Tag Archives: bookrecommendations

I Read 84 Books in 2020!

Maisie here! Today I will be talking all things books, books, books!

2020 has been a year of reading for me and I can’t really fathom how many books I have read! I love books and this year I have tried to read a variety of genres and a good mix of fiction and non-fiction.

As part of this post I have created my top 10 books I read in 2020 round up! If you love books you should stick around and join in with a natter on everything books and reading related!

I absolutely adore reading! I only really got back into loving it in July 2019 when I started my internship, I had more time in the evenings and less stress regarding deadlines so I would often pick up a book before going to sleep. With no uni work for most of the year and a global pandemic in the mix I ended up reading 84 books in 2020 and really can’t believe it!

I used to buy most of my books from charity shops but sadly this year I have not been in half as many as usual due to most of them having to close. I have had to find other ways of buying used books and this has mainly been online through eBay or other second-hand websites. I do love a book that has a bit of history behind it, it’s so interesting finding a note written in the front from the previous owner! When I came to the end of my internship my team were kind enough to give me some vouchers as a leaving present. By then we were in the midst of the pandemic so a lot of the vouchers were spent on new or used books that I had my eye on!

Audiobooks have also been an absolute saving grace during this year, especially during the first UK lockdown. I was living with Lily and whilst she would be on long work calls I could just pop on my headphones and get carried away into the world of The Wind in the Willows or Circe – both of which I enjoyed immensely by the way! I currently use Libby which is an amazing app that you can listen to audiobooks on. On Libby you can listen to audiobooks for free!! All you need is to have a library card/account and your library needs to partner with Libby, so have a look into that if you want to listen to audiobooks in the coming year!

During lockdown the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement really made me take stock and open my eyes to how much I didn’t know. I felt ignorant in some parts and knew I had to educate myself more on matters. Lots of bookish Instagram accounts were sharing authors and books to read to educate ourselves on black history and racism in the US, UK and elsewhere, from these I compiled a list of my own including non-fiction and fiction that I should read. I have read many books written by people of colour in 2020 but know I have a lot more reading and work to do to improve myself and my understanding. There is a lot of guidance and some great recommendations out there so have a look around and please read what you can.

I’ve enjoyed this year of reading so much that I have decided to document my reading in 2021 on our Instagram page here! I will be adding all the books I read throughout the year on our Instagram stories and save than as a highlight so I have a full rundown of my year in books! I will of course also be updating my Goodreads account along with my reading, if you want you can to give me a follow on Goodreads here! (shameless plug!)

My Top 10 Books (in no particular order as I can’t pick!)

  • Call Me By Your Name by Andrew Aciman
  • Motherhood by Sheila Heti
  • Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
  • Why I am no Longer Talking to White People About Race by Renni Eddo-Lodge
  • The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E Schwab
  • Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secret to the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sàenz
  • Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
  • Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
  • Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

I have absolutely loved writing this post, I know it isn’t STEM related really at all but I just wanted to talk about something I have grown really passionate about over the past year. But on the STEM side of things later in the year I will write a post compiling all my favourite STEM-y books I have read recently, so definitely keep an eye out for that in the future!

Do you love reading, if so what has been your favourite book you read in 2020? Any recommendations for me?

Maisie

2SistersInSTEM

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STEM Books – ‘Brief Answers to the Big Questions’

Hi, it’s Maisie! Today I am going to be talking books! In particular a recent STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) related book I have read, which I just had to recommend.

Over the past year, whilst I have been working in industry I have really got back into reading. I am using Goodreads which is an app where I can track my reading progress. My aim for 2020 is to read 35 books and I think I might actually achieve it! I have already read 20 books this year so I’m well on my way. Now that we have been in lock down for a fair few weeks, I have been reading even more, especially in the evenings. I thought I would have a chat about my favourite STEM book of the year so far!

I have recently finished reading ‘Brief Answers to the Big Questions’ by Stephen Hawking. This was his final book and had not actually been completed when Stephen Hawking passed away. It was finished in collaboration with “his academic colleagues, his family and the Stephen Hawking Estate”. This book is a collation and reflection on everything he studied and thought about throughout his lifetime.

Professor Stephen Hawking was a Theoretical Physicist, one of the most internationally recognised scientists of our time. Some of his research includes the big bang and black holes. A lot of his research was pioneering, he even proposed a theory for black hole radiation that was named after him – Hawking radiation.

Within the book there are 10 wide-ranging chapters, in each Hawking aims to answer some of the universe’s largest and most complex questions.

  • Is there a God?
  • How did it all begin?
  • Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
  • Can we predict the future?
  • What is inside a black hole?
  • Is time travel possible?
  • Will we survive on Earth?
  • Should we colonise space?
  • Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
  • How do we shape the future?

I love how, throughout the chapters, you get to see Stephen’s sense of humour within his writing, it is a very enjoyable and entertaining read. Hawking’s excellence and true genius shines throughout his writing. I really appreciated the way Stephen approached the topics in question and answered them in an understanding and inclusive way. These are some potentially contentious topics, but he discusses them brilliantly.

The book does contain some scientific explanations but they all have a purpose and Stephen does a great job at making the topics understandable for all. This book can be easily enjoyed and understood by anyone, irrespective of age or scientific understanding which is a pretty mean feat! Hawking uses his words carefully and sparingly so everything said within the book holds real meaning.

My favourite chapters were those that tackle the questions of our future. If humans should colonise space and how that would affect us all. Also how AI (artificial intelligence) will contribute to the future of technology and if we will be able to control its rapid development. All the answers are very thought provoking and I reread them just to digest all aspects of the response.

The heartfelt afterword by Lucy Hawking (Stephen Hawking’s daughter) is a lovely ending to an ever so intriguing book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to explore the big questions of our world. I was always a little nervous to read a book by such a iconic scientist, I thought I would be way out my depth but actually the way Stephen Hawking writes is so accessible. Definitely go give this book a read!

Maisie

2SistersinSTEM

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