While making the list of My Favourite Books in 2020, I wanted to prepare two different lists this year, for fiction and non-fiction. I read many non-fiction books and learned amazing things from all of them. However, this year I took refuge mostly in novels. I can’t think of better portals than novels for escaping reality. 2020 has been a year when I repeatedly said thank God we have books.
Of course, I also read books I wanted to burn after reading them, but the worst book of 2020 award goes to How Not to Die by Michael Greger. I would not recommend it to anyone.
Anyway, let’s get to the beautiful books. Let me state this; these books are the ones I read in 2020. Unfortunately, if you’re looking for the best books of 2020, you’re in the wrong place. But take a look while you’re here, you can find books that you will love. Enjoy!
Favourite 2020 Books – Fiction
1- The Tartar Steppe – Dino Buzzati
“No matter where you are in your life, you will be Drogo; with each page, you will be under the influence of that sweet drowsiness and acceptance. When you look back at your life, you will be afraid, and feel like you can kill for a change. And wonder if you can get out of your castle any time soon, before its too late.”
2- Fresh Water for Flowers – Valérie Perrin
“I won’t forget about this book for a long time. Its marvellous story and finely crafted characters will stay with me. Thank God there are good books out there! I don’t want to tell more not to give spoilers. It would be best if you read this book. I am sure you will love it, and you will not regret it.”
3- Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
“Daphne Du Maurier is an excellent writer. This book aroused such strong feelings in me that I couldn’t get out of its influence for a long time. Daphne Du Maurier beautifully depicted the massive difference between Rebecca and the new bride, Manderley’s magical atmosphere and country life.”
4- The Murmur of Bees – Sofía Segovia
“The only magical element in the book is Simonopio. However, the author created such an exquisite character that I was uncomfortable when I did not find his name on every page. I always wanted to read something about him, and I was never interested in other characters. As you can see, he captivated me. And I must say he quickly became one of my favourite characters.”
5- Lonely Castle in the Mirror – Mizuki Tsujimura
“The story touches on friendship, empathy, finding yourself, staying strong and many more. I think everyone, young and old, will love it.”
Bonus
Call Me by Your Name and Find Me by Andre Aciman
I reread Andre Aciman’s Call Me by Your Name and then read the follow-up Find Me. I wanted to add it to this year’s list as a bonus, as it’s a reread. Both books are exceptional, and they are among the books I would recommend to anyone without exception. If you haven’t read them yet, you are missing a lot.
Favourite 2020 Books – Non-Fiction
1- The Obesity Code – Dr Jason Fung
“The most important part of The Obesity Code is that it is effortless to read. It is full of information with its case studies and research, and it is fun! Dr Fung managed to explain everything in great detail without boring the reader. I’ve learned a lot about insulin and malnutrition, and let’s be honest; these aren’t simple subjects to read.”
2- Art as Therapy – Alain de Botton
“If you have works of art in your home (posters, replicas, etc.); enjoy visiting museums time to time; If you find yourself staring at beautiful buildings, you’ll love this book. If you are not interested in art enough and think that you don’t understand it, you should read this book”
3- Extra Virginity – Tom Mueller
“Extra Virginity is an exquisite book written by Tom Mueller, on olive oil, the most altered food in the world. While I was reading it, I got excited a lot, searched hundreds of articles, looked at the olive groves for sale and dreamed thanks to this book. It also made me happy because I got a lot of beneficial information. Now I look at olive oil with completely different eyes.”
4- Food WTF Should I Eat? – Mark Hyman
“Food WTF Should I Eat by Dr Mark Hyman is one of the best books out there if you want to learn how to eat more healthy. It is highly comprehensive with lots of up to date information about nutrition. There is so many information out there about food. Some of them are misleading, some of them are true. But how are we supposed to know what is healthy or not? This book is here to help!”
5- The Lost City of the Monkey God – Douglas Preston
“I didn’t expect to learn so much from such an entertaining book. So I will definitely take a look at Douglas Preston’s other books, as this is a book that satisfied me in every sense. I highly recommend this”
Which books made it to your top 5?
