Episode 254 || Favorite Books of 2019

In our final episode of 2019 (and the decade as a whole!), Annie and Bookshelf staffers Olivia and Lucy sit down to talk through their favorite titles of the year. These are the books that meant the most over the last 12 months:

Annie's List:

1. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

2. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

3. The Dearly Beloved by Carla Wall

4. Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout

5. Family of Origin by CJ Hauser

6. Normal People by Sally Rooney

7. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

8. Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey

9. The Current by Tim Johnston

10. Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Olivia's List

1. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

2. A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher

3. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

4. All the Greys on Greene Street by Laura Tucker

5. The Line Tender by Kate Allen

6. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

7. Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia

8. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

9. This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews

10. The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas

Lucy's List:

1. Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

2. Furious Hours by Casey Cep

3. The Glittering Hour by Iona Grey

4. Stars of Alabama by Sean Dietrich

5. This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

6. The Great Pretender by Susannah Cahalan

7. The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman

8. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

9. The Innocents by Michael Crummey

10. The Organs of Sense by Adam Ehrlich Sachs

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As we close out 2019, we're so grateful to our listeners for playing such a large role The Bookshelf's success. Every purchase, every like, every comment, every email means the world.

Special thanks to Chris Jensen for his work on From the Front Porch over the years. We're so grateful for his contributions to The Bookshelf and to the podcast, and we wish him nothing but the best in his next endeavor.

This episode of From the Front Porch was produced by Dylan Garven at Studio D Productions. Our new theme music -- a hint of what's to come in 2020 -- is by Simeon Church.

Annie's got some fun things in the work for Patreon; support us there for more bonus Bookshelf content coming in 2020.

From the Front Porch is going on a brief hiatus; new episodes will launch Thursday, January 30.