See ALL the 90 books I read in 2017, HERE.
So, I’ve always loved memoir and biography (of NON-celebrities), so I decided to read more in 2017. Here are the choices I picked up last year that I can recommend most highly:
1) The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
I’d heard about this book often since its publication, but never got round to reading it. When I discovered this was going to become a movie, I thought I’d take a look. Wow! This was such a compelling, entertaining (and ultimately tragic) tale, it’s rocketed straight into my Top 10 Favourite Ever Books, along with Maya Angelou. Read my Goodreads review, HERE.
2) The Examined Life by Stephen Grosz
I’m really interested in psychology and therapy generally, plus I have been in therapy myself on and off for about a decade now, so The Examined Life was a no-brainer. What I really liked about this book was there were no ‘easy answers’: Grosz presents the cases, plus his musings, with no strong conclusions either way. This was unlike any other psychology book I’d read, plus I liked his thoughts on the fallacy of ‘closure’. I didn’t learn anything new in this book, but that wasn’t the point. It was a lesson in empathy. Great stuff. Read my review on Goodreads, HERE.
3) Unbroken by Madeleine Black
I normally go out of my way to NOT read books about rape or abuse, but something compelled me to pick this one up. I’m so glad I did. It was a hard read and I needed lots of breaks from it, but Madeleine’s honesty and emotional literacy was a real eye-opener. I’m not exaggerating when I say this was a life-changing read for me. Read my review on Goodreads, HERE.
See all my favourites from last year
Looking for reading recommendations? Then check these out:
- Best of 2017: My Domestic Noir Picks
- Best of 2017: My Police Procedural Picks
- Best of 2017: My Most Thought-Provoking Reads
- Best of 2017: These Books Should Be Movies!
