I start each morning in Lima the way many of you do, by reading the New York Times. But lately, I’ve only scrolled to the WORDLE, which I play on my bumpy commute. Why? The headlines remind me of a clogged toilet that won’t flush, the same crap resurfacing everyday, and not going away. Where’s a plumber when you need one? So, instead of taking in the cesspool of broken politics and power brokers, I sip my morning Villa Rica roast and relish books.
Living abroad, I read more than I did in the USA, or maybe the time I spent reading sales flyers for Bed Bath and Beyond goes into reading something of more substance. In China, I belonged to incredible reading groups. The founding members had visa stamps that predated the internet, so reading was their chief form of entertainment other than comparing intestinal parasites. And because China doesn’t honor copyrights, I had an endless library of ebooks on my phone, but when it got stolen in Chile, my book collection ended up like the scrolls of Timbuktu. Gone.
Even though I lost my pocket library, I do feed my voracious appetite for books with the help of Libby, Kindle and ReadEra. Anyway, here’s what I devoured over the past year since the headlines are worse than a squatty on the border of China and Vietnam.
Harrison Scott Key How to Stay Married 2023
What took me so long to discover this hysterical memoir? Harrison , a man of faith but not an evangelical zombie, was determined to keep his marriage glued together even after his wife cheated and cheated. A blend of humor and hope and great confirmation why I didn’t want children.
2023 Stephen Kuusisto. Have Dog Will Travel
The author, legally blind, can paint pictures with words that put the rest of us to shame. Excellent writing and an interesting premise. Spoiler alert: the last chapter is sadder than Old Yeller.
Paul Theroux , Patagonia Express 1993.
My favorite author explores my backyard with landscapes of interesting people and history. In parts of the book, I can see how South America has changed. Other parts capture timeless truths. There’s a memorable bit about a guy whose tooth explodes on a train to Cusco plus several dining experiences you won’t find on trip advisor.
David Grann The Wager 2023
Ater visiting Ushuaia, the southern most tip of South America and shipwreck capital of the world, I became interested in shipwreck history. This Wager left England for South America in 1740, where the crew got stuck on a deserted island without the help of the professor and Gilligan. I will never complain about leg room on a flight again.
Ian Urbina Outlaw Ocean: Crime and Survival in the Last Untamed Frontier 2019
Another New York Times reporter alerts readers that human trafficking isn’t limited to sweat shops making Christmas sweaters. Crews catching tuna are often held there against the will enduring grave conditions. After reading, I vow only to purchase fish from local fisherman.
Mary Roach Replaceable You 2025
Learn about what you didn’t really want to know about medical advances and aging body parts, many made possible by pigs and other creatures. I’ll leave it at that.
Nicholas Kristoff Chasing Hope 2025
Another New York Times reporter that will be sitting next to God in heaven. His courage and reporting will tear your heart out…and since I also read Mary Roach’s book, I know where to get a new one.
First Nations Indigenous Translation on the New Testament 2021 various authors. Since you really can’t mail your prayer requests to a patron saint (don’t tell Lima tourists), I recommend reading this translation to bring new vigor to your faith. Great stories of Jesus the Water Walker and Creator Sets Free. Same plot line.
Peter H Reynolds The Dot 2003
My students loved it, too. A gift from my sister whose birthday is on Dot Day!
I had more books including a collection of travel essays, Philip Roth’s American Pastoral 1997 (I’m sampling a few Pulitzer prize winners), Steven Wright’s Harold, and Winn Dixie. That’s for school.
What are some of your favorite titles of the year?