Best of 2019
2019 was a beast of a year. A lot of great things happened, a lot of terrible things happened. People I love struggled tremendously and managed to persevere. My dad got sick and has mostly recovered. A lot of people were very kind and supportive. The larger world became increasingly terrible, but when I needed it most I found myself supported by love and light. I don’t think I’m quite capable yet of processing the events of the past decade (or even the past twelve months, really), but I can say that the past year was made better by lots of amazing music and art and wonderful conversations. I am grateful, grateful, and more grateful for all the good things and good people in my life and looking forward to what 2020 has to offer.
Here’s a list (in no particular order) of of the things that brought be joy in 2019.
Books
The Now: Poems: Albert Goldbarth
Arias: Sharon Olds
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous: Ocean Vuong
Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion: Jia Tolentino
In the Dream House: Carmen Maria Machado
How We Fight for Our Lives: Saeed Jones
Only As the Day Is Long: New and Selected Poems: Dorianne Laux
Magical Negro: Morgan Parker
Soft Targets: Deborah Landau
The Topeka School: Ben Lerner
Black Light: Kimberly King Parsons
Movies
I watched surprisingly few of the big awards movies this year (and hated most of the ones I actually did see), so this is a particularly random list of mostly genre movies that stuck with me long after I saw them.
The Souvenir
Knives Out
Crawl
Hagazussa
Hail Satan?
Knife + Heart
The Amazing Johnathan Documentary
Records
Black Marble: Bigger Than Life
Lana Del Rey: Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Aldous Harding: Designer
Kim Gordon: No Home Record
Deerhunter: Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?
Matmos: Plastic Anniversary
Cate Le Bon: Reward
Trond Kallevåg Hansen: Bedehus & Hawaii
Jenny Hval: The Practice of Love
Bill Callahan: Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
Purple Mountains: Purple Mountains
Charlie Bliss: Young Enough
Live Shows
Cate Le Bon / Elsewhere
Low / Basilica Soundscape
Suzanne Vega / Cafe Carlyle
KISS / Barclays Center
Judy Collins / Joe’s Pub
Rolling Stones / NRG Stadium
Bridget Everett / Joe’s Pub
Oklahoma / Circle in the Square Theater