I had such high hopes for 2019… to really get back to reading. Well, I did read more books in 2019 than I did in 2018, but it’s still a pathetically low number compared to my past reading habits, with just over 20 books read in 2019. I plan to at least double that in 2020. Still, I have enough for a Top 10 books read in 2019 list, and that last starts here with my #’s 10 and 9!
10. Leading Men by Christopher Castellani – How I wanted to love this book the way I love Mr. Castellani. Critics and casual readers alike fell all over themselves praising this novel that looked back at the life of Tennessee Williams, and particularly, his on again off again lover Frank Merlo. Let me preface all of this by saying I’m not a fan of historical fiction at all, nor am I exceptionally interested in Tennessee Williams. I should also point out that I started reading this book on October 8, 2018, and didn’t finish it until February 24, 2019, which should tell you something. I just couldn’t get into it.
All that said, I do love Castellani’s writing. It’s beautiful and lush, and I can admire the way constructs his prose so beautifully. It’s just in this case, there was too little to interest me in the subject matter. It seemed so familiar, like plots had seen or read in movies and books already.
9. The Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships and Other Freedoms in Sex and Love by Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy – Easton and Hardy’s book, originally written in 1997 and revised most recently in 2017 is been widely accepted as the bible on polyamory and open relationships. It is an easy-to-read, sex-positive book that posits lots of alternatives to the societal norm of monogamy. It addresses sexual relations for all types or relationships, both gay and straight. Polyamory is much more accepted in today’s culture, especially with millennials, and it makes a lot of sense. But it’s hard.
What I took away most from this book is how honesty and constant communication are the bedrocks of any relationship, and keeping those in the forefront at all times will make for success. It’s hard work, and Easton and Hardy acknowledge that. The book also gave me some good intellectual tools about dealing with jealousy, and with the importance of looking inward rather than to others when it comes to how you handle relationships. It’s a thought-provoking and important work for anyone seeking an alternative to a traditional relationship.