20 Books For 2020

One of the many sayings people are fond of as one year ends and another begins is out with the old and in with the new. For me, there is just as much to be thankful for in years past as there is to look forward to in the new year. Especially as it pertains to books.

The year 2019 flew by so quickly it was hard for me to do anything except add books to my TBR pile. And much to my Silver Fox’s dismay, add them in I did! Even with all the new books there are still some books which warrant a second, or third, or fourth reading. Especially when a new book in the series comes out.

In my TBR for this year you will find books which caught my eye for one reason or another. For some it was the title, for others the cover picture. My grandmother and aunt recommended one for me and others were given as gifts or picked up on a mini holiday.

Without any further fuss, and in no particular order because that never winds up working out for me anyway, here is my list of 20 books I want to read in 2020.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens was recommended to me by both my Grandmother and my Aunt. It is first on my list of books to read this year.

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin is a book I picked up on a whim while shopping at a local store. I went in for some socks for my boys and came out an hour later having spent way more than I should have, more than one book in hand and minus the socks I went in purchase.

Before and After by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate is a book my mother gave to me as a Christmas gift. It was on my list of books I wanted to read, having heard it was good from several other sources.

The Other Side of the Coin; The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe by Angela Kelly is a book I also got for Christmas from my mother. She saw it on the shelf and knew I would want to read it. I love reading about royalty, pretty much any royal family, especially the British monarchy.

In the Heart of the Ocean; the Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick is a book I read when it first came out and have wanted to reread for a while but the timing wasn’t quite right. This year seems like a good time, especially considering Philbrick has written another book.

Mayflower also by Nathaniel Philbrick, the book which inspired me to pick back up his previous book has a fantastic cover. Plus, I enjoyed his other work immensely.

Indian Givers; How Native Americans Transformed the World by Jack Weatherford was bought at a powwow from The Wandering Bull. I picked up a couple of books that day.

The Road Not Taken by David Orr was bought the day my family took a trip to the Robert Frost Farm in Derry, NH. I will tell you all about that trip another day.

Braiding Sweetgrass; Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmer is the other book I purchased from The Wandering Bull. I have heard so many good things about this book and would have read it long before now except I packed it away with my shawl and forgot about it.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a book I have read before. It came up in a discussion with some friends and I didn’t remember all of the things they talked about. So, rereading it is a must for this year.

My Husband’s Wife by Jane Corry has a great title and for that reason alone, I picked up on that shopping trip for socks I mentioned.

I was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon intrigued me. I have always had an interest in the Romanov family and what happened to them both as a monarchy and personally.

The Secret Wife of Aaron Burr by Susan Halloway Scott was an impulse buy pure and simple. I liked the cover picture and the revolutionary time period combined with an illicit or rather secret marriage to a prominent lawyer, politician and a man who was almost president was too good to pass up.

The Library Book by Susan Orlean has a vivid red and gold textured cover and honestly, it felt fantastic in my hand. So I bought it.

The Husband Hunters; American Heiresses Who Married into the British Aristocracy by Anne De Courcy, who wouldn’t want to read a book about women who could have had anything in the world and chose to hunt for husbands amongst royalty? There has to be a fantastic story in there somewhere.

The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler is a debut novel that hit the ground running and earned a spot on the bestsellers list. For me, that warrants spending an afternoon in bed curled up with the book.

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is a book I have read and reread several times and never disappoints. His book World Without End, the sequel to Pillars is also a book I rather enjoy and since his new book about the Kingsbridge Cathedral out, rereading these two is an absolute must for me. A Column of Fire is the next book in the Kingsbridge Cathedral series. Since I enjoyed the other books in the series, this one I had been anticipating and picked up when it came out in 2017, put it on the shelf and forgotten about. This year, it is on my desk (as are all the other books on this list) and I will not forget about it this time around.

Finally, The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory is set in Tudor England which is one of my favorite times in history across Europe. Gregory has never disappointed me in her story telling, so when I discovered I was missing one of her books, I had to get it.

I’m sure as the year goes on that many, many more books will be added onto my pile. However, these are the ones I am most excited and going to persist in finishing. I want 2020 to be a year full of adventure, learning, love, tragedy and strength, at least as far as my books are concerned. Also on my to do list for 2020 is finding several books I have misplaced somewhere in a closet, cabinet, car or dresser.

What is on your TBR list from last year you are intent on reading? Is there anything I should add to my own pile?