Top 10 Books Read in 2020

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It’s 5 days into January, and I’m still having trouble picking my top 10 reads of the exciting year 2020. There were a lot of good and notable books that I simply don’t want to leave out. But I’m here to do my best! The list is in the order read. A pretty even blend of fiction and non-fiction, same as last year…

The Lost Art of Dress by Linda Przybyszewski

A fascinating look at applying the unchanging principles of art and design to clothing in any era. One of the best books on fashion and clothing I’ve ever read. A valuable addition to any woman’s wardrobe strategizing. The review on this list HERE is what persuaded me to pick this book up, and it describes it very well.

Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton

Eve in Exile by Rebekah Merkle

There was one flaw that really stuck out to me, but other than that, a most enjoyable read. Good. Very good.

That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis

Likely my favorite of Lewis’s Space Trilogy. Very good, and still perfectly relevant to our times today. This is one I’ll be reading again for sure.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Poignant. Insightful. And utterly hard for me to put down. Not just because it has a lot to say about the value of old books, either. 😉 It’s a gripping bit of fiction about a fireman who works burning books for an oppressive government. Society and the government have ruled books to be obsolete and even dangerous, and the few book owners left in the world are being imprisoned or burned with their books. And then, one day, he secretly opens a book and starts reading…

The writing style was a bit hard to get used to at first, but the story was worth the putting up with it. There are a few books that are so poignant that at the end they just leave your heart aching with the nobility shown, the character, values, and the worthiness of sacrifice. “Shane” by Jack Schaefer is one of those unforgettable poignant tales. So is “The Two Towers” by Tolkien. And this one was too–in a slightly lesser way. The famous “Carry the Fire” theme from “The Road” by Cormack McCarthy fits well with the theme of this book.

This tale drives home the importance of unabridged books. And not revising facts to suit your current times.

Mountain Meadow by John Buchan

A fine book by the Scottish author John Buchan. The story of an older, dying gentleman in England who embarks on a search to find a missing husband in the grim wilds of Canada. John Buchan’s tales are unique, and call for rather a special taste in literature. They’re not everyone’s cup of tea. But I love them, and I found this one to be just as fine and enjoyable as the others.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

A wonderful classic laced with historic truths. I finally got around to reading it, and I’m so glad I did. If I had children, this one would be among their required reading.

Clint Eastwood; Master Filmmaker at Work by Michael Goldman

The most surprising book of the year award goes to this one. I had no intention to read it, and stood debating with myself in the bookshop if it was worth the .50 cents just so that I could sketch one or two of the photographs for a job I was working on.

I bought it, and promptly read it cover to cover.

It is not a biography of his life. Nor an overview of his films.

It is indeed a simple portrait of a master filmmaker at work; as the subtitle states. But more than anything—reading between the lines about mixing sound and lighting a shot—it seems to really be a book about leadership. And of project management, working with individuals, handling a team, delegating tasks, and long term work relationships built on respect and integrity—a 240 page study on the Clint Eastwood method of leadership.

There is a bit on the artistic design aspects of various parts of film-making. As an artist I found the chapter on Eastwood’s theories of lighting particularly enjoyable. Ever since I read it back in October, I’ve found myself pulling it off the shelf to reference certain excerpts about his artistic ideas.

A fascinating read.

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell

My opinion of this novel is complex, and far too much to fit into a review here… 🙂

The Peacemaker by Ken Sande

A great study on this topic. I’d recommend reading it in conjunction with “From Forgiving to Forgiven” by Jay E. Adams

It’s so hard to not put these on my top 10 list–so here are a few honorable mentions:

“The Secret of Chimneys” by Agatha Christie, “A Gentleman from Texas” by Hearnden Balfour, “Whose Body?” by Dorothy Sayers, and “Through the Wall” by Cleveland Moffett are the top four mystery/detective reads of 2020. Every single one of them was delightful!

My top western reads of 2020 are “Haywire” by B. M. Bower, “Paso Por Aqui” by Eugene Manlove Rhodes, and two short-stories by Elmore Leonard: “Jugged” and “Three-Ten to Yuma.”

Last two stellar mentions are “The Old Man and The Boy” by Robert Ruark and “Ruggles of Red Gap” by Harry Leon Wilson. The latter was where author P. G. Wodehouse got his inspiration for the famous butler Jeeves!

Previous year’s list: 2019