I feel like the new year does not really begin until the festive season is completely over. As Christmastime lasts until 6 January inclusive, that makes, by my count, 7 January the real New Year’s Day.
It is today, then, that those infamous resolutions begin and also when reflections on the past twelve months seem most logical. That's what I'm telling myself anyway.
It’s been quite the year, whichever way you look at it. Here and now, though, we are just going to look at books.
In 2020 I read many very good books. I also tried to read even more diversely and achieved that with over half of my 2020 reads being either works in translation or not written in English. More than 50% of the books I read last year were also written by women.
In addition to that, inspired by the notion of traveling by book, an idea central to this blog and more so during the global pandemic when I began the Confinement Travel Agency series, I have endeavoured to read literature from places I hadn’t done so before. This year I made my first literary trips to Chile, Poland, Guatemala, South Africa and Uganda, amongst other destinations. This will be a theme I continue into 2021.
Looking back at my 2020 in reading, I have selected a few of my top reads to highlight and recommend. No other criteria, just good books I read last year.
In no particular order…
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead – Olga Tokarczuk (translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones) Fitzcarraldo Editions
Many People Die Like You – Lina Wolff (translated by Saskia Vogel) And Other Stories
The First Woman – Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi Oneworld Publications
Theatre of War – Andrea Jeftanovic (translated by Frances Riddle) Charco Press
Pine – Francine Toon Doubleday
Europa28: Writing by Women on the Future of Europe – edited by Sophie Hughes and Sarah Cleave Comma Press
The Heart’s Invisible Furies – John Boyne Doubleday
Trout, Belly Up – Rodrigo Fuentes (translated by Ellen Jones) Charco Press
Mouthful of Birds – Samanta Schweblin (translated by Megan McDowell) Oneworld Publications