Showing posts with label Best of 2019. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Best of 2019. Show all posts

Friday, January 3, 2020

Best of Rereading and Rewatching — 2019

How long's it been since you reread or rewatched these? Pardner, that's too long.

My top picks from last year. In no particular order.

Sita Sings the Blues
A creative delight. The Indian story of The Ramayana told three ways,
all from Rama's wife's point of view ... the titular Sita.
(My review here.)

The Lunchbox
Mistaken lunch deliveries connect a young housewife and a widower
when they send each other notes in the lunchbox.

Lootera
Loosely based on an O'Henry story. With redemption in the end.
Lagaan
Peasants versus the Raj in an epic cricket match.
Charming and a celebration of the human spirit.




The Curse of Chalion
by Lois McMaster Bujold
A bedraggled, galley ship survivor is caught, despite his best efforts to the contrary,
in the middle of royal intrigue. Plus getting errands from the gods.  
(My review here.)

Paladin of Souls
by Lois McMaster Bujold
Sequel to Curse of Chalion, from Ista's point of view. Maybe even better than the first book.

The Killer Angels
by Michael Shaara
Simply amazing in communicating the humanity, flaws, errors, and brotherhood of these men fighting at Gettysburg ... and the tragedy of the battle.
(My review here.)

Andrea Vernon and the Corporation for Ultrahuman Protection
by Alexander C. Kane
Mixing the workplace, romance, and superheroes. Andrea sees all the action from behind-the-scenes at a corporation which manages their contracts and assignments. Which is very funny indeed.
(My review here.)

Mockingbird
by Walter Tevis
In the 25th century robots do all the work and no one can read. Paul has discovered how to read and this changes everything. There's no way to really describe this book well. Read my review and then read it for yourself.
(My review here.)

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Best of 2019—Books

In 10 words or less, my top 10 picks from the over 160 books I read last year. You may find old books here but if they're on this list, then they were new to me! In no particular order.




Bollywood Kitchen
by Sri Rao
Home-cooked easy Indian meals paired with Bollywood films. 
(My review here.)

Bollywood: The Films! The Songs! The Stars!
DK Publishing
Stellar look at Bollywood history, background, and new movie resource.
(My review here.)

The Bayeaux Tapestry
by Lucien Musset
Full-colour reproduction of entire Tapestry with a detailed commentary.
(My review here.)

Lent
fantasy by Jo Walton
Priest Girolamo can see demons and cast them into Hell.
(My review here.)

Letter to a Suffering Church
(A Bishop Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis )
by Bishop Robert Barron
Encourages Catholics to fight for the Church to be true to Christ.
(My review here.)

My Plain Jane
by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows
Funny, inventive, light, alternative history of Jane Eyre. With ghosts.

The Light of Christ
by Thomas Joseph White
A good dose of philosophy with your Catholic faith.
(My reviews here.)

Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God
(Retracing the Ramayana Through India )
by Jonah Blank
Retelling the Ramayana and linking it to Indian culture/history. 

The Last Dance
 by Martin L. Shoemaker
Investigating mutiny charges against captain of Martian spaceship. Heinlein-esque sf.
(My review here.)

The Pioneers
(The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West)
by David McCullough
Back when the West was Ohio. Interesting, inspiring, proud to be American.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Best of 2019 — Movies

In 10 words or less, my top 10 picks from the over 130 movies we watched last year. As always, the movies may be old, but my viewing was brand new in 2019. In no particular order.


Kahaani
Hollywood would be proud to make a thriller like this.
(My review here.)

Fan
Shah Rukh Khan plays his own stalker. Nail biting thriller.
(My review here.)

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
(A Match Made By God)
Solid comedy and sweet look at true love and marriage.
(My review here.)

Eega (Fly)
Heartwarming, thrilling story of a man reincarnated as a fly
so he can protect his love and take vengeance on his murderer.
(C'mon, no one can sum that up in 10 words).

Piku
Crazy family's road trip from Delhi to Calcutta in a taxi.
(My review here.)

Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse
Genius animation—Spidermen from different universes in one great adventure.

Padmaavat
Epic interpretation of epic poem.
(My review here.)

Dor
Two women's lives become intertwined by unlikely, dire circumstances.
(My review here.)

Fighting With My Family
Funny, quirky, and thoughtful coming-of-age sports movie.
(My review here.)

Ram-Leela
Romeo and Juliet — Bollywood style.
(My review here.)