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Over the past few years, quite a number of you all have asked me, “Hey, got any book suggestions?” (2019 was certainly no exception.) Your inquiring minds are pretty much why my annual book lists exist.

And as always, my reads covered multiple topics and genres: memoir, philosophy, psychology, satire, comics, genetics, and self-help, just to name a few.

What can I say? I’m a woman of many interests (read: obsessions). 😌

When I post an annual book list, I usually write all of the books I have read that year in the order that I have read them. However, writing a top 10 annual book list with a few of my thoughts on each book also sounded like a good idea.

So, in true millennial fashion, I handed the problem over to my followers on Twitter, letting them decide for me. And with a 51% vote (SO close), they decided that I should veer from the usual full list and instead focus on the top 10 books I read.

So without further ado, here is a glimpse into my bookish 2019 (with books written in no particular order).

1. :”The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind: My Tale of Madness and Recovery” by Barbara K. Lipska

I read nearly all of this book in one sitting. It was THAT good.

It follows the personal story of Barbara K. Lipska, a neuroscientist who ended up having a deadly case of brain cancer. Her cancer forced her out of being just a brain professional and plunged her into life also as a brain cancer patient.

One thing I really appreciate about this book is that Dr. Lipska does not give a rose-tinted portrayal of what it is like to live with a brain that is not functioning as it should. She shows it in all of its challenging, uncomfortable, painful glory. Her stubborn attitude also shines through, both in her relationship with her family while diagnosed to her unwavering willingness to fight the disease, even to the point of not doing what the doctor ordered.

I also loved the bits of neuroscience she would drop here and there to give more insight, not only to what she was dealing with, but other brain diseases as well.

It’s this combination of a gripping, raw personal story along with educational insight that made it an obvious addition to my annual book list.

I was able to read this book thanks to Kindle Unlimited, a monthly subscription that allows you access to millions of books. It’s been a key player in my ability to average just over 50 books read per year.

To begin your FREE 30 day trial with Kindle Unlimited, click here. You can cancel at anytime.

2. “The Walking Dead” by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard (Illustrator), Cliff Rathburn (Illustrator)

The Walking Dead comic series was a favorite of mine. I never watched the show but I will if the show is as gripping as this comic series was. I saw that the reviews for the comics were very high. And with good reason: the plotlines, plot twists, and intensity made reading them SO worth it.

The story focuses on a man named Rick, his family, and others who try to survive in a region overrun by the walking dead, zombie-like humans with an insatiable appetite for people.

The central theme in each book was very clear: we really have no idea what kind of people we will become if we are faced with making life or death decisions on a damn near daily basis. The line between right or wrong might just become very blurry.

I was able to read the first 10 books in this comic series for free thanks to Kindle Unlimited.

To begin your FREE 30 day trial with Kindle Unlimited, click here.

3. “Becoming” by Michelle Obama

I appreciate this book because Michelle Obama became more than just an influential former first lady to me. Her memoir humanized her even more.

I found it fascinating that she actually didn’t want her husband, former President Obama, to go into politics at first. How she preferred a life away from the political spotlight. As the sappy romantic I am, I loved reading how her romance with Barack Obama bloomed and developed. And I felt for her when she showed how (what seems to be) her every move was blown out of proportion by the press. The book was very memorable and for that, it earned a spot on my annual book list.

In order to get through her book, I alternated between reading the book in print and listening to the audiobook version (in her voice) thanks to Audible, a monthly subscription that allows you access to millions of audiobooks.

Audible is offering a 30-Day FREE trial to new listeners. During that trial, you’ll get 1 audiobook and 2 Audible Originals for FREE! And cool thing is even if you cancel your membership, you still get to keep the book. That’s such a win-win.

Click “buy now” above or click here to get your free audiobooks.

4. “Turtles all the Way Down” by John Green

Now this book is now one of my favorite pieces of young adult fiction I’ve ever read. Only makes sense that it would also make my annual book list, too. The protagonist, a teen named Aza, was so easy to love as she navigated love and friendship. She showed me how she felt like she was a prisoner of her mental illness, how her obsessiveness with being disease-free led her to do things that she did not want to do. Like compulsively reopening her wound on her finger to clean it, and putting a new band-aid on it multiple times per day.

She dropped so many profound observations about human nature along the way which just made her even more endearing to me.

Oh, and scene of her at the hospital was the most heart tugging for me. At the risk of putting a spoiler, I will leave it at that.

Click here to buy Turtles all the Way Down.

5. “Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide” by Elnathan John

This satire was a masterpiece. It had me screenshotting excerpts of the text to my family and social media. It was that fantastic.

Elnathan John’s book Be(com)ing Nigerian shed light on some of Nigeria’s biggest issues, everyday life in Nigeria, and interactions between Nigerians and foreigners. So many parts of this book had me laughing to tears. But the ones that really got me were the “Spiritual” section that explained how to worship the Nigerian God and the part titled “How To Fly Private to the Glory of God” (I’m literally laughing as I am typing this title 😂).

But there were times when I couldn’t laugh. When the reminder of the reality of Nigeria’s social climate left me saddened. This was especially true when I read the part titled “How to Own A Slave,” detailing the popular practice of having housegirls.

All in all, this book is a must read. For non-Nigerians, it will open your eyes to the reality of what a pretty typical life is for Nigerians. For Nigerians, you will be like, “Yup, this is it,” and laugh along the way.

Those living living in Nigeria can buy it here.

Those living in the US, buy the Kindle Edition here. (The paperback edition doesn’t get released until March 2020)

6. “Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters” by Matt Ridley

Oh man. This is one was exquisite. It got me right from the first paragraph and led me on the journey about our genetic history, both in our evolution and in our understanding and discovery of our genetics. It also covered many aspects of human history, including politics and eugenics.

My favorite part of the book was the last chapter on freewill, one that explored various arguments among scholars about the nature vs nurture argument and our genes’ roles in our decision making. It was the chapter that I wished continued long after it ended.

Click here to buy Genome. As of January 2020, the Kindle Edition is only $1.99!

7. “Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction”

Now this book I definitely appreciated as someone who both loves learning philosophy and someone with a biochemistry background who teaches science for a living. Philosophy of Science gives a short history of science’s development and transformation in the Western world as well as the philosophical dilemmas they posed. The book does not shy away from some of the gray areas that science possesses that inevitably become philosophical questions.

One dilemma that I was very familiar with prior to reading the book was how taxonomists define species. But this book really gave the dilemma a lot of food for thought. Defining a biological species does inevitably pose some philosophical problems like, for example, trying to reconcile variation within a species (thanks to evolution) with the fact that biologists use genetic similarity to define a species.

Another notable question this book posed was if science is value-free (aka neutral and only here to give us info). Apparently, philosophers don’t all agree here.

Click here to get your copy of “Philosophy of Science.”

8. “Plastic: A Toxic Love Story” by Susan Freinkel

This one was eye-opening. Freinkel did an excellent job detailing how we went from a non-plastic past to a plastic-ridden present. She shows what this transition–driven largely by convenience and cheaper products–means not only for our planet, but for our health.

One key takeaway to me is how the US and Europe do not agree on which plastic chemicals are actually bad for our health and how Europe has stricter requirements on plastic chemicals than the US does.

Another one is the fact that paper bags are not necessarily better than plastic ones.

“Plastic” is another Kindle Unlimited book (I’m telling you…Kindle Unlimited is the GOAT).

To begin your FREE 30 day trial with Kindle Unlimited, click here.

9. “Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex” by Mary Roach

Okay, so since my website is not a 18+ site, I cannot go into detail about this book (unless I want the gods of Google to penalize me). The title is self-explanatory. And the book is absolutely worthy to be on this annual book list. Very informative and full of studies and science experiments, providing various perspectives, including what science can tell about sexual behavior across sexual orientations and abilities.

Click here to buy “Bonk.”

10. “Human Errors: A Panorama of Our Glitches, from Pointless Bones to Broken Genes” by Nathan Lents

Last but certainly not least on this annual book list is “Human Errors.” Dr. Nathan Lents interrupts our almost romantic view of how our body works to show the many flaws it contains. I wrote a detailed review of this book, a review that Dr. Lents himself commented on. No big deal.

This book is available on Kindle Unlimited and you can your first month of Kindle Unlimited for FREE! Click here to get started.

Honorable Mention #1: “Ingredients: A Visual Exploration of 75 Additives & 25 Food Products” by Steve Ettlinger

We live in an age when “natural” is automatically see as better and additives are automatically bad. A large part of that comes from a good chunk of the public not knowing exactly where these additives come from, the role they play in our food, and their effects on our bodies beyond alarmist information.

This book sets out to explain the origin, history, and roles of common food additives. It also dispels myths about some foods that we think are naturally derived but aren’t. For example, I had no idea that cheddar cheese was only naturally white. I naturally orange cheddar was a thing. But that orange color is thanks to a dye called annatto.

Some people might be put off by the strong disdain the author has against the chemophobia mindset. But I found the book informative.

Click here to buy Ingredients. As of January 2020, the Kindle Edition is only 99 cents!

Honorable Mention #2: “Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind” by Annaka Harris

Now, this is the part where I admit that I am somewhat of a sadist when it comes to reading books. As I was reading, I took to Facebook to say,

“I’m about halfway through “Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Mystery of the Mind” by Annaka Harris and LOLOLOL my brain hurts. 🥴”

But man did it hurt so good.

The human mind has been the talk of philosophers and even scientists for centuries. The concept of consciousness leaves us with more questions than answers. And the ideas put forward inevitably become complex and counter our assumptions about reality. They are a mind twister in the best way.

Harris presents evidence and arguments suggesting that conscious will is an illusion and how consciousness survives the disappearance of the self. She also presents arguments for and against panpsychism, an idea that all things have an element of consciousness. This idea had me go Whaaaat? But what I do find interesting is how Harris presented her case for it in a way that didn’t sound like new-age woo. I still remain skeptical of it but I appreciate how it’s given me another idea to explore and learn. And I love how this book gave me even more of interest in how other thinkers have gone about the mystery that is consciousness.

Buy Conscious here.

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Which books on this list have you like 👀? Which ones pique your interest and why? And which books do you recommend that I read? Please let me know in the comments below.

Also, if you live in Nigeria and want a copy of any of these books, let me know in the comments so I can ask the Roving Heights bookstore if they can stock it for you.