The Best Books I Read Last Year

Hello loyal followers, friends and family (Hi Mom!), and a happy new year to all of you. As usual, the farm has kept me busy the last few days and I haven’t had time to greet the new year in the form of a blog post until now. Better late than never, am I right? So, I think a fun way to ring in the new year is to do a list of my favorite books that I read last year to share with all of you guys. Although I usually read a lot of fiction, I really focused on nonfiction this past year and found some amazing books as a result. So, I wanted to share my finds with all of you! Enjoy!

The Goddess and the Bull: Chatalhoyuk: An Archaeological Journey to the Dawn of Civilization by Michael Balter

It took me half of the year to finish this book – I put it down over and over to read other books, but I kept coming back to it. The book is about an archaeological dig in Turkey called Chatalhoyuk, first discovered in 1958 by James Mellart and later excavated by Ian Hodder. Now, there’s a lot of cool stuff going on in this book. I, for one, loved learning about the archaeological dig, but I initially read this book because I was interested in learning more about Mellart’s theories about goddess worship, which he believed took place at Chatalhoyuk. If you’re interested in mythology, you might also find this a compelling text. I learned a lot about the history of archaeology as a field of study. It’s not a fast read, but I can honestly say that is was a very satisfying read and I enjoyed every minute of it.

From Asgard to Valhalla: The Remarkable History of the Norse Myths by Heather O’Donoghue

I loved this book! You all probably know I really like Norse mythology, so of course I had to read this one. O’Donoghue explores the history of these myths, touching on everything from their ancient origins to the influence of Christianity on their most popular translations to the appropriation of them by extremist groups, notably white nationalists and Nazi Germany. I know that I’m going to come back to this book again and again. It really informed my upcoming thesis. If you’re interested in learning more about Norse mythology, this book is the next thing that you should read.

The Kuan Yin Chronicles: The Myths and Prophecies of the Chinese Goddess of Compassion by Martin Palmer and Jay Ramsay with Man-Ho Kwok

The very interesting transformation of a male bodhisattva into the Chinese goddess of compassion, and her subsequent influence in both China and Japan. I learned a lot about the rise in popularity of Buddhism in China and how it influenced Chinese culture. One of my favorite things about this book is the inclusion of 100 Chinese poems for Kuan Yin translated into English. Kuan Yin feels like a culture hero to me, a hero who shows up for her followers when they need her the most.

In Ghostly Japan: Spooky Stories with the Folklore, Superstitions and Traditions of Old Japan by Lafcadio Hearn

Lafcadio Hearn was an interesting fellow, and his observations of Japanese folklore are particularly insightful for a western transplant. If you like folktales, especially kind of creepy ones, I recommend anything by Hearn. They may not be the most accurate translations at times, but Hearn’s literary talent shines through and his retellings are great fun.

The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore by Michael Dylan Foster

I freaking loved this book. Yokai are supernatural beings from Japanese folklore. They come in a large variety of shapes and sizes, and are sometimes kind and sometimes cruel. There are so many different yokai, but so few English texts on the subject, so this book is invaluable. It’s a fun, easy read, due in no small part of Foster’s skill as a writer.

The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu

Ken Liu is an awesome fiction writer and his collection of science-fiction short stories is nothing short of spectacular. I can’t recommend this strongly enough. Anyone who enjoys science-fiction will find this collection engaging, but if you’re not typically into the genre, please don’t overlook this book!

John Lennon: The Life by Phillip Norman

I read a lot about The Beatles, because they’ve been my favorite band since I was little kid. I’ve always been head over heels for Paul, but this biography on John Lennon is hands down the most informative book that I’ve read about the band. Norman is very respectful but leaves no stone unturned.

There were so many other great books I read last year, and I’m sure I will talk about more of them in the future. It’s hard to pick my favorites, really, because I loved so many of them, and I could go on and on about them. I read several books by Joseph Campbell on the study of mythology which were excellent. I read Margaret Atwood’s poetry and some of her short stories. I read other books on The Beatles and explored more poetry books as well. I surpassed my yearly goal of 50 books by a bit. Here’s to another year filled with good books. Even when everything else is hard, there are books to read that can make it easier.