10 BOOKS I READ

A relatively light year, there was still a lot of meaning and purpose in the books I chose to read in 2018.

Four of the books focused, to some degree, on mental health and wellness. Lost Connections is a holistic look at what causes depression and anxiety. A Hidden Wholeness looks at the role of community in our wellness. Just This is one of the most important books I’ve read in a long time. And Evidence, though a book of poetry, has opened a door to verse that I find restorative and centering.

Three books focused on racial injustice and the African American experience. Walking with the Wind is an expansive and powerful firsthand account on the Civil Rights movement from John Lewis. I’m Still Here is an honest and unflinching look at one woman’s modern experience in a society that certainly isn’t post-racial. Just Mercy is required reading, a book that tells one man’s story of wrongful conviction that puts him on death row–but it also tells the larger story of racial terrorism throughout our nation’s history and the consequences racial violence is still having on people today. (The movie, starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx is out now! There is also a documentary, listed below, that tells the story of the book.)

Talking to Strangers is the best audiobook I’ve ever listened to (the production quality and use of source materials is fantastic!). This book also intersects with issues of race, gender, and injustice. Malcolm has put out another fantastic book that will challenge the way you see others and how you approach understanding what other people want and communicate.

The Education of an Idealist is a bit of a niche read, a memoir of the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. during Obama’s second term. But I found it highly fascinating and even relatable in places. Finally, The River of Consciousness was the final book published by Oliver Sacks (of Awakenings fame). An interesting collection of essays to say the least.

See more of my favorite books from previous years.

FAVORITE DOCUMENTARIES

• Free Solo (Hulu, Disney+)

• True Justice (HBO)

• Knock Down the House (Netflix)

• American Factory (Netflix)

• Echo in the Canyon (Netflix)

• Jane (Hulu)

• Miss Sharon Jones! (Netflix)

• The Summit (Amazon)

• Lindsay Vonn: The Final Season (HBO)

THERE ARE TOO MANY PODCASTS

It’s impossible to keep up with the avalanche of new “content.” You may already know this–but I was still in denial when 2019 started. I love podcasts for their creativity, information, and diversity. But in 2019, I simply couldn’t keep up. As you’ll see, I still have a lot of recommendations. But it’s a narrower field for me than it has been.

Below are three lists: my favorites, my regular rotations, and three featured podcasts that came out in 2019.

(click on the tile of each podcast for more info)

My Favorite Podcasts

I listen to every episode. These are the best from 2019.

RADIOLAB — The Punchline, For Whole the Cowbell Tolls, Bit Flip, The Good Samaritan, The Miseducation of Larry P, Things

REPLY ALL — The Roman Mars Mazda Virus, Adam Pisces and the $2 Coke, Dark Pattern

REVISIONIST HISTORY — The Tortoise and the Hare, Descend into the Particular, Tempest in a Teacup, Good Old Boys

In My Regular Rotation

I’m subscribed and listen to most episodes of these.

• ARMCHAIR EXPERT

• CONAN O’BRIEN NEEDS A FRIEND

• THE REWATCHABLES

• ON BEING

• THE ROBCAST

• THIS MOVIE CHANGED ME

• THIS AMERICAN LIFE

• REBOOT

• THE TONY KORNHEISER SHOW

• THE MOTH

• THE DAILY

• MEDITATIVE STORY

ANOTHER NAME FOR EVERY THING with RICHARD ROHR

“This podcast is conversation series on the themes of Richard Rorh’s latest book, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe. Richard is joined by two students of the Christian contemplative path, Brie Stoner and Paul Swanson, who seek to integrate the wisdom of The Universal Christ amidst diapers, disruptions, and the shifting state of our world. Produced by the Center for Action and Contemplation.”

Season one is a chapter-by-chapter exploration of the themes of the book. Season two was largely an extended Q&A from listeners, bouncing off of the book and season one of the podcast. While I don’t align with everything Father Rohr teaches, I’ve found his teaching, books, and this podcast so very helpful, encouraging, challenging, and refreshing.

DOLLY PARTON’S AMERICA

“In this intensely divided moment, one of the few things everyone still seems to agree on is Dolly Parton—but why? That simple question leads to a deeply personal, historical, and musical rethinking of one of America’s great icons. Join us for a 9-episode journey into the Dollyverse. Hosted by Jad Abumrad, creator of Radiolab and More Perfect. Dolly Parton’s America is co-produced by WNYC Studios.”

If you think you know Dolly, or if you think you aren’t interested in Dolly, you’re probably wrong. I love Jad (from Radiolab), which is why I even listened to this in the first place. The storytelling, the questions, the access–it all makes this a very compelling and unique series, one that raises unexpected questions and tells the story of how our culture can be interpreted through and is shaped by this truly one-of-a-kind icon.

1619

“In August of 1619, a ship carrying more than 20 enslaved Africans arrived in the English colony of Virginia. America was not yet America, but this was the moment it began. No aspect of the country that would be formed here has been untouched by the 250 years of slavery that followed. On the 400th anniversary of this fateful moment, it is time to tell the story.“1619” is a New York Times audio series hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones.”

Buckle up. This project, coupled with additional online resources, is challenging. And necessary. The narratives and lessons of history are almost always written by the “victors.” But what if the stories you’ve been told – about America’s founding, the Revolution, slavery and the civil war, Jim Crow, civil rights – weren’t just incomplete, but wrong? Slavery was shaping America before it fought for freedom and it continues to shape America as we are still asking what freedom will be as we head into another decade–four hundred and one years since the first slave ship arrived on this land. This project is a reckoning, consequential, and demands to be wrestled with.

10 STATES VISITED

Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, California, Alabama, Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina. Airports (in TX and GA) don’t count.

No new states this year–I’m stalled at 41 out of 50.

SHOWS AND SITES

I was fortunate to see a couple special shows and visit a few meaningful sites this year, in part thanks to work travel. From concerts to national parks, one-man shows to monuments, this was a great year for sites and sounds.

• Stacey and I saw Rob Bell’s one-man show, An Introduction to Joy, while out in L.A. It was terrific.

• We saw Jad Abumrad (from Radiolab, my favorite podcast) in Indy and even did a meet-and-greet before the show.

• I worked with two local churches to bring Say Yes: A Liturgy of Not Giving Up from @ScottThePainter to Muncie.

• And when Bob Dylan is live and in concert just two miles from your house, you kind of have to go.

Historic sites, memorable opportunities with my kids, and cultural landmarks were also part of the year. I’m lucky to be able to have all of these experiences in a single year. Some photos follow, more at the very end.

• L.A., Malibu, and the Hollywood Sign

• St. Louis’ City Museum and the Arch (now a National Park)

• Maker’s Mark Distillery with a group of guys

• Purdue Basketball Camp at Mackey Arena (Father-Son)

• The Legacy Museum

• The National Memorial for Peace and Justice

• Rosa Parks’ Montgomery Bus Stop

• Cuyahoga Valley National Park with friends over Fall Break

• The Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum

841,000 WORDS READ IN POCKET

It’s my go to “save to read later” app. Using the mobile app and the Chrome browser extension, I save articles, posts, and videos to catch up on when I have some down time. This is the 7th year in a row I’ve been in the top 5% of Pocket readers.

OVER 725,000 VIEWS ON UNSPLASH

I am by no means a professional photographer. Still, I decided to upload some of my favorite shots (taken on my phone) to the most popular free stock photography site in the world–Unsplash.

To my great surprise, the first photo I uploaded, an aerial view of the Rocky Mountains taken from an airplane in January, was featured on the homepage and has racked up a quarter million views so far. I’ve since uploaded around 30 photos and have over 725,000 views.

My profile: unsplash.com/@adambouse

DANIEL PERSON, AT WAR

In February, 1942, Daniel Person enlisted in the United States Army. My grandfather would train in upstate New York before traveling to Ireland. Once in Europe, his unit quickly shipped off to take part in the invasions of Northern Africa and Southern Italy. He was wounded in the summer of 1944, earning a purple heart have today.

I recently secured his reconstructed partial service records (it seems his may have been among millions of records lost in a fire during the 1970s) and discovered my mom has his personal photo album, including several images from during the war. After doing some of my own sleuthing, I was able to piece together a timeline of his experience. I put together a microsite to document his service and share the images.

You can learn more about him and see the images at adambouse.co/danielperson