2020 I've Already Read It

Lee: Tuesday’s with Morrie
​Me: I read that many years ago. My chosen grandfather gave it to me & it resonated so much. Wow, that’s probably been like 25 years ago now. You’ll have to pick another one
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Kristi: a prayer for owen meany by john irving.
Me: Great suggestion, but I’ve read it. Give me another one. 
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Nancy: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Me: I absolutely loved this & can’t wait to see him live in April. Do you have another suggestion?
Nancy: ha! I loved this book too! Couldn’t stop thinking about it after and I don’t even watch his show. I have relatives in South Africa so it was fascinating to learn more about it
Nancy: I’m not an avid reader like you. I also mostly loved Educated by Tara westover but I suspect you have already read that too. For better or worse I don’t invest time in mediocre books so I check reviews before I dive in
Me: I haven't read that yet, so I am adding it.
Sarah:  it is a riveting story
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Wendy: Three Cups of Tea
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Ryan: The brother’s K by David James Duncan
Me: That is agreed one, but I’ve already read it. You are going to have a tough time beating The Girl From Corona Del Mar from the 2018 recommend list. I really loved that one.
Ryan: Yeah that one was great! How about The Mysteries of Pittsburgh?
Me: Never heard of it. I’ll read it.
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Sarah: Circe by Madeline Miller.​
Me: Read it. Try another!
Sarah: It's my standard recommendation right now. Station Eleven by Emily St John
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Dodie: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Me: Stephanie already claimed this one. Do you have another suggestion?
Dodie: another book by her, The Nightingale, historical fiction about the German occupation of France during WWII and 2 sisters fight for survival. I like her books in that the 2 I’ve read are not only well written but have strong women characters.  Also, The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn is a real page turner.
Me:  I've read and absolutely loved The Nightingale. I will put The Woman in the Window on the list.
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Amy: Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward. 
Me: Read it. Another?
Me: One Long River of Song: Notes on Wonder by Brian Doyle 
​Me: Alas, One Long River is not available in audio...
Amy: Trust Exercise, Susan Choi. It was also on President Obama’s favorite books list from 2019. I agree. It has a surprising twist. Also can add that I don’t recommend Topeka School, even tho it’s getting f lots of press. It’s supposed to be an exploration of toxic masculinity, but it feels a little too celebratory for my taste
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​Tiffany: How to change your mind. Michael pollan
Me: Molly already did this one, so pick another one.
Molly: My family and other animals Gerald Durrell 
Me: Molly, you don't get another one. You already have How to Change. Tiffany had to pick another one.
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Janay: Along with your rules, could you list all the books you've already read so we don't accidentally recommend one of them? I'm afraid of what the sanctions might be . . . !!!!
Me: I cannot imagine how long it would take to list all the books I have read. If you pick something I read, you just have to pick another one until you hit on one I haven’t read.
Janay:  I'm really old now, y'know! i could just keel over at the keyboard, finger poised above the send key, never sending my list of 25,000 possibilities! Just assume that the last year was so unpleasant that I read the entire Michael Connelly oeuvre and all of the No. 1 Ladies Detective series for anesthesia.
Me:  I’ve read the first one. Should your recommendation be for book 2 or do you want to pick an alternative?
Janay: My days are numbered. I'll just let myself be attracted by some random shiny object. Or chocolate. Anesthesia has a big role in my life.
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Karen: Mink River by Brian Doyle. I read this as a prompt for a book set in Oregon. It is something I wouldn’t have normally read, and it really stuck with me.
Me:  I read that one two years ago on this same recommendation list. Do you have another one?
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Karen: The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner. One of my favorites from the Oregon Battle of the Books list last year.