top 10 books of 2018

it’s always hard to pick the best books you’ve read until it isn’t. they jump out at you.

2018 was a difficult year for obvious and less obvious reasons: the news cycle continued anxiety-provoking, and there were personal losses in my life that i won’t go into because they’re difficult–death and loss and the inevitable life changes involved. i tried to continue reading throughout and, although my numbers are lower, i’m pleased with the variety and depth of my list. i tried.

and, folks, i made it through 2018.

  1. Did You Ever Have a Family? by Bill Clegg (F) novel
  2. The Italian Teacher by Tom Rachman (F) novel
  3. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (F) novel
  4. How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee (NF) essays
  5. Brother by David Chariandry (F) novel
  6. Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh (F) novel
  7. Outline by Rachel Cusk (F) novel
  8. The Fact of a Body by Alexandra Marzano-Lesnevich (NF + true crime mix)
  9. True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey (F) novel
  10. Less by Andrew Sean Greer (F) novel