Reading List 2016

End of the year, and I find myself reflecting on the books I've read this year. My goal, at least on my Goodreads page, was to read 25 books. This is on the lower side for me, but then, it was a difficult year. I had a major bout with my anxiety in the early part of the year, left my job for a job which for many reasons did not work out in the way I hoped, and then proceeded to move to a new state for a new job. That I've made it to 25 at all is an accomplishment this year. (I do not know about you, but I sometimes find when the anxiety is on the worse side of things, even concentrating on something as simple a book can be daunting.)

Reflecting on what I have read, here are some of my favorites in the past year.

N.K. Jemison - The Fifth Season: this is hands down one of the BEST fantasy novels I have read. And while I still have yet yo read its sequel, I am definitely looking forward to it. I loved the concept of the storytelling, and how they converged into a single point which was both well done and surprising in equal parts measure. Working now with Geologists, I imagine this book and sequel(s) will take a deeper level in its talks of oregeny.

Deborah Davis - Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X: It is one of the most well-known paintings, a woman in a simple black dress, with the strap off the shoulder; it created a historical controversy in the art world. Both the subject and the painter's reputations were ruined. Sargent recovered, Madame X never did. This biographical accounts brings light to the identity of the Madame X, as well as Sargent's career as an artist. A fantastic, in-depth read.

Rebecca Skloot - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: the story of the HeLa cells, which in modern science, have contributed towards the polio vaccine, cancer research, and even the atom bomb's effect. But the cells were taken without Henrietta Lack's knowledge, and her family, even decades later, was never informed. This is one journalist's attempt to uncover the truth of who Henrietta Lacks was, and to bring closure and justice to her family. At times it read like a suspense/mystery novel, and others, it was a true biography of the human existence. With a movie soon to come out, a definite worth read.

Nigel Simeone (ed.) - The Leonard Bernstein Letters: I'm a sucker for a good letter. Leonard Bernstein was one of those American composers I knew of, but never knew much about. Here's a book, told in a selection of the hundreds, if not thousands of letters he wrote and received in his lifetime. It talks of his music, his education, his loves, and his relationships with his fellow musicians and artists. Great for the history or music lover.

Charles Glass - The Deserters: Tells a "hidden story" of WW2, those men who deserted from the front lines of fighting. Centering on soldiers across the many sides, it tells an often undisclosed version of history. World War 2 is one of my two favorite periods in history, and this was a very interesting read.

What have you read this year? What books did you like or didn't like? Any books I must read in 2017? Perhaps I'll up my goals higher for next year!