Best Books of 2019
Before I share some of my favorite books I read in the last six months, I want to briefly thank all of you for your feedback, comments, and questions about the new course. Embarking on this new course can daunting at times, especially not knowing how the new syllabus will exactly play out come examination time. But, it’s also been so reassuring to be involved in a community of committed professionals who care. Thank you for caring!
As I look back on my reading life over the last 6 months, I realize the books I have read fall under three broad categories: award winning fiction, graphic novels (often in translation), and nonfiction about education. My favorites have been the fiction titles by far.
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie was my favorite book I read in the last six months. While others I know had griped about the ending, I found it gripping the whole way through. Does it wrap up a bit quickly? Perhaps. But, I didn’t mind it one bit because Shamsie had me so enthralled in the story of Isma, Aneeka and Parvaiz, siblings who all end up taking very different paths in life. It’s a modern day re-telling of Antigone and the novel asks tough questions about what it means to be both British and Muslim today. It’s a must read and a great gift for any lover of literature!
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner tells the fictional story of Romy Hall, a woman serving two life sentences in a Californian jail. It’s raw. Kushner doesn’t back down when describing the life Romy now leads and the one that got her there in the first place. And Romy’s deep desire to find out what has happened to her son is even more heartbreaking.
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood was a must read, but not nearly as amazing as The Handmaid’s Tale. I loved The Handmaid’s Tale for the speculative world Atwood creates; Gilead is a world that scares me and I’m wondering (more than I should) if we are headed in that direction. In The Testaments, I found myself not as enveloped by the world itself – which was unfortunate – but by the plot: what happens to Aunt Lydia and the other two narrators? It was a literary thriller in that respect for me, but totally worth my time.
Green by Sam Graham-Felsen was the most unexpected read of the last six months. I’m not sure why I bought it in the first place, but once I read it, I was happy I did. The novel centers on David, a white teenager in Boston public schools in the 90s in a largely African-American middle school. David’s a witty narrator trying to make sense of his masculinity, his race, his hometown, his family and most of all, his friendship with Marion. If you know about the Boston Celtics (and even more so if you are a 90s basketball fan), it’s a great read for that alone.
I also read three nonfiction graphic novels in translation and one that wasn’t. I was looking for a graphic novel that I might teach instead of Persepolis and I came across these titles as possibilities.
Paracuellos by Carlos Gimenez was stunning. In short vignettes of usually two pages, but sometimes four, Gimenez re-tells what it was like to live in Social Aid Homes in Spain under Franco’s regime. The autobiographical graphic novel was a disturbing, but necessary read and a great reminder about the power of telling stories.
Munnu: A Boy from Kashmir by Malik Sajad details the Kashmiri conflict with both grace and terror. My own knowledge about Kashmir was limited and this graphic novel heightened my understanding about how Kashmiri’s view the continued conflict there. Readers witness the violence through Munnu’s eyes and perspective (a character based on Sajad’s own life). I highly recommend it.
In Hostage by Guy Delisle, he recounts the story of Christophe Andre, an aid worker for MSF (Doctors without Borders). Andre is kidnapped in the Caucasus region in the late 1990s. Held for four months, it’s the story of Andre’s initial capture, immense struggle with not knowing what will happen to him, and ultimate escape (this isn’t a spoiler as you know this from page 1).
Dance by the Light of the Moon by Judith Vanistendael is the gorgeously drawn semi-autobiographical story of Sophie, a young Belgian woman in love with a Togolese political refugee. The graphic novel is told in two parts: the first details Sophie’s relationship with her father and his preoccupation with the relationship and the second part depicts her relationship with Abou, her partner. It’s an emotionally intense read and a great reminder of how everyone wants to be treated with dignity and respect.
Finally, we have a great professional development literature circle at the school I work at called “Books and Burritos.” I happen to love both and this gives me the chance to read a book about education, eat a burrito, and on a professional development day at the school, talk about the book with a small “literature circle.” I love this and I can’t speak highly enough about it. In preparation for selecting the short list for this year’s books, I was asked by my librarian to preview as many as I could. Here are four of them that I read and why they might be worth your time.
What Works May Hurt – Side Effects in Education by Yong Zhao was by far the winner of them all! He argues that we understand the effects of an intervention in education, but we have no clue as to the side effects. He compares it to medicine: you know that taking a certain medication may solve one issue, but it might also cause something else. Zhao argues we don’t know the side effects of, for example, Direct Instruction, something that is constantly touted by certain educational theorists.
7 Myths About Education by Daisy Christodoulou is one of those books that does tout Direct Instruction which is why I was so happy to have read What Works May Hurt after it. She’s a huge proponent of it and explains why. It’s part of the seven myths she tries to deconstruct in education. I enjoyed reading it just like I enjoy watching or reading news from a source I might not politically agree with: it’s important to get out of my own bubble and hear the perspectives of others. I don’t agree with most of what she has to say. I question the logic of her claims. But I think it’s important to read what she has to argue, engage with the claims and evidence, and think critically about what I do and why in my own classroom.
The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World by Jamil Zaki was just an enjoyable read. He argues that empathy is not a fixed trait and is something that can be taught. I particularly liked his focus on a former neo-Nazi, how he comes to terms with his racism, and how he changes. It was a hopeful book and a reminder that we can make the world a better place.
I read The Importance of Being Little: What Young Children Really Need From Grownups by Erika Christakis because I now have a little one of my own at home. So, what do they need? A lot of time to play and explore the world around them. Young children are so curious about the world and we need to harness that – often through play. If you don’t have a young child, this may not be for you, but I did like the reminder that play is so vital for a child’s development.
Finally, if you have a holiday break at this time of year, may it be filled with laughter and joy!
Best,
Tim