The Best of the Best: My Top Fiction Book & Nonfiction Book of 2019

Here they are: my favorite fiction book and nonfiction book of 2019!

Fiction:

City of Girls by: Elizabeth Gilbert (Riverhead) – Pub Date: June 4, 2019

“At some point in a woman’s life, she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time. After that, she is free to become whoever she truly is.”

When 19-year-old Vivian Morris gets kicked out of college, she finds herself moving in with her Aunt Peg who owns a rundown theater, the Lily Playhouse. There she is introduced to an eclectic assortment of characters – flamboyant, vivid, and unconventional. Vivian has a lot of growing up to do and as she discovers who she is and what kind of life she desires, she makes mistakes and grows from them.

Admist the razzle dazzle of the theater and the showgirls, the setting of NYC is fabulous! I’m so glad I was able to read this one while vacationing there with my husband; it really brought the book to life in such a memorable way!

This book still manages to find its way into my mind from time to time. It’s the perfect balance between light-heartedness and fun, but also deeper and more complicated issues. This book made my Mid-Year Top 10 List back in July and it was never knocked off from its #1 spot in my mind. I also mentioned it on Sarah’s Book Shelves Live Podcast as one of the books that has deserved all the hype it’s gotten.

Nonfiction:

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by: Garrett M. Graff (Avid Reader Press) – Pub Date: September 10, 2019

There isn’t a whole lot to say about this amazing book except READ IT! Powerful, emotional, and essential, it is THE book of all books.

Told in oral history format, Graff took meticulous notes to compile a priceless historical account of the day that changed the world, September 11, 2001. This is a book that should be read by every American, and I also believe it needs to be added to high school and college curriculums everywhere.

This book is outstanding in every way. While I initially read the print version, audiobook will be next for me. This is one of those books that I will recommend for years to come and I plan to visit it as a reread annually.

I’d love if you leave a comment below telling me your favorite fiction book and nonfiction book of 2019!