First, I MUST add another fiction book to the list. I read it yesterday, so it belongs on the Top 5 Fiction list, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. Brilliant!
I'm not quite sure why I though five was a good number for my top lists of 2016. Perhaps I should have gone with ten. Today's top five-ish (eight) list includes my best non-fiction. This list seems to be mainly social justice type readings. Once again the list is in alphabetical order. I'm going to say most of these are not merely good reads but must reads.
A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota edited by Sun Yung Shin
I heard about this book at a workshop put on by the Minnesota Writing Project. It is a book everyone in Minnesota (the midwest) should read. It is a compilation of essays about being a person of color in Minnesota. In many ways it makes one realize that "Minnesota Nice" is another form of prejudice. The authors of these essays shed light on the white privilege of Minnesota.
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
Being a teacher in a high poverty school and watching the influx of students, I'm aware of eviction and how it affects those in poverty, or at least I thought I understood. Eviction problems look different in every situation, but the constraints of living in poverty and trying to raise a family are debilitating. The slumlords are real. The children affected show up in all aspects of our life and community. Must Read.
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance
I heard about this book for the first time in October. Since this time, the book has shown up on many top ten lists as it should. This is a personal story of a white man who grew up in poverty. Because of various situations, he lived with different members of his family. He ends up in one of the armed forces and later law school. During law school, he realizes he doesn't quite fit in because of his background. The story is engaging and another must read. It was also my first look at the ACEs which was eye-opening for me. Must Read.
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson gives a unique look at the struggles of people in our justice system. Stevenson actually represents a black man tried for raping a white woman in the hometown of Harper Lee. It shouldn't give anything away to realize this man ends up on death row. It's a novel about one lawyer working through a flawed system. Of course there's the redemption aspect of the novel, so he has also fought cases and won. Must Read.
M Train by Patti Smith
It should have been obvious that Patti Smith would be an excellent writer, but I appreciated her writing as much as the story. I'm not sure how to explain this novel because it was more memories instead of a story. It was, however, engaging and wonderful. If Patti Smith ever wants to sit in a coffee shop with me, I'd meet her at any coffee shop.
March: Book One, Book Two, and Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
Technically these are three separate books, but I've already passed my limit of five. These are graphic novels written telling John Lewis' (I love him.) story. The trilogy deservedly won the National Book Award. I feel these books are important in the year 2016 because they not only tell Lewis' story but give a framework for being involved. Must Read.
My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem
I read this book because I had a ticket to see Steinem at Talking Volumes in St. Paul. If it wasn't for Talking Volumes, I wouldn't have read it. With that being said, I loved the book and consequently fell in love with Steinem. She tells the stories of her travels which in my mind made her more not only a heroic feminist but a human. Her stories and experiences are vast. She is an inspiration and her story is inspirational.
The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander
This is another book I read because of Talking Volumes. It was a memoir about Alexander talking about the death of her husband. I was certain to quite certain that I really didn't care about her story. Her writing was so beautiful that I did care about her story. Her story was told with absolutely beautiful writing. It surpasses a memoir about loss and loving.
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