Every night before I go to sleep, I read. I've kept this habit for well over 10 years, and I don't think I could fall asleep without this ritual.
All these daily minutes have added up. In 2019, I read about two dozen books cover to cover. Here are my four favorites in no particular order.
(You'll quickly see that I have a soft spot for memoirs and novels that immerse me into a life experience completely different than my own.)
Genre: memoir
Year Published: 2015
Description: The story of a young woman's childhood in and eventual escape from North Korea, her years-long struggle to avoid repatriation, and her eventual resettlement in South Korea.
Why I loved it: The story of Lee's childhood simultaneously revealed the horrors of life in North Korea while at the same time humanizing everyday life. After putting the book down, I was left with the impression that life in North Korea is more horrible than I ever thought… but also filled with the normalcy of everyday life. I also walked away from the book with a deeper sympathy for the experience of refugees living in that liminal space of not being able to go "home" but not having a new home yet, in fear of being sent back but having nowhere to go. Incredible, powerful story.
Genre: memoir / nonfiction policy
Year Published: 2015
Description: This book is all about Bryan Stevenson's org, Equal Justice Initiative, and the work he has done exonerating innocent people on death row and pursuing more humane sentencing and the elimination of racial bias in America's criminal justice system.
Why I liked it: This book was simultaneously infuriating and eye-opening. Stevenson writes on the issue of racism in America's criminal justice system as an expert with years of experience as a lawyer working with clients and communities who have been the victims of bias. I was deeply impressed by Stevenson's concern for the individual clients and communities he represented. He persevered down to the last legal minutiae to care for them even though winning their case was far from guaranteed. Out of the case work for his clients came opportunities to change the culture and address systemic injustice.
Genre: autobiography/memoir
Year Published: 2017
Description: The life story of Coretta Scott King - civil rights activist, mother of four, and wife of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Why I liked it: I've always heard that the civil rights movement was spearheaded by Christians. But, it wasn't until reading this book that I realized just how much the entire movement was inspired by Jesus, fueled by the Holy Spirit, and steeped in prayer. This book encouraged me to live bravely and boldly for Jesus. In white, American, evangelical circles (where I come from), we often uphold Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Corrie ten Boom, and William Wilberforce as our protestant "saints" - models of bravery and courage in the face of evil. We would do well to add Coretta Scott King to their ranks. Also, did you know Coretta Scott King was a concert singer? She toured the US giving concerts where she weaved song and storytelling to raise funds for the civil rights movement and to educate the public. Such a neat example of the beautiful weaving together of the arts, justice, and faith.
Genre: memoir
Year Published: 2018
Description: Former FLOTUS writes about her life from childhood in Chicago's South Side all the way through First Lady of the United States up to the present day.
Why I liked it: Before picking up the book, "Becoming," I was vaguely aware that Michelle Obama was a highly accomplished woman before she ever became an Obama… something about Princeton and Harvard Law. What I wasn't aware of was that she can write. I have read dozens of memoirs and autobiographies in my life and "Becoming" is the most well-written of them all. The stories she weaves from her childhood were particularly beautiful. Stories from her experience inside the White House were fun and interesting too.
Honorable mentions:
"The Making of a Leader" by Bobby Clinton
"Overrated" by Eugene Cho
"Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah
Favorite books from other years: 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.
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