My top ten books for 2016

The Colour of Shadows by Judy Raymond – Former Trinidad Guardian editor, Raymond turns research into an exciting story – the first of its kind I have read that really compels readers to imagine how the waning days of slavery felt.

Readers see, taste, feel and touch that time period in Raymond’s biography of plantation owner and artist Richard Bridgens. This is biography, history and literary journalism all rolled up in a riveting read.

Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart by James R Doty – Dr Doty explores the mind/body connection and shows how your thoughts can determine your future.

Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg – This short, powerful novel about a middle- aged woman who loses her boyfriend and entire family in a fire the night before her daughter’s wedding will make you question the meaning of life. Who set the fire? This is the mystery in this thought-provoking book.

Norwegian by Night by Derek B Miller – There’s adventure and tension galore when 82-year-old Sheldon runs away with a boy after the child’s mother is killed. Miller’s novel examines how memory serves us and fails us.

Shoe Dog by Phil Night –The co-founder of Nike has penned a witty, thought-provoking autobiography filled with conflicts and tension usually reserved for fiction.

Anyone who has ever had a dream and a drive to succeed should read this book. Night started off with a loan of $50. Today he’s worth $28 billion. The Civil Wars of Julia Ward Howe by Elaine Showalter – This biography written about the woman who wrote “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” during the American Civil War turns out to be a vivid portrait of the daily struggle of educated women in the 19th century.

The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin by Steven Lee Myers – Any book about Russia tends to be heavy, but this is a worthy read because it shows Putin in a whole new light – not as a selfish power monger, but as a man obsessed with loyalty.

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley – This novel about a disabled girl struggling to survive World War II and her mean mother is written for eight to 12-year-old readers, but adults will enjoy this well-written story.

My students and I felt this was one of the best books we ever read.

Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William C Rhoden – There are many forms of “slavery” as you will learn from this book about how black athletes are being controlled by sports contracts.

The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz – If you enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the Millennium series by Stieg Larsson, then you’ll enjoy the fourth book in the series written by an author sanctioned by Larsson’s estate.

Lady Bird and Lyndon: The Hidden Story of a Marriage that Made a President by Betty Caroli – Part politics and part biography, Lady Bird Johnson’s biography paints a vivid and vital portrait of a first lady who had her hands full with a very difficult husband.

Here’s looking forward to a new year of reading. Cheers