I may not finish this one in the next couple of days, but I'm currently reading Eating to Extinction, by Dan Saladino, and highly recommend it.

definitely a book for our time, it's a look at the massive loss of biological diversity in our food systems and the cultural loss of the traditional knowledge and craft that went along with older ways of finding, growing, preparing, and eating food

How to Suppress Women's Writing, by Joanna Russ

originally published in 1983, reissued with a new foreword in 2018. we read this for the book club I helped launch this year. I was surprised by how relevant and accessible this still is, and would certainly recommend it, especially alongside the report that was released this year by PEN America on (the lack of) diversity in publishing

multiple Agatha Christie books

I had a hard time with fiction this year! my full books-read list includes more novels than nonfiction, but most ranged from disappointing to just okay. I think this explains my Agatha Christie phase: she's reliable. The stories don't drag, her style has humor and often depth, and it helps that the audiobooks are read well. I got through most of Poirot, some Marple, several standalone novels, and some short story collections. These were some of my favorites.

How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question, by Michael Schur

a book about ethics/moral philosophy by a TV comedy writer--I feel a little defensive about liking this book given the intellectual credentials of people I know professionally, but I liked it. it's accessible, entertaining, and thought-provoking, and useful for These Exhausting Times of seemingly constant moral outrage and performativity

The Art of Civilized Conversation: A Guide to Expressing Yourself With Style and Grace, by Margaret Shepherd

another book I read with an eye toward making and keeping friends. there are quite a few books out there about having better conversations. of the ones I sampled, this one felt the most directive in the way I was looking for, and I think it offers good advice, if it's a bit traditional/mannered at times

There Is No Good Card for This: What To Say and Do When Life Is Scary, Awful, and Unfair to People You Love, by Kelsey Crowe and Emily McDowell

reflecting on how I have a hard time making and keeping friends, I read a few books this year in the hopes of learning how to have better relationships. one area I struggle with is how to be supportive when things are hard; this book offers thoughtful and compassionate guidance

Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik

a fairy tale incorporating elements of folklore, with intertwining threads about the daughter of a moneylender, the daughter of a peasant, and the daughter of a nobleman, who all determine their own destinies rather than allowing their lives to be written for them

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman

not actually a time management book, more of a book on the theme of "how we spend our days is how we spend our lives," and what that means if we're spending all our time in pursuit of maximum productivity, or on the flip side, allowing too much of our time and attention to be hijacked by media, etc. a great book to start a new year with