October 2020 Book Recap

Blame it on the end of a turbulent year and 20/20 hindsight, but if you’re looking to appreciate life in all its raw, painful beauty, check out the deathbed musings of Oliver Sacks. Traditionally, I like to read horror in October and had a lot of fun with the theme; still, there’s nothing like the reflections of the terminally ill to scare you into living a little bit more each day.

Standout Quote:

“I cannot pretend I am without fear. But my predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved; I have been given much and I have given something in return; I have read and traveled and thought and written. I have had an intercourse with the world, the special intercourse of writers and readers.

Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.”

— Oliver Sacks, *Gratitude*

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*Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike* by Phil Knight (NF) // [Autobiography; business: Absolutely loved this one. “Life is growth. You grow or you die.”]

*American Psycho* by Bret Easton Ellis (F) // [Horror; thriller: Wild and so very graphic. “I have to return some videotapes.”]

*Firestarter: A Novel* by Stephen King (F) // [Horror; thriller: King is the epitome of October reading.🔥]

*Magic Lessons: The Prequel to Practical Magic* by Alice Hoffman (F) // [Historical fiction; witches: Much better than *Practical Magic* the book, not the movie.]

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*Gratitude* by Oliver Sacks (NF) // [Memoir; essays: Elegant, powerful and profound, even in its brevity.]

*Eat a Peach: A Memoir* by David Chang (NF) // [Autobiography; foodie: Success, failure and struggles with substance abuse, Chang is honest and insightful. “The paradox for the workaholic is that rock bottom is the top of whatever profession they’re in.”]

*Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot* by Mikki Kendall (NF) // [Women’s studies; political sociology: Important, tough take on intersectional and inclusive feminism. “There’s nothing feminist about having so many resources at your fingertips and choosing to be ignorant. Nothing empowering or enlightening in deciding that intent trumps impact. Especially when the consequences aren’t going to be experienced by you, but will instead be experienced by someone from a marginalized community.”]

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*My Best Friend's Exorcism: A Novel* by Grady Hendrix (F) // [Horror; paranormal: Fun, campy “horror” set during the satanic panic of the 1980s. Not quite as good as *The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires,* but still v entertaining.]

*Shit, Actually: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema* by Lindy West (NF) // [Essays; humor: Literally laughed out loud more than once; a great escape although I was ready for it to be over by the end.]

*Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood* by Trevor Noah (NF) // [Memoir; humor: Satisfactory, yet very random. “We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. Regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to.”]

*How Do We Look: The Body, the Divine, and the Question of Civilization* by Mary Beard (NF) // [Ancient history; sociology: Renowned Cambridge classicist considers how we view art. Short and sweet.]

*Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love* by Dani Shapiro (NF) // [Autobiography; family: In her early 50s, Shapiro learns she is not the biological child of her father. Introspective and compelling narrative on identity.]

*Frankenstein* by Mary Shelley (F) // [Classic; gothic: Mucho melancholy; very quotable. “Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”]

*The Old Man and the Sea* by Ernest Hemingway (F) // [Classic; “adventure”: This Pulitzer Prize winner helped contribute to Hemingway winning the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature. Tragic and depressing.]

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*You Should Have Left: A Novel* by Daniel Kehlmann (F) // [“Horror”; novella: My first 1-star rating of 2020! HATED this book *almost* as much as the movie with Kevin Bacon. Hard pass.]