We’re friends of all things books and libraries here at Blue Sky Mind, so it was all but inevitable that I’d ask my closest people to share their favorite books from 2020 with me. 

In keeping with the spirit of The Friendship Series, I’ll take a quick moment to reflect on who these friends are: they - like me - are a group of college-educated, millennial-aged humans seeking to carve out their space in the world and make a meaningful impact. Many of them love mindfulness and meditation, like me. Some are writers and communicators by trade, like me. All are finding professional success and personal fulfillment in their own way, with all the requisite ups and downs that any true story will bear. They are infinitely human and always, aspiringly, good. 

Seeing their choices come together into distinct themes was just as fun as writing my own list of favorites; the themes tell a crucial story about the year we’ve just lived through - what became important to us, what resonated the most. Their choices paint a picture of 2020 in and of themselves. 

What reading offered in 2020

“I've read more this year than any other year in my life.” I certainly echo the sentiment in this quote from my friend Margaret, and know that many in the mindful community felt the same way. We turned to reading in the year of the home for both obvious reasons (more time, an escape from Zoom interfaces and news apps) and deeper ones. In 2020, books gave my friends:  

• The opportunity to reflect. On the self and the role one plays in an unequal society. On the unique experiences of neighbors and friends who look different than us. 

• Help achieving goals. To become more conscientious, more creative, or more financially secure. To gain a feeling of accomplishment and move forward in what was otherwise a very stagnant-feeling year. 

• A call to action. To bring to light challenges facing our nation and our earth. To give inspiration for change and a blueprint for action. 

• Perspective. On the hardships of bygone eras and other cultures. 

Best books friends read in 2020 

Below are my most mindful, flourishing friends’ favorite books of 2020. I’ve included the Amazon description next to the recommendation from each friend.  Where I’ve read the book and loved it myself, I’ve included a BSM stamp of approval, which indicates that I believe it to be a valuable read on your journey to a more mindful and positive existence.

Reflecting on diverse experiences

I was so proud to find that the largest theme from the community was around books on the experiences of traditionally marginalized people. These books contained poignant stories about being black in America, living and working through trauma and disability, and the struggles of immigrants, helping each of their readers gain critical awareness and empathy on the role they play in creating a more equitable, just, and well society.  

• “I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness” x Austin Channing Brown: From a leading voice on racial justice, an eye-opening account of growing up Black, Christian, and female that exposes how white America’s love affair with “diversity” so often falls short of its ideals. [[BSM stamp of approval]]

  • “It was poignant and relevant. I could feel the author's pain immediately and appreciated the self-reflection it required.” - Casey 

  • “It was a very relatable and easy book to read on a challenging topic. Austin and I grew up in the same decade in similar sounding mostly white suburban neighborhoods. It was eye opening to hear how different her life was as a black woman in that same setting.” - Jenny 

• “Behold The Dreamers: A Novel” x Imbolo Mbue: A novel about marriage, immigration, class, race, and the trapdoors in the American Dream—the unforgettable story of a young Cameroonian couple making a new life in New York just as the Great Recession upends the economy. [[BSM stamp of approval]]

  • “It really made me realize how much ease, structure, and privilege is in my life compared to immigrants that are arriving in America.” - Becca

• “A Little Life” x Hanya Yanagihara: The novel follows four broke and adrift college classmates as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. [[BSM stamp of approval]]

  • “!!! It rocked my world. Tragically beautiful, I couldn't put it down. Made me think so much about how much of our human condition is based on how we frame things and what's going on in our minds, rather than based on our external conditions. It also reminds you that no matter what someone’s current situation is, you never know what they might have been through or conquered to get where they are, so compassion and kindness are always key.” - Jackie 

• “The Fire Next Time” x James Baldwin: A national bestseller when it first appeared in 1963, this book galvanized the nation, gave passionate voice to the emerging civil rights movement—and still lights the way to understanding race in America today.  

  • “It was extremely eye opening to try to put myself in the shoes of someone facing troubles so different than mine. Even though written in the early 60s, this book had lines that felt like they could truly be said today and that lack of progress is heart breaking . . . I had never read a James Baldwin book and it made me disappointed in our education system that he's not highlighted as one of the must-read authors in our modern day education.” - Mackenzie 

Accomplishing your goals  

Dr. Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology, used research to determine the five facets of human flourishing: pleasure, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. In a year where flourishing through pleasurable experiences and our relationships was made more difficult due to social distancing, some mindful individuals sought to find wellbeing through accomplishment. Self-help and educational reads like the ones below helped. 

• “I Will Teach You to be Rich” x Ramit Sethi. A personal finance expert shares an updated and expanded modern money classic for a new age, delivering a simple, powerful, no-BS 6-week program that works. 

  • “Just an excellent and practical personal finance book. I read like 2 books a year and I read this one in a week because it was so well-written and actionable.” - Will

• “Atomic Habits” x James Clear: One of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies teaches you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

  • “I was struck by the power of building, sustaining and rewarding yourself for great habits. One learning: create a mini loyalty program for yourself. Choose an expensive item, and pay yourself $5 every time you complete that habit. Triggers the reward center in your brain to reinforce you to keep going!” - Arjun

• “Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind” x Carolyn Gregoire and Scott Barry Kaufman: Revealing the latest findings in neuroscience and psychology, along with engaging examples of artists and innovators throughout history, the book shines a light on the practices and habits of mind that promote creative thinking.

  • “It's nonfiction, with each chapter outlining a different element of creativity and what qualities make someone creative. I related to it so much, and it really helped me to understand a lot about my psyche and why I am a certain way -- and what will help me to be more creative.” - Cecilia 

Being called to action 

In 2020, nature seemed to turn on us. Climate change ravaged the Earth, and a deadly virus ravaged its human population. I think this category naturally emerged out of a desire to get back to basics and take care of both the planet and the natural human body. You might consider both books “slow media,” which will take longer to read than, say, a gripping thriller novel, but will deliver vital perspective about what ails us and the nourishment we require to move forward instead.

• “Farmacology: What Innovative Family Farming Can Teach Us About Health and Healing” x Daphne Miller, M.D.: A practicing family physician and renowned nutritionist brings us beyond the simple concept of "food as medicine" and introduces us to the critical idea that it's the farm where that food is grown that offers us the real medicine. 

  • “I'm really into it and it's blowing my mind. It's definitely something I particularly nerd out on, but the content is stuff that everyone should read.” - Linda 

• “The Overstory: A Novel” x Richard Powers: Winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, this is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of―and song of praise to―the natural world.

  • “Hands down, it is one of the best books I think I've ever read . . . my last 5 years have made me incredibly shocked and concerned for the fragility of the early and humans’ forceful role in its demise; the Overstory threw that concern into overdrive. Never have I read something so beautiful, yet so harrowing at the same time. It should be required reading.” - Caroline 

Gaining perspective through different cultures 

New experiences are an important part of our happiness, which is always why travel has been a pillar of Blue Sky Mind. Though foreign vacations were off the table for many of us this year, it was awesome to see that my community still used books to “travel to” and learn about different time periods and cultures. 

• “The Girl With Seven Names: Escape from North Korea” x Hyeonseo Lee: An extraordinary insight into life under one of the world’s most ruthless and secretive dictatorships – and the story of one woman’s terrifying struggle to avoid capture/repatriation and guide her family to freedom. [[BSM stamp of approval]]

  • “Since we can't travel right now, it's a great perspective on another culture.” - Friend who wishes to remain private

• "The Nightingale: A Novel" x Kristin Hannah. This novel tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France. 

  • “To be honest, I didn't know much about the Nazi occupation of France before reading this historical fiction book. It was both educational and enthralling . . . and a great book to read in quarantine, as it really puts our position in perspective. Being forced to stay at home, safe in my apartment with a steady job.” - Margaret

If you’re sufficiently intrigued and plan to read any of these books, consider checking out from your local library (either a hard copy or a Kindle version are usually available!) or buying from a local, independent bookstore to support the institutions that need it most. For those who prefer to purchase via Amazon, I’ve linked each title above (using affiliate links, in full transparency).  

What’s the best book you read in quarantine 2020? Let us know in the comments below! If you’d like more content like this delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to my weekly email digest.

A note on the art in this post:

Jenny Haught is an artist drawn to the unexpected beauty found in everyday moments. The Friendship Series inspired her to start work on a new series of paintings that explores the experiences and emotions faced during Quarantine 2020.

“The stack of books by my bed piled high as I used reading to escape my quarantine reality and travel through others. Reading for pleasure or for personal growth exercises and expands my mind in ways binging shows and scrolling my phone does not. Book club moved to a digital format, but still offers a monthly, focused discussion and proof-of-life check in with friends.”

Up next: My Favorite Positive Psychology Books