End of the year list making is my favorite. It lets me reflect on the year and make some new goals for the future. Here are the 6 books I reread this year because I liked them so much the first time.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck shows how a mastery of spare prose can elicit strong emotions. First printed in 1937 and only 107 pages so it’s a quick way to add a classic to your reading.

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the 20th Century by Timothy Snyder, narrated by Nora Krug. It’s a thought provoking, visually appealing book about the dangers the US faces from authoritarianism. I only wish more people had read it before the election. 128 pages.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a historical thriller for book lovers. In 1945 Spain a boy is taken to the Cemetery for Lost Books and his life changed forever. “Books are mirrors- you only see in them what you already have inside you.” 487 pages

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. Nonfiction. Corrie’s family used a secret room to hide Jews when the Nazis invaded Holland. She and her sister were in their 50s, their father in his 80s when they were discovered and sent to a concentration camp. The one thing that sustained her was her faith in God. A master class about forgiveness and loving your enemies. 269 pages.

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende was my first introduction to magical realism. Set in Chile this story focused on the women around the monster Estaban . There was a focus in the last section on 1970s Chile when the ‘right’ overthrew the socialists by a coup, only to empower a dictator who ended democracy for the country. Hm. First published in 1982. 433 Pages.

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley is another magical realism book, but this one is has dual storylines. History, romance, danger, and the England setting make this a keeper. 364 pages

Which ones have you read?