The Dean's List-2020 Edition

2020…the year of Covid-19, will no doubt be a year we will all remember. One would think, with all of the additional time spent at home, I would have had a record year as far as the number of books read, however, I actually do a lot of “reading” through audio books during my commute, so, my reading time was actually cut short. That said, this year I ended up reading 32 books, far short of my annual 50-book goal. However, in all fairness, six of those books were by Brandon Sanderson and he writes some seriously long novels…over 5,500 pages just from those six books!

Several of the books in my Top 10 for 2020 were recommended by my good friend Steve Hoskins as part of a joint inquiry we have begun into the nature of work we call “The Good Work Project”. Also, I am so pleased to include on my list the debut (and unpublished) novel from my daughter, Emily Brooks, Son of Moss and Mountain. I hope you will all have access to this wonderful fantasy novel very soon! Finally, Emily has just self-published a collection of poems and essays called “The Redeemed Imagination” as a free eBook, which I have included here: https://littledidsheknowerdiehl.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3396f524d0a168526eeaba64b&id=0b3d4a08cb&e=46a0030991

2020 Top Ten List (In no particular order)

The Mistborn Trilogy-Brandon Sanderson

Comprised of three books, Mistborn, The Well of Ascension, and Hero of Ages, this collection from Brandon Sanderson shows why he is one of the greatest writers of fantasy of our time. Sanderson does what so few writers are able to do; write engaging fantasy that is not derivative. His worlds, characters, systems of magic, and plotlines continually surprise me, which, after 50 years of reading fantasy is hard to do.

The Stormlight Archive-Brandon Sanderson

Let’s just get all of the Sanderson out of the way…bottom line, if you love fantasy, you have to read his work. This series is planned to span ten books with the fourth book having just released in November. I have read the first three (The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Oathbringer) and am about halfway through the fourth book, The Rhythm of War. Reading Sanderson is a commitment. As I mentioned above, he writes long books. The books in this series average around 1,200 pages each! But, it is worth it…if you love fantasy, which I do.

Victory-Joseph Conrad

It’s Joseph Conrad, so, there are foreign lands, tension, sadness, and a brooding protagonist wrestling with his inner darkness. What’s not to like?

Whose Justice? Which Rationality?-Alasdair MacIntyre

A not-so-brief history of philosophical thought along with commentary from one of the world’s preeminent philosophers. This sweeping volume traces and analyzes philosophical thought from its roots in Ancient Greece through to the Modern Era.

A Failure of Nerve-Edwin Friedman

This book was brought to my attention by Dan Boone, president of Trevecca. It explores the role of leaders in a crisis with particular attention paid to what happens when leaders fail to lead. While it is a bit of a cumbersome read, there are some great insights. His concept of the well-differentiated leader is, by itself, worth the time it takes to read the book.

The History of Work-Richard Donkin

I read this as part of “The Good Work Project” I mentioned above. Donkin starts with the origins of work in prehistoric culture and moves into the present. Donkin highlights the shifting attitudes towards work created by the industrial age, mass production, consumerism, and the Protestant work ethic ending with a recommendation to expand the definition of “value” to include the value of time, pleasure, freedom, family, and friends when thinking about the role of work in our daily lives.

Insomnia-Stephen King

If you have read King’s “Dark Tower” series, this book is a must. That’s all I am going to say because anything else would be a spoiler. King has written so many books, not all of equal quality, that it can be hard to know is worth reading. If you like King, this one should be on your list. If you do not like King, this book will not convince you otherwise.

Son of Moss and Mountain-Emily Brooks

Okay, she is my daughter and I love her, so let’s just get that out up front. That said, for a debut fantasy novel, this book has many of the elements I love including wonderful characters, a unique world with some truly original elements, and a gripping story line that pulls in deeper spiritual and ethical issues. I can’t wait to see what she does next!