The most compelling books I read this year

and some reasons why I loved them

I was sixteen and I couldn’t remember the name of a poetry book I’d read. I knew the author but they’d written many books. I had trouble remembering which I’d seen and which was the one I’d picked up. I was annoyed enough that I vowed to never again wind up in that situation. I began making lists of every book I read, starting it over with the new year.

…