Best Books of 2018
I read a lot of incredible books in 2018, but here are the top ten that I keep thinking about and can’t stop recommending:
There There by Tommy Orange. My favorite of the year. This is the story of twelve Native Americans whose lives converge at a fateful powwow in Oakland. Compassionate, angry, tender, gut-wrenching - it’s a stunning work of art.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. This book was extraordinary. It follows a family over generations, from the beginning of the slave trade in Africa up to modern day America. It’s incredibly ambitious, and I was blown away by how deftly she pulls it off. It taught me the history of slavery more richly than I’ve ever known it, and it shown a fierce light on the humanity of every character.
Becoming by Michelle Obama. I’m not usually a fan of political memoirs, but this one is in a league of its own. She tells her story with a level of candor, warmth, and humor that made me feel like I actually got to know her. “Becoming Us,” the section on marriage and motherhood, is so real that I felt like I had to read quickly in case it was temporary access.
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. A newlywed couple is torn apart by a terrible tragedy that changes the course of both their lives. It’s a timely commentary on racial injustice, and the intimate, lasting impact of it. It’s gorgeous and heartbreaking and impossible to put down.
My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite. What would you do if your sister starting killing her boyfriends and asking you to help her clean up the mess? That’s what Korede has to figure out in this darkly witty, provocative thriller from a wonderful new African writer. I promise you, it’s addictive.
Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown. Molly Bolt refuses to apologize for loving women, or to make herself smaller for anyone. The voice is what makes this so good; she’s funny, brazen, and irreverent. This book was groundbreaking when it was published in 1973, and even today, it feels like such an affirmation that it’s ok to be who you are and love who you love - no apology, no shame.
Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson. A stunning novel about four girls on the cusp of growing up and growing apart in 1970s Brooklyn. The writing is pure poetry, and it reads like flashes of memory: vivid, tender, selective, intrusive, and raw. In Woodson’s afterword, she said she was thinking about “the slow-motion ferocity of the end of childhood.” It really does feel that way.
Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala. A Harvard-bound track star watches his world unravel as his traditional Nigerian parents find out that he’s gay. Set in DC and Nigeria, it’s a harrowing reminder that being gay is still illegal in many parts of the world, but that being gay and black in America can be equally dangerous. It’s timely and powerful and absolutely devastating.
The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy. A stunning memoir about how we cope when life crumbles down around us. It’s exceptionally honest; she seems to put her experience on the page exactly as she felt it. If you want a taste of it before you commit, read her New Yorker essay, “Thanksgiving in Mongolia,” which later became this book.
Heartburn by Nora Ephron. This is revenge fiction at its finest. It’s the mostly true story of Nora Ephron discovering her husband’s affair when she was seven months pregnant with their second child. It’s hilarious and biting and full of the wit she’s famous for. Plus, she throws in some recipes. Just wait for that key lime pie.
Have you read any of these? What did you think?