Jamie’s Favourite 9 Books Of 2019

I consumed plenty of books. Here are a few which captivated me. 

I wanted to read 40 books this year. I read 38. Oh, so close. 

1. Rules of Civility — Amor Towles.

Love, mischief and a young heroine finding her way in 1930’s New York. What’s not to love? Towles prose is irresistible.

2. Range — David Epstein

Should we specialize or not? Epstein argues that one might be best served to dabble in as many things as possible. That a wider ‘range’ is what gives us the best odds of true success. He might be right. 

3. All the Light We Cannot See — Anthony Doerr

A World War II drama centred around the lives of a young blind French girl who loves to read with her father and a young German boy with a knack for fixing radios. A page turner. 

4. Talking to Strangers — Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell’s first book in over six years. Well worth the wait. I can’t recommend this more. We suck with strangers and Gladwell shows us why. 

5. Coddling of the American Mind — Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt

First published as an Atlantic essay, Coddling of the American Mind chronicles a new reality our society must face, that youth today are demanding protection from the challenges of a tougher world, one which has spurned a mental health crisis we didn’t see coming. An eye opening read, to say the least. 

6. We are the Weather — Jonathan Safran Foer

Food is at the centre of our global warming crisis. We’re beginning to learn this now. Safran Foer details how we might address this by making small adjustments to what we eat. A deeply personal account and one I couldn’t put down. Read this in two days. 

7. The Fate of Food — Amanda Little

A great companion to We are the Weather. The title says it all. Highly recommend. 

8. Nomadland — Jessica Bruder

As the title suggests, this book follows the lives of those who’ve grown old and weary and lost their way in this tough, challenging world. Thus, they’ve been relegated to the ways of nomads in search of work wherever it takes them. Bruder leads you along as she travels in step with some bright souls who’ve managed to stay positive even when things seem everything but. 

9. Gentlemen in Moscow — Amor Towles

Towles followup to Rules of Civility takes you to Moscow as it details the life of one Count Alexander Rostov. Condemned to a life of house arrest in the Metropole Hotel, Rostov’s life is one of luxury and routine as he tries to raise his young daughter in the ways of being a lady. Gripping from the first page to the end, Towles leaves you wanting more every step of the way.