Best Adult Nonfiction Read in 2020

Tracing the Desire Line by Melissa Matthewson (2019). Very interesting, poetic memoir about self and marriage. I flagged so many beautiful, thought-provoking sections to go back to. I read this in May when the "novelty" of quarantine had worn off. I was feeling kind of isolated, combing through past relationships to figure out what I might want in the future. I read this book over several nights, soaking in a hot bath with a waterproof notepad next to me. The gorgeous language let my imagination run free so I'd have to scribble ideas to continue later in my own writing. I'm looking forward to re-reading this one in the future, in a different life situation, and see what I get from it then.

The Incredible Shrinking Woman by Athena Dixon (2020). This essay collection is amazing. You can tell Athena Dixon has a background in poetry because the language is so beautiful, while still being so raw and matter-of-fact. So many of these pieces made me feel seen and understood. I know this is a collection I'll come back to time and time again. This is one of the first books I've read as an "adult" that makes me think "Oh, so the stuff I write can find a home." Not that I'm comparing my writing to Dixon's, but it's nice to know that such exploratory, experimental formats can find a place and be appreciated by readers instead of molded into something more mainstream.

But Enough About Me by Jancee Dunn (2006). I love Jancee Dunn from Rolling Stone but somehow didn’t know about her books. I absolutely loved this one - from the (old, but still entertaining) celebrity gossip to her humorous life stories. It was kind of an escape read and made me want to read more by Dunn.

Sex Object by Jessica Valenti (2016). I love this book because it helps me realize that stuff like... “this” happens to everyone, and it doesn’t have to be rape or assault to be wrong. This book made me feel understood and empowered but also just angry. Definitely want to read more by Valenti; I love her style.

Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld (2020). Seinfeld has been my favorite show forever, and I’ve seen Jerry’s standup shows a few times (in person and recorded specials). I’ve read SeinLanguage. Therefore some of the jokes in this book were repeats, but this was still one of the best books I’ve read this year. I love how they were arranged chronologically, and how you can see Seinfeld’s thought progression in a lot of the jokes (and of course over time). A lot of jokes had me laughing out loud.

Best Adult Fiction Read in 2020

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore (2020). I read about the concept of this book and bought it immediately. I’m still obsessed with it - loaning out my copy and recommending it to everyone I know. It’s so fresh and unique - Oona is living her life out of order, meaning when she’s 18, instead of turning 19, she turns 51! She lives that year and learns about her condition, so on her last day of being 51, she knows she won’t necessarily wake up 52 the next day. I already want to re-read this book, and maybe even read it in as chronological of order as it can go.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020). Desiree and Stella are twins, light enough to pass for white. One twin embraces this and disappears into a privileged white life, not acknowledging her past. The other doubles down and ends up working hard, being a single mother to her darker daughter. This book totally lives up to the hype. I absolutely loved the story itself, but Bennett’s writing is so seamless that you get sucked in completely, and then a beautiful, profound line will stop you in your tracks.

The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans (2020). I’ve been reading a lot of story collections this year, and all of them have been so good. Evans blew me away, though. The stories are so fascinating yet realistic and have really stuck with me even after finishing the book. I got to hear her read part of a story at an online event and she was fantastic! I have her other collection to read next, but I know I’ll keep re-reading these stories and recommending them to everyone I can.

Writers & Lovers by Lily King (2020). I was in a reading funk until I opened this book. I absolutely loved it, and I want to read more like it and I already want to re-read it. Something about the everydayness of things drew me right in and kept me comfortable in the story. I think King captured exactly that uncertainty of relationships and writing and how they work together.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (2019?). I absolutely love time travel books, and this one was all I ever wanted and more. There are so many rules about going back in time at the Funiculi Funicula cafe that made the story more suspenseful. A few different characters went back in time within the cafe's constraints, and it was very touching and thought-provoking to see how they dealt with their situations. I loved how all of the characters tied together. Amazing book.