2023 was a decent year for reading for me. I made more space in my life for doing puzzles but still managed to read a total of 52 books. Quite a few were books I read at bedtime with my kids, including the Chronicles of Narnia series, the Hobbit, and the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy (which I consider an accomplishment in itself!). It was actually not too hard for me to choose my favourites for this year. In case you missed last year’s list, you can find my list from 2022 here.
Listed in order of when I read them, here are my top 5 reads from 2023 with an honourable mention at the end. I have linked the titles to the Amazon pages for ease of reference but I encourage you to support your local bookstore, buy used, or find them at your library.
Everything Sad Is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri
This book is described as a young adult/middle school novel but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story is about a boy in Oklahoma telling stories about his family and ancestors in Iran. It felt like an epic journey through time and culture and was beautifully told. It took a bit of getting used to at the beginning because there were so many characters that he introduced but by the end it made a lot more sense. I feel like I learned more about Iranian culture while also getting a glimpse into what immigrant life felt like for the author. I listened to the audiobook version which was brilliantly read by the author.
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
Did you know that the average lifespan is only 4000 weeks? This is not your typical time management book. Instead of giving tips and instructions on how to cram more into each day, this book kind of did the opposite. I appreciated that it offered an alternative perspective on time, releasing me from the tyranny of feeling like I had to do more every day and giving me permission to just fully live in my present moment. Maybe it was because I was surprised by its message that I consider it one of my favourite reads of the year.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
If you know me, you know that I both need a lot of sleep and value it, so naturally I was interested in what neuroscientist Matthew Walker had to say from his research on sleep. Written in an easy-to-understand way, this book was highly informative. I learned a lot about both the importance of sleep and what actually happens during our sleep cycles. The only thing I wish they had researched and written about more was the role of and changes in sleep during motherhood. If you’re curious about what happens in your brain when you’re sleeping, this book is for you. But beware, it may motivate you to prioritize your sleep more!
Curve Ball: When Your Faith Takes Turns You Never Saw Coming by Pete Enns
It’s been a while since I’ve read a book by a white male theologian (sorry for the generalization – I’m learning to pay attention to how people’s demographics play a part in their perspectives on life) that left me feeling hopeful about my wandering faith. I appreciated the candour of the author in sharing his own faith shifts while holding them in tandem with theological tradition. I thought it was neat the way he saw God from the vast universe and juxtaposed it with seeing God in the micro quantum universe. My takeaway from this book was to stay open to how God might show up in my life, especially when it’s not in ways I expect. And also to remember that even when I’m questioning, I’m still within the care of God.
What I Mean When I Say I’m Autistic: Unpuzzling a Life on the Autism Spectrum by Annie Kotowicz
With the growing awareness of autism and neurodiversity in our society, I wanted to learn more about the topic so I read some books about it this year. This book was the most succinct and clear in terms of describing the internal experience of an autistic woman while offering good examples of how autistic people adapt and interact in the world. It was super easy to read and offered great insights. In retrospect, I had been quite ignorant and misinformed about what autism is. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to expand their understanding of how different people experience the world.
Honourable Mention:
Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
I had read the original Braiding Sweetgrass a few years ago and was excited to see a Young Adults edition at our library. I read this one with my kids and they enjoyed it too. The language in this edition is more accessible and it includes some illustrations as well as questions to engage the readers. As immigrants and settlers, I feel like we have so much to learn from Indigenous wisdom. I’m really glad this book was adapted for younger readers and I hope my girls will read it again when they are in their teens because I think they will get even more out of it then.