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shortskirtsandsarcasm · 3 years

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My Best Reads of 2020 (Part 2)

My Best Reads of 2020 (Part 2)

In mid-2020 I made a blog post of the best books I read in the year up until then, and now it is time for part 2 of my best 2020 reads. My final book count was 201, and you can find the full list of titles here and here as well as any statistics you want here. The titles in this post will appear in alphabetical order.

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

This was a re-read for me. I read this series for the first time in middle school when I was 12/13 and was absolutely enamored of the real and fantasy settings in Victorian London. It was the first young adult thing I read, with the possible exception of Twilight (deep regret) and Meg Cabot’s The Boy Next Door (time for a re-read). I was worried that the story and characters would not hold up, reading it as an adult (like Twilight!) but I regret my doubts. It was just as perfect as I remembered.

Gemma Doyle is a sarcastic sixteen-year-old eager to grow up in a harsh world for women but has not thought much about what “growing up” will mean (both in the real world and in the fantasy world she discovers) until her mother dies suddenly and mysteriously and she is spirited from India where she has spent most of her life, to England to attend a stuffy girls’ boarding school, where she makes unlikely friends with the most popular girls and a poor outcast.

Even though she lives in the Victorian era and also a magical universe, many of her teenage experiences are very relatable. Friends, boys, romance, her relationship with her parents, and dealing with addiction, abuse, and The Patriarchy™. I am excited to re-read the rest of the series this year.

I will also take this opportunity to shout-out Bray’s other series, The Diviners! The fourth book came out this year and I loved it, just like I have loved every single other book Libba Bray has ever written. Maybe when I am done with my Gemma Doyle Trilogy series re-read I will re-read all of the Diviners books (especially because they have Gemma Doyle Easter eggs). I will make sure to rave about them to you all over again.

Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi

My first graphic novel! I saw the movie when it came out in 2011 in an arthouse theater in NorCal and I have not been able to find it online anywhere since then. Please let me know if you find it somewhere.

This 84-page book is a sad and beautiful tale of Nasser Ali Khan who has decided to take to his bed and wait for death since his beloved violin has been destroyed. There is a main timeline and flashbacks throughout Nasser’s history showing how his violin became his reason to live, and how it got destroyed.

Where the movie has many hilariously funny moments, the book does not. It is purely devastating. The artwork is gorgeous and evocative and even though the story is sad, in my mind it does not bog the reader down in sadness.

Know My Name by Chanel Miller

Reading this memoir was extremely tough, but of course important and worth it. Miller’s recollection of her assault and the physical and emotional toll it took on her is devastating to read, especially as it parallels many scenarios other women have found themselves in. Despite the dark subject matter, it was encouraging to see Miller’s resilience and healing process.

I immediately followed this book with She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, also an important book on rape and sexual assault and therefore also dark. I would absolutely recommend this book as well, but learn from my mistake and read at least one light fun thing in between them.

Scenes of a Graphic Nature by Caroline O’Donoghue

I have already reviewed this year (which you can find here) so I will only say that I loved it when I read it, but more importantly, it has stuck with me. I have thought about this book at least once a week since I have read it. I have thought about Satan, the dog a lot, but most of all I have thought of Charlie and Laura’s evolving friendship.

I am so excited for Caroline O’Donoghue’s newest book, All Our Hidden Gifts, out this year and I was bitterly disappointed to hear that the release date has been pushed back until July (though understandably). For more on my love of my fellow Caroline, you can read my original review of Scenes of a Graphic Nature.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

I find myself comparing every other book about a young woman finding her way in the world to this book. It made me uncomfortable and self-reflective, and it was highly entertaining at the same time. You can read my original review here.

Reid’s writing style is exceptionally readable and funny in places. This was an amazing debut and I hope Reid publishes a new book soon for my greedy bookworm soul.

The Golem and the Djinni by Helene Wecker

I have very recently extolled the virtues of The Golem and the Djinni, but here I am again, recommending this delightful tale. The central friendship is relatable, yet unlikely and unprecedented (at least in all the literature I have read) and the prose is atmospheric and transportive. I am a huge fan of magical realism, and this story satisfied my cravings.

Something I did not mention in my previous review is the deftly written descriptive prose. My favorites were the scenes of Chava working in the bakery, focusing on kneading bread dough and shaping pastries. Chava’s inner monologue while dealing with customers and their private thoughts and desires was also a touch I appreciated. Maybe I have not read enough books with a mind-reader protagonist, but Chava’s type of clairvoyance felt fresh to me.

The Witches are Coming by Lindy West

Lindy West is a gift. I listened to the audiobook, which she reads herself, and was absolutely crying with laughter. Her writing style is accessible and her analogies are perfect. I wish I had her talent to distill the world’s cruel injustices so deftly and accurately.

My favorite essay was “Ted Bundy is not Hot, Are You High?” As much as I love the true crime genre, I do have a gripe with the thirst people seem to have for Bundy. Why? First of all, he looks like an average man from the ’70s who is off-duty from his day-job making balloon animals at the county fair. Second, anyone who perpetrates vicious and brazen gendered violence is immediately not attractive. West expresses this much better than I ever could, and with the added bonus of humor.

For more media on the [American] fascination with white men serial killers, I would recommend the podcast You’re Wrong About, specifically the episodes on “alpha males,” Kitty Genovese, and Jeffrey Dahmer.

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tripstations · 4 years

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Évian les Bains: Good in Any Season

and our driver, Laurence pulls over and leaves the automobile operating. ‘Often, at this level, I cease and present you the gorgeous view of the lake and the mountains past’, she says, a slight trace of regret in her voice. Laurence factors to the fitting: ‘The Rhône River, if you happen to might see it, enters from the east and exits the lake by the west, simply over there’. Already our drive from Bellegarde station has been filled with tantalizing views of snow-topped mountain peaks and speeding river valleys filled with quaint and picturesque French Alpine villages. However alas, our first views down the sloping valley to the gorgeous Belle Époque city of Évian les Bains is shrouded in a creamy white masking of cloud. Nearer to Lac Léman, (NOT Geneva, we’re reminded) a low hanging fog lingers for our five-day go to, sponsored by the Evian Tourism Board. Evian is an attention-grabbing mixture of locals and vacationers alike. Ferry commuters to Lausanne, alpine hikers and skiers from Britain and Germany, spa lovers taking the well-known heat and soothing waters of Evian les Thermes, all descend on this historic resort city of 8000 residents, having fun with the mountains, the lake, and naturally quenching their mineral water thirst with bottle upon bottle of the city’s ‘Evian Eau’ or Evian water. Very similar to we’re, having fun with Christmas within the French Alps. From the loopy inhabitants of Le Fabuleux Village, ‘Les Flottins’, to a pastry making class: the traditional Mont Blanc, with a famend native pastry chef, or a wholesome hike within the French Alps, there’s a lot to do in Evian, even when it proves to be an unseasonably heat, cloudy, gray and snow-less time. Completely located on the shores of Lac Léman and on the foot of the French Alps, Évian les Bains gives an unimaginable number of actions, summer time or winter.

Our first glimpse of Evian’s Lac Léman (Geneva)

Soak up Le Fabuleux Village

The medieval torches parade up and down Évian essential sq. every night time in the course of the Christmas season, calling all of the Flottins, the inhabitants of the whimsical Le Fabuleux Village constructed of driftwood-strewn on the shores of Lac Léman, to make merry in the course of the busy Christmas season. Evian doesn’t entertain her residents and seasonal guests with a standard Christmas Market. Reasonably, December ninth via January 2, finds the complete city of Evian festooned with over 1000 fantastical driftwood sculptures. Plan to reach for the opening night the place you may be handled to a magical parade via the city sq., torches burning vivid, and a luminous white, four-story magical horse main Les Flottins, seemingly out of Lac Léman and into city, and all capped with an amazing show of fireworks to welcome the vacation season. Your youngsters will likely be charmed!

Evian’s Le Fabuleux Village

Take the Waters:

Evian is thought for it’s therapeutic mineral waters: reported to be an ideal tonic for expectant moms, newborns, the aged or these with joint ache. Go on to the supply: the gorgeous columned supply Cachat, the place Eau Evian constantly flows at a temperature of 11.6 °, is known as after the household who, in March 1827 offered the spring to a Genevan entrepreneur M. Fauconnet launching the Évian mineral water firm, Société des Eaux Minérales d’Évian. The supply Cachat is the remaining single outlet for the water which started its lengthy journey as rainfall and snow-melt excessive atop the French Alps, taking some 15+ years for the valuable water to filter via the glacial sand formations, arriving on the supply Cachat. Francois, our information handily fingers us a few glasses for sampling of the mineral water. I return a number of instances throughout our go to to fill my very own private bottle from the supply Cachat. Positioned in entrance of the supply Cachat and housed within the former authentic 1903 Artwork-Nouveau pump room on the rue Worldwide, the exhibition and data centre now showcases upscale procuring and all the pieces you possibly can probably need to learn about Evian’s well-known water.

Take a Hike

Within the Alps, that’s. We have a look at our itinerary for the morning: ‘You may be taking a snowshoe hike’. How Canadian, I assumed. Nonetheless, there isn’t any snow for our snowshoes! Our information, the very French Francois of the Alp’Evianature group, matches us with some climbing boots and we drive up and over the foothills of the Chablais Mountain vary and spend a beautiful Sunday, surrounded by the one solar and blue sky that we’ve seen, climbing excessive up between Mont Blanc and Lac Léman, earlier than actually crossing ten steps throughout the Swiss border. We cease in Alp’Evianaure’s ‘Igloo’ mountain hut and refresh with path combine, heat tea and if we like, a glass of wine within the Sunday solar, having fun with intensive views right down to a clouded-over Lac Léman and additional on, the Swiss metropolis of Lausanne. Lunch is on the Alpine and family-run Le Relais de la Chevrette and is full on Raclette Royal: heat gooey, tacky loveliness simply ready to be paired with boiled potatoes, heat bites of sausage and carrots, a choice of charcuterie, contemporary baguette and a tangy inexperienced salad. Beer and glasses of wine heat our weary climbing bones.

Take Some Spa Time

After your rigorous hike and mountain lunch, les Thermes d’Evian is the final word spa expertise providing a number of methods to rejuvenate and calm down these post-hike aching bones and that full abdomen. Whether or not they be medical, well being or magnificence associated issues, les Thermes d’Evian gives a pure option to recharge your batteries ‘from the supply’ and is acknowledged as a legit possibility of hydrotherapy care, and well-being by France’s Nationwide Academy of Medication.

Evian’s les Thermes

Soak up a Museum

With no snow to entice us to the ski hills of Chamonix and Mont Blanc, we spend the afternoon on the Palais Lumière, the unique Thermal Corridor, an unimaginable instance of early 20th-century spa structure, which housed the Evian Baths from 1902 to 1984 has served because the city’s cultural and conference centre since 2006. We completely loved De la Caricature à l’affiche, highlighting the contributions of cartoonists and satirists to the historical past of poster artwork between 1850 and 1918. A small portion of the exhibition, on mortgage from Paris’ Musée Artwork Ornamental, centered on the latest satirical and political contributions of Charlie Hebdo. Very highly effective.

Our final afternoon is spent with one of many many challenges the Tourism Board has set for us. We wander the afternoon sq., having fun with the smokey scent of Le Village and the antics of Les Flottins. Spontaneous music and the sounds of Sunday afternoon youngsters, excitedly anticipating Christmas fill the air. We cease to sip and savour some seasonal bits and bites and heat our toes by the open pit fires burning brightly. Our ultimate problem full, we wander right down to the lake because the skies open up and a ravishing, blue-skied, sunny view of Lake Léman and the majestic mountains past presents itself to us. Fréderique, our host for the final 4 days, slyly feedback ‘see? I saved the most effective for final!’

And certainly she has.

Ideally situated on the shores of Lac Léman and on the foot of the French Alps, Evian-les-Bains gives an unimaginable number of actions, summer time or winter. Take pleasure in if you happen to can in the course of the Christmas season: we definitely did!

Our journey to #FestiveFrance was made doable by the beneficiant assist of the France Tourism Workplace, Air France and the Evian Tourism Board. Additionally thanks to Rail Europe for offering swift, comfy and fear free journey between Paris, Evian and again once more. Whereas in Evian, we stayed on the Hilton Evian les Bains, conveniently situated proper on the shores of Lac Léman. Thanks as properly to My WebSpot, who supplied a wonderful transportable WiFi service that allowed tripstations to attach our Instagram, Fb, and Twitter content material with you on a minute by minute foundation!

World Traveler, Author, and Blogger, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the tripstations.com journey weblog. A former Actor, present shower-singer, and non-hipster foodie. Loves his week-end home in St Marys, Ontario. Dad to Sophia, Ariel, and Hastings three of the most effective cats on the planet.

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usatrendingsports · 6 years

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In main resurrected UAB to a bowl, no coach in comparison with Invoice Clark in 2017

A countdown clock appeared applicable for UAB soccer. This system had confronted deadlines earlier than. Blazers coach Invoice Clark had gotten the thought from former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.

Nearly each program has one nowadays — a digital chronograph posted someplace within the soccer facility, pink numbers ticking right down to the start of the season, a rivalry sport, and so forth. It’s meant to encourage, stimulate, encourage. It additionally was outrageous at UAB which had years to go earlier than taking part in soccer once more.

“It was, like, 600 days,” Clark mentioned after watching his gamers slog via drills for … nothing. “I used to be pondering, ‘What have I completed?’ “

The clock ultimately counted right down to one of the crucial distinctive seasons in faculty soccer historical past. UAB gained a school-record eight video games in 2017 — after taking two seasons off.

UAB dropped soccer in 2014 — after which restored for this season.

That is why, Three ½ years after his program’s demise, Invoice Clark is CBS Sports activities’ Coach of the Yr.

There’s merely no comparability to this yr or some other coach. Clark took what basically was an enlargement franchise to a second-place tie in Convention USA’s West Division and this system’s second bowl berth.

Its All-America caliber cornerback (Darious Williams) delivered flowers after this system died. Stroll-ons scrimmaged in opposition to one another understanding they could not play for 2 years. Clark himself stayed to see this via.

The reward: The Blazers (Eight-Four) have been undefeated at residence and led Convention USA in attendance.

“That is the best comeback in faculty soccer historical past,” UAB athletic director Mark Ingram mentioned. “Nothing like this has ever occurred, I imagine, in faculty sports activities.”

He may be proper.

In 2014, UAB president Ray Watts shuttered this system citing funds constraints. The outcry was important and fast. Watts and guide Invoice Carr, amongst others, have been blamed.

“By default, I grew to become the villain,” mentioned Carr, a veteran search agency knowledgeable who was commissioned to see what it might take to finance this system. “They needed to throw rocks at any person. They vilified us with completely no legitimacy.”

Errors, nevertheless, had been made on monetary projections. There was a thirst for soccer at UAB — a metropolis faculty taking part in within the shadow of Alabama

Aided by a kick begin from annual subsidies, UAB raised $40 million from the bottom. It constructed a soccer facility with an indoor construction that’s has good as something within the Group of 5.

Simply to get individuals fired up, Ingram had a backhoe planted on the development web site, “only for present.”

The NCAA helped by chopping via pink tape so it may return this quickly. Aided by NCAA government vp Oliver Luck, UAB wasn’t required to undergo the same old provisional course of that might have required it to start out in FCS. The Blazers have been allowed to signal two recruiting lessons in a calendar yr. It simply appeared like the proper factor to do.

“I simply helped the place I may,” Luck mentioned this week. “They deserve all of the credit score. UAB taking part in in opposition to is sweet for the school sport. Alabama is a greater soccer state when UAB is taking part in.”

The Blazers have been allowed to compete for a bowl their first yr again. The thought of followers of the once-dead program parading down the streets of Nassau for the Bahamas Bowl later this month boggles the thoughts.

None of it occurs with out Clark. The 49-year-old Anniston, Alabama, native was dedicated to this soccer state. It was onerous sufficient leaving his alma mater, FCS Jacksonville (Ala.) State, after one yr in 2013 to come back to UAB.

“There have been damage emotions,” Clark mentioned. “That is the place I met my spouse. All my household lives there. I assumed UAB was actually like numerous locations — they’re on onerous instances, they want somebody to reinvigorate them. I needed to say it, sounds boastful, however they wanted me. They wanted a neighborhood man.”

That native man led the Blazers in 2014 to their first non-losing season (6-6) in 11 years. They have been even bowl eligible till the lights have been turned off.

It is one factor to be a Son of Alabama. It is one other to remain on the faculty that handled him like Charlie Brown having the soccer pulled away from him by Lucy.

By June 1, 2015, Convention USA wanted to know if UAB was bringing again soccer. If not, it might be kicked out of the convention in all sports activities. UAB was all in — on June 1.

Three months later, Clark signed a five-year extension.

“Actually, we have been doing it with me and [a few] coaches,” Clark recalled. “The remainder have been GAs and volunteers. … My dad was an previous highschool coach. One factor he mentioned was, ‘Do not ever get cocky.’ There isn’t any doubt I am proud.”

He must be. UAB by no means deserved to die. It is a program that when beat LSU, Mississippi State, Baylor and TCU.

The truth? It by no means would have come again this sturdy except it did die.

“It took this sort of get up,” Ingram mentioned. “‘You do not know what you’ve got acquired ’til it is gone,’ proper?”

When soccer as soon as once more was turning into a actuality, Clark and Ingram would remind one another throughout Saturday morning recruiting breakfasts. This needed to be a film sometime.

“Invoice is angling for Brad Pitt to play his half,” mentioned Ingram, a Tennessee middle below Johnny Majors and Phil Fulmer. “If he will get Brad Pitt, I get George Clooney.”

How do you evaluate Clark’s accomplishment with different coach of the yr candidates? You do not. There’s merely no technique to placed on an equal airplane what Lincoln Riley has completed at Oklahoma or Dabo Swinney at Clemson.

They coach residing, respiratory, thriving nationwide powers. Riley was improbable, taking the job at 33 with the sudden retirement of Bob Stoops. In his first yr as a head coach, Riley led the Sooners to the Huge 12 title and a School Soccer Playoff berth.

Swinney adopted a 14-1 nationwide championship with one other ACC title and CFP berth, making it three in a row. Solely Alabama has been within the playoff all 4 years.

However evaluating their sources to UAB’s is like evaluating a single-cell animal to the House Shuttle. It is the little program that would. Your complete UAB group was nominated this season for the Orange Bowl Braveness Award sometimes given to a school soccer particular person who shows extraordinary braveness on or off the sector.

CBS Sports activities has by no means chosen a Group of 5 program chief as its coach of the yr. The Soccer Writers Affiliation of America honor goes again to 1957. It has chosen one such coach — Air Pressure’s Fisher DeBerry in 1985.

“The NCAA has by no means seen something like this,” Clark mentioned.

“It is a as soon as in a lifetime journey,” Ingram mentioned.

Perhaps the best accomplishment was training a band of walk-ons, JUCOs, signees and 2014 holdovers for video games nonetheless 600 days away.

“Gosh, that shall be within the e-book we write sometime,” Clark mentioned. “How do you get them to work out with out video games?

“I purchased a countdown clock yearly since I coached in highschool. Now, I am unable to take it down.”

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