My Top Reads of 2020

TW/CW: This article mentions Larry Nassar and sexual assault. 

With the abundance of free time I had throughout quarantine, I spent more time reading than I had in a VERY long time. I like having a diverse reading catalog, so I switch up each read between a non-fiction and fictional book. Here are some of my top reads from the past six months…

Start By Believing, Larry Nassar’s Crime, the Institutions that Enabled Him and Brave Women Who Stopped a Monster: John Barr and Dan Murphy 

I began reading Start By Believing after watching the Netflix documentary, Athlete A, both of which focus on the years of sexual abuse experienced by gymnastic athletes from the Olympic to regional scale by physician Larry Nassar. The book provides accounts from multiple survivors, as well as their stories. The documentary is connected with Know Your Nine, an organization that works to fight for the protection that Title IX provides for survivors of sexual assault. 

Doing Justice: A Prosecutor’s Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law: Preet Bharara 

Written by a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Bharara reflects on his most memorable cases and mentors. His perspective on morality and ethics within the courtroom, combined with a sarcastic tone, creates an engaging memoir.

ME: Elton John

Following a life full of music, drugs, and tantrums, in his biography, Elton John gives insight into just what it was like to be the world’s biggest rock star. Amidst all the whirlwind chaos, there are raw moments where John discusses his struggle with addiction and becoming an activist for those with AIDS. 

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: Haruki Murakami

Far less abstract than his fictional work, Murakami’s running memoir is by far my favorite book of his. Throughout the novel, Murakami takes you along his fitness journey: hunched over and barely able to breathe after 20 minutes of a slow jog to completing a marathon each year. He dives into what running means to him and the mental clarity that it provides. 

The Nickle Boys: Colson Whitehead 

This historical fiction novel follows a young black boy, Elmwood Curtis, and his time at Nickel Academy, a juvenile reformatory based on Dozier Academy. Beginning with his unfair sentence, the reader and Elmwood grow up together, as he fights for freedom in the racially divided south.

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