Favorite Posts and Books in 2017
/
Photo Credit: Luisa Brandão
At the end of 2016, I shared my five favorite posts from the year as a way to remember the things I was proud of having written. They were not the most popular posts, but the ones that meant the most to me. I liked the idea of doing it as part of a reflection on the year, on my writing, and on what it means to share thoughts online.
So, I am doing it again to close out the year and welcome 2018. Here are my five favorites from 2017:
“I’ll never know whether it was because of my stories and big laugh, the affection I clearly showed for my kids, or something more mysterious - a good vibe, perhaps. Whatever the reason, I was touched and remembered that people are complex - especially kids - and assumptions are often wrong. ”
“This is the hardest but most beautiful song of parenting. Sometimes we play rhythm just so they can learn to play a solo.”
“We surround ourselves with an interesting mix of our past and present. The rooms hold more than their share of stories and almost everything we keep has one too. I appreciated my mother’s sense of order and tendency towards minimalism and carry both with me but this house - our home - is not a model home.”
“I keep thinking about that quote, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” It’s a good one but I think we need to remember that if someone’s not posting their outrage on Facebook, it doesn’t mean they aren’t paying attention. ”
5. 5 Things I Thought I Saw (and What They Really Were)
“I was driving past my son’s school and saw what I thought was an armadillo crossing the street right here in Minneapolis! I was so excited that I pulled over, grabbed my phone, and just as I was about to take a picture, the armadillo blew away. Armadillos don’t blow away, do they? ”
2017 also marked a return to active reading for me, so, I also wanted to share my five favorite books I read this year (in case you think I just sit around reading my own blog). AND even though I am a Libra, these are actually in order of preference!
1. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
2. This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
3. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
4. Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan
5. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey
Honorable Mentions:
*Before Everything by Victoria Redel
*Modern Lovers by Emma Straub
What were the best things you wrote or read in 2017?