend, is growth indeed!

From the author’s website: “I’m enby/nonbinary, which means I don’t have strong leanings involving gender identification! My pronouns are they/them.”

From the book for middle grade readers: “Katybird shuddered as she recalled the crinkly, uncomfortable paper covering of the medical exam table and the sterile smell of the doctor’s office. The place had felt about as hospitable as a bed of skunk-infested stinging nettles outside a funeral parlor. A monotonous specialist had announced to Katy’s mother that Katy was ‘androgen insensitive,’ meaning she had XY chromosomes like most boys, but that nature had knitted her body up using a more traditionally female pattern. That hadn’t phased Katy much. She was a girl. That’s all she cared about. According to the doctor, she also had a pair of internal testes (the doohickeys that made all that testosterone her body didn’t use). No biggie, Katybird had yawned and swung her heels over the exam table, itching to go home. “

p.43

Also: “Except she wasn’t the same, not really, at least in her family’s eyes. There was a question now. Katybird was a girl, obviously, but words like ‘internal gonads,’ ‘testes,’ and ‘Y chromosome’ seemed to muddy the creek in their minds, as far as magic was concerned. Hearn magic had always been used by females. When her family talked about conjure now, Katybird always felt studied. She imagined them thinking, Is she a witch or isn’t she?

p.44