Of all the things that have happened in 2020 (insert comment about any of the dozens of things that have happened, or about how horrible a year it’s been, or any of the other cliché topics that will be repeated millions of times in the coming days), not all of them have been relentlessly terrible. More of my friends have gotten married than I can keep track of, I was able to visit some cool places I’d never been before, and The Mandalorian season 2 was about as perfect as I could have hoped.

In addition, I made a goal near the beginning of the year, as the pandemic began to affect life in Utah, to use the time I would have in relative lockdown to read as many books as I could. This goal came from a mixture of my love of reading and my desire to not let myself use all my downtime playing video games or scrolling through Facebook. I’m glad I made it because 2020 has been a fruitful year for reading (it’s also been a fruitful year for playing video games and scrolling through Facebook…).

I read a wide range of books, including plays, biographies, autobiographies, fantasy, religion, philosophy, psychology, business, mathematics, history, and more. Some books were read because I’d seen the movie first and some were read because I wanted to be able to say I did. Some were read because I love the author and some were read because I love the subject matter. With such a wide sampling of books I thought it altogether fitting and proper to give out some awards for the books I read so that you, too, might be able to enjoy some of my reading (or at least know which books might be worth your time or not). Let’s get to it!

Awards

Best Fiction: Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt.
Shout out to Annemerie Jensen for suggesting this one. It was a fun, light read full of emotion and fabulous writing. I loved it. It also has the distinction of being the first book I read this year. 10/10

Runner-up: Persuasion by Jane Austen.
Very Jane Austen-y, and therefore very enjoyable. Shout out to Nick Versaci for encouraging me to read this one. 8/10

Best Autobiography: Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis
It helps that I really like C.S. Lewis, and also that I only read two autobiographies this year. But it was fascinating to get a look into the life of one of my favorite authors and to see what shaped his life and beliefs. It was a little hard sometimes because of so many place names, but that didn’t diminish my enthusiasm (it apparently did diminish my mom’s though, who barely finished it). 8/10

Runner-up: Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence
It helps that I only read two autobiographies this year. I didn’t actually like this one too much, which is a tragedy because the story is cool and there was so much potential. One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from this book, but it was overall a dud. Too many place and person names that I didn’t understand or follow, though still a fairly good look into Middle Eastern culture. 5/10

Most Inspiring: Love Does by Bob Goff
Shout out to Joseph Douglas for suggesting this one. This is one of those books that just gets you excited for life, and makes you want to go out and talk to strangers and do wild, spontaneous things in the name of living and loving. A real treasure of a book. 9.5/10

Runner-up: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Often listed as one of the most-read and must-read books ever written, this book was definitely worth it. It was different than I expected, with a lot more biography, and then a lot more psychological analysis, which didn’t flood me with inspiration (but was still very good), but what it did have in that regard was great. 9/10

Runner-runner-up (runner-up-up?): Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
I have to throw this in here. The only reason this book didn’t get an award is because I didn’t reread it in its entirety this year. If I had, this book would have clinched the win without question. Certainly in the top 5 books that has impacted my life. Highly recommend. 15/10

The Book Actually Wasn’t Better: Caging Skies by Christine Leunens
The inspiration for the movie Jojo Rabbit, which was incredible, this book was truly not great. I mean maybe it was for someone else, but for me this book was an interesting concept that started with promise and then ended in a weird, depressing sexual nightmare. Truly horrifying.
Book: 2/10 Movie: 10/10

Runner-up: My Abandonment by Peter Rock
I didn’t even watch the movie (Leave no Trace), but it looks pretty good (it also happens to have the same actress who starred in Jojo Rabbit). The book started alright, and the story is fascinating (based on a true story of a father and daughter living off the grid in the woods near Portland), but it then also turned into a weird existential nightmare.
Book: 4/10 Movie: ??/10

The Book and the Movie Were of Similar Quality: Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump
The inspiration for the movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which was incredible, this book was also a really fun read. The movie is quite different than the book, so it’s not really fair to directly compare them, but I had a good time reading this book; It was a light, fun read about adventuring in the woods. I’m a fan.
Book: 9/10 Movie: 10/10

Runner-up: The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
I didn’t even watch the movie (10 Things I Hate About You), but everyone keeps telling me I need to watch it, so I assume it’s good. Aside from the sexism, the book was also pretty good, with a lot of classic Shakespearean double entendre, innuendo, and punning, as well as some very confusing dialogue for me, the 21st century English speaker. I enjoyed it, though it wasn’t my favorite ever.
Book: 7/10 Movie: ??/10

My Reading Habits Would Suggest I’m Obsessed With This Author: C.S. Lewis
And my reading habits would be right. I love C.S. Lewis. His books are amazing, and I’ve loved pretty much every one I’ve read (except, oddly, The Screwtape Letters). My favorite so far: The Problem of Pain or The Weight of Glory. At this point I’ve read a significant portion of his more well-known books (except, oddly, Mere Christianity), and I own a significant number as well. He’s the man. 10/10

Runner-up: William Shakespeare
In this case my reading habits would be slightly wrong. I do enjoy Shakespeare, but I’m not obsessed with him. I decided this year that I should read more of the classics, so I read quite a few of his works (more of his comedies), but again, sometimes it’s hard to understand when I’m reading them from the 21st century. 8/10

Best Twist Ending: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
An engaging book that really made me think about decadence, hedonism, and the role of pleasure in life. The ending was also a roller-coaster (the good kind that I can handle). Obviously I don’t want to give it away, but it was a fabulous ending that left me satisfied. 7.5/10

Runner-up: None
I didn’t really read any other books with such a twist. I did reread The Life of Pi by Yann Martel, but I actually hate that ending, so it doesn’t get an award, except maybe the “Worst Twist Ending” award. But that’s just me.

Most Funniest: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
While Shakespeare’s works can be quite comedic (Macbeth? Hilarious), The Importance of Being Earnest really took the cake on this one. Maybe it’s because it wasn’t written in the 15th century, and therefore the humor was far more accessible to me, but this book is a lot of fun. I realized the movie is also a lot of fun, and this probably also deserves the award for that, but it’s too late and I’m not changing it. But both the book and the movie are a blast. 9/10

Runner-up: Humble Pi: A Comedy of Maths Errors by Matt Parker
This could also have won the “Nerdiest” award, since it’s a book about maths, but one could argue that reading a bunch of books about a bunch of stuff and then writing an absurdly long post about it is itself extremely nerdy (and one would probably be right, but one could also shut one’s mouth). This book was an exposé about all the ways math has failed and things have gone either horribly wrong or just mildly wrong in the world, and why that’s funny. Sometimes it was hard to understand because math, but overall it was a fun read. Bonus points for fun covers. 7/10

Best Historical Work: Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford
Genghis Khan is one of those names everyone knows but no one knows much about. That’s where I was at before I read this book, and I wanted to know more about this hugely famous figure. This book did not disappoint, and neither did Genghis Khan. I learned so much not only about the man himself, where he came from, how he was able to rise to prominence, and why he was so successful in creating the largest empire in history, but also more about Asia than I ever expected (or knew there was to know, embarrassingly). I’ve had a very Euro-centric education, and this book changed nearly everything about my perceptions of Asian culture and influence, and I would highly recommend it to anyone in the same boat as me. Genghis Khan was the man. 10/10

Runner-up 1: The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Shout out to my Uncle Reed for recommending this one. This also has the distinction of being the longest book I read this year (750 pages). All about Teddy Roosevelt, William Taft, and the world in which they made their mark, this book was a very detailed look into a very interesting time. Sometimes a little too detailed, but that also helped create a vivid atmosphere that immersed the reader. Overall great writing, and a great look into why Teddy Roosevelt is one of the most popular presidents (and people) in history. 8.5/10

Runner-up 2: Scipio Africanus: Rome’s Greatest General by Richard A Gabriel
There’s a second runner-up in this category because, even though this book was objectively not as well-written as The Bully Pulpit, I definitely enjoyed it and couldn’t let it be forgotten. As I’ve said before, I love Roman history, and this is actually one of my favorite eras of Roman history; Hannibal and Scipio are epic, almost mythical figures, and learning more about them and the events they participated in and caused was a really fun time for me.
Objectively: 7/10 Personally: 9/10

Most Thought-Provoking: The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley
One of those books that challenges a lot of the preconceptions we have in society, this book is fascinating. It traces the rise of prosperity from the beginnings of human societies down to the present time, sharing why the pessimism and fatalism of the present day is unfounded, and why, in spite of the seeming rise in catastrophes and suffering in the world, we really do have reason to be optimistic and happy. The writing was engaging, and the concepts discussed and evidence presented were quite convincing. It really expanded my view and helped me see things through a different lens. 9/10

Runner-up: Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
This book was very engaging and similarly mind-expanding like The Rational Optimist. It explored the real roots and requirements for creativity, and how to develop and cultivate creativity in life. It also gave examples from the lives of some of the top creative peoples of the 1900’s in the form of interview transcripts and short biographies. It did wax a little long towards the end, but overall the book was very thought-provoking (obviously). 8.5/10

Favorite New Author: Ryan Holiday
It’s kind of a shame none of his books got any awards here, because I did really love his books. Ego is the Enemy, Stillness is the Key, and The Obstacle is the Way have been some of my favorites that I’ve read this year, and several of the other books I read this year (Genghis Khan, Creativity, and The Rational Optimist to name a few) came because they were referenced in one of those three books, so I owe Ryan Holiday. I loved the stoicism taught in his books, and the way he drew examples and evidence from people from all walks of life and in all time periods of history. They really are fabulous books, and he’s a fabulous author. 9.5/10

So there you have it, my 2020 reading list in review. Hopefully this didn’t bore you, and if you disagree with any ratings, or think I’m a huge idiot for my reviews, let me know!

To see a full list of books I read this year see here.