2020 Recs

One silver lining of being at home a lot is some more time to enjoy books and other media. Sharing my list of favorite books, shows, and recent films (from pre-pandemic):

Books

These books were all good food for the soul during this difficult year.

• Becoming by Michelle Obama - This was an uplifting read; it was great to hear Michelle Obama describe how she became the person who she is today. She starts from her early life in Chicago, eventually telling the story about how a young charming intern from Harvard enters her life. I appreciated how honest she was about challenges she faced, such as her dissatisfication with her job at the law firm. The details she shares about life on the campaign and in the White House make her more relatable and show what a genuinely good person she is.

• Born A Crime by Trevor Noah - This book made me appreciate and respect Trevor Noah and his mother so much more. His stories of growing up in South Africa during apartheid are funny, emotional, and full of wisdom.

• The Glass Castle by Jeanette Wells - Memoir full of resilience, describing how the Wells children navigated the challenges presented by their negligent parents. Their optimism and creativity help them make the best of difficult situations.

• Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng - Novel describing how two families find their lives intertwined in a progressive suburb where every detail is planned. One is picture-perfect on the surface, while the other is a traveling artist and her daughter who challenge the conventional wisdom.

• The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson - Fantasy series with great depth and likeable characters. It’s a launching point for the Cosmere universe (which I am continuing to read) and immersive and fun to read.

TV Shows

• The Queen’s Gambit: Beautiful story, with great cast and directing, about an orphan chess prodigy and her growth. The show certainly captures the essence of the book, which I read afterwards. It does a great job of making chess look cool — I played some chess after watching.
• Chernobyl: Documentary of the nuclear disaster and its aftermath. It was jarringly well made and had some lessons about doing science and power.
• Schitt’s Creek: Delightful and funny sitcom about a family that has lost all its wealth and is forced to move to a small remote town. The characters are lovable and develop well through the seasons.

Movies

• Parasite
• Green Book
• 1917
• Hamilton
• Little Women
• Waves
• A Star is Born

Always happy to discuss / get recommendations!