2016 In Review: The Books

photograph by me

2017. A new year, a new me. And insert all those cliched sayings that capture how most of us feel at the start of a new year. I have many goals I would like to fulfill in 2017, but first I want to recap 2016.

Reading

Reading wise, 2016 was a little of a disappointment for me. I did not reach my Goodreads reading goal in 2016 or surpass my previous reading record. I only made it to 25 books. However, I did discover new authors and was blown away yet again by old favorites.

If I had to make a list of top five reads it would probably be:

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. This is a book every bibliophile needs to read. It is like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society but actually a true story. Enough said. Go forth and read it. Goodreads review.

The Warden by Anthony Trollope. My introduction to Anthony Trollope and the first book in his Chronicles of Barsetshire series, the plot of the book failed to completely engross me but I have fallen in love with his authorial voice and satire. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series Barchester Towers. Goodreads review.

Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney. Unflinching and vivid are two words that describe this translation of the famous Anglo-Saxon epic poem. You can read further gushing here.

Resist by Emily Ann Putzke. High expectations were fulfilled when I read this piece of historical fiction based on a true story. Hans and Sophie Scholl and the rest of the White Rose came to vivid life. I have a more complete review here.

Sundown Slim by Henry Herbert Knibbs. There was something different about this story in comparison to other westerns I have read (admittedly, I have not read many). The relatively soft-spoken hero thrust into a cattle rancher vs. sheep herder conflict made for a memorable read.

Okay, scratch five, we are going to make it a tied for sixth with an honorable mention.

Pendragon’s Heir by Suzannah Rowntree. An epic, time traveling retelling of the legend of King Arthur and Camelot, this full length novel by Rowntree built upon all the things I love about her fairytale novellas. I cannot wait for her Crusader epic Outremer. Yes, I realize I probably have a long wait.

Storming by K.M. Weiland. This book was pure fun. I fell in love with the characters, and while I will admit it has its faults, it has become one of the few books I actually fangirl over with family members who have read it.

And honorable mention actually goes to Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. The notorious prequel/sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird, this was a different read for me because of its controversy. I read TKaM during a summer vacation to California in 2014 and it was my favorite read of that year. To Kill a Mockingbird is a well deserved classic and I loved it to proverbial bits. While, Go Set A Watchman does not quite match up to its predecessor in quality and suffers from a little bit of choppiness, it still has its author’s distinct voice (and also remember, it is the untouched first draft). Nonetheless, I thought Go Set a Watchman provided food for thought and let Scout grow up. I am glad I read it and as I write this, I become more and more convinced I need to reread both books.

And three more honorable mentions because I cannot write a post about the books I read in 2016 without them: The Bells of Paradise by Suzannah Rowntree, The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron, and The Legend of Sam Miracle (Book 1 in the Outlaws of Time series) by N.D. Wilson.

Okay, I am going to end this now.

P.S. Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon.

Alright, I am actually finished this time. This post was originally going to include a list of my top favorite films watched in 2016, but because of how lengthy both sections became I divided it into two posts. So be on the lookout for that film post sometime next week.

Now, what were your favorite reads last year?

Beowulf & Our Creative Voice

photograph by me

Then down the brave man lay with his bolster
under his head and his whole company
of sea-rovers at rest beside him.
None of them expected he would ever see
his homeland again or get back
to his native place and the people who reared him.
They knew too well the way it was before,
how often the Danes had fallen prey
to death in the mead-hall. But the Lord was weaving
a victory on his war-loom for the Weather-Geats.
Through the strength of one they all prevailed;
they would crush their enemy and come through
in triumph and gladness. The truth is clear:
Almighty God rules over mankind
and always has.
— Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney

This passage captures everything I loved about Beowulf: the straightforward turn of phrase, the courage and steadfastness in the face of opposition and peril, and the always present acknowledgement of God's rule over earth and men. Beowulf is unflinching and vivid. It is an epic in the true sense of the word. I am now accepting any and all recommendations for other Medieval/Anglo-Saxon epics. (Seriously, if you have any recommendations please, please leave them in the comments.)

Fan girlish flailing aside however, I did actually struggle reading Beowulf at times. More often than not, I had to sit alone in a silent corner of the house in order to concentrate. This was not the poem's fault. I have never read long poems. I have never read much poetry. Period. Something I fully intend to rectify. I have decided to try putting my senior year of high school resolution of reading some type of poetry at least once a week back into practice. I also want to study poetry. I am sadly ignorant when it comes to poets and poetry. (Which brings us back to the part where I am accepting recommendations for poetry books and books on poets and poetry in the comments. Thank you. *passes out chocolate*)

In other reading, I have slowly started making my way through Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon, relishing each creative golden nugget and pondering over them. Probably the one that I have been pondering over the most is what he has to say about your creative voice.

... the only way to find your voice is to use it. It's hardwired, built into you. Talk about the things you love. Your voice will follow.
— Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon

I was reading back over posts on other blogs I had missed in the crazy shuffle of juggling that is my life right now and I ran across one by Schuyler over at My Lady Bibliophile. In her post, she talks about story elements she sees in her own writing and how they connect to beliefs she has and the stories she enjoys reading and watching in film. This has started me thinking a good deal about the elements I most often include in my own stories and the elements I have noticed in my favorite books and films. It provides fascinating food for thought and is something I would like to dig deeper into in the future.

Have any of you read Beowulf? How do you like poetry? Do you have any particular favorite poets and/or poems? And what are your thoughts on how some of our favorite elements in stories affect our creative voices?