My Favorite Books and Films from 2019 /  by Todd Henson

Some of my favorite books and films from 2019.

Another year in the books, as it were. And so, speaking of books, what did I read this year, and of that what did I most enjoy? And what does this have to do with photography? Well, it’s all about inspiration, and finding inspiration from many different sources, such as books and movies. This post is a look back at the books and videos I most enjoyed. These aren’t necessarily things that were released in 2019, but ones that I read or watched during the year, things that impacted me in one way or another.

Sadly, I didn’t finish much in the way of photography books this year, so that category will be missing. But I did enjoy works in several other categories, listed below.

Some of the links below are affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on these links. This is at no extra cost to you.

Favorite Non-fiction Books

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson tells the story of his attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, all the while providing a history of the people, places, and events associated with the Trail. I loved his sense of humor, reading the book was like having a conversation with the author. Entertaining and educational, well worth a read.

How to Know the Birds: The Art and Adventure of Birding by Ted Floyd

I won a copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway. Packed full of short one-page lessons on a huge range of bird species, each lesson largely focusing on a single topic and typically using a single species as an example. I really enjoyed this book, and I suspect it would be enjoyed by most any birder.

Cosmos by Carl Sagan

I first read Cosmos when I was much younger. It remains one of my favorite science books, and one I think provides a great introduction to any new reader. This time around I listened to the audiobook version expertly narrated by LeVar Burton. It may be an old book, but I think I enjoyed it just as much this time as I first did all those years ago. If you’ve never read (or listened to) Cosmos, give it a try. I do miss Carl Sagan.

One Wild Bird at a Time: Portraits of Individual Lives by Bernd Heinrich

Bernd Heinrich shares his experiences watching and studying individual bird species, often from his cabin up north. Each chapter is a different story of a different species, each with something new to learn. I have a number of Heinrich’s books and very much look forward to reading them.

Favorite Fiction Books

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

This was likely my favorite book of the year. It is a magical story, one of youth and old age, of memories from long ago, of making new friends and all that can happen as a result. I find it difficult to describe without giving away any of the wonder. Just read it. See what you think. If you’re lucky it might affect you as it did me. I strongly suspect I will reread this book one day. Then I will be the older man remembering stories from younger days.

Swords Against Wizardry by Fritz Leiber

When I was younger I very much enjoyed reading some of Fritz Leiber’s stories of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. These days I’m slowly making my way through the series of anthologies collecting their tales. This is the 4th in the series, and may be my favorite so far. Fafhrd is a great northern warrior, and the Gray Mouser is a small, sleek thief. They seem to have very little in common, except for the friendship they’ve developed over the years, which as with most long term friendships does fray at times, only to be rekindled later.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

I’ve heard great things about this series of novellas about a unique security android that calls itself Murderbot. Now that I’ve begun the series (I also finished Artificial Condition, the 2nd in the series), I understand why so many people enjoy it. Murderbot is such a fantastic creation, so flawed and human (for an android). This is a short novella, but the author has packed in an amazing amount of character building and definitely leaves you longing to read the next book in the series.

Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather

A small group of nuns making their way through space onboard a living ship, trying to do what good they can in a universe that’s far more cruel and complicated than any of them would like. This is another novella, so it’s a quick read, but as with the Murderbot books, it packs so much into so few pages. A great set of characters and an interesting story.

Favorite Graphic Novels & Comics

Above the Timberline by Gregory Manchess

Above the Timberline is a beautifully illustrated book telling a far future story about a son who mounts an expedition to find his lost adventuring father, who’d been searching for a mysterious city beneath the ice. It’s a fascinating story, but the real draw for me was the artwork. It’s just stunning. And being a landscape format book we get these incredible sweeping scenes. Beautiful work.

Ocean/Orbiter by Warren Ellis

This book contains two science fiction stories by Warren Ellis. I’d previously read Orbiter, so it was fun to reread this story of a space shuttle that had gone missing but now returns to Earth, somehow changed. Ocean was new to me, and tells the story of finding something beneath the ocean of Jupiter’s moon Europa, something that could have far reaching consequences.

Favorite Movies

Gladiator

This may be the first time I’ve watched Gladiator all the way through. I know I’ve seen scenes from it, but I don’t recall actually sitting down to watch it, until now. And I’m glad I did. The movie has a great cast, with Russell Crowe playing the Roman General who, after the death of his Emperor, ends up sold into slavery as a gladiator, fighting to survive and seeking vengeance against the new Emperor. Very powerfully told tale, directed by Ridley Scott.

Tunnel

Tunnel is a Korean film about a father on his way home with a birthday cake for his daughter. Unfortunately, as he passes through a mountain tunnel it collapses atop him. He’s trapped with two bottles of water and a birthday cake, while rescuers, slow to react, encounter multiple setbacks trying to rescue him. This movie was more somber than I’d anticipated, but I really enjoyed it. It showed the struggles of survival, and those of rescuers and loved ones outside trying to find a way into the collapsed tunnel in time.

Memories of the Sword

Another Korean film, this time a period piece about a group of master swords people fighting against a bad ruler. But things fall apart after the treacherous actions of one of their own, leaving the next generation to fight for vengeance. A very tragic film, but one I enjoyed.

The Tribe

Finally, we have a comedy, this time of Spanish origin. An HR executive, who is ruthless and notorious for firing 300 people on a whim gets into trouble and is fired. He disappears from the public spotlight and eventually goes on a search for his biological mother who gave him away. After some misfortune he ends up losing his memory and becomes part of a dance group composed of several mothers. A funny, touching movie about second chances.

NOTE: The DVD version linked to on amazon is in PAL format for playback region 2 (Spain), so it will not play in most US DVD players. Check out Netflix, or other streaming services, see if it might still be available there.

Favorite Anime & Animated Movies

Erased

This was the best anime series I’ve seen in quite some time. It follows the life of a young manga artist trying to make a name for himself. But he suffers from some condition that causes him to jump back in time a short ways, usually to right some wrong. He calls these jumps revivals. But when something terrible happens in his life he’s sent back to his childhood to apparently prevent several murders from the past and present. I felt there were some amazing relationships built in this well written series.

Paprika

This was a rewatch because I loved Paprika, a film by Satoshi Kon, a favorite anime director of mine. Paprika is the alias of a doctor using new technology to enter peoples dreams to help them with their psychiatric problems. As the movie progresses we sometimes have a hard time knowing whether we’re in the real world or a dream, and some of the dream scenes are completely bizarre and fantastic. I also love the soundtrack (I purchased both the movie and the soundtrack).

A Silent Voice

This film was very different than I’d expected. Parts of it were somewhat depressing, showing how hateful kids can be to those who are different, in this case to a young deaf girl. But years later one of the bullies runs into the girl, and feeling guilt over his youthful actions tries to strike up a friendship. This is a film about the guilt we carry, about second chances, and about how we mature as we age. Very depressing at times, but it does pick up and I really enjoyed the ending. Be warned, it does explore the topic of suicide.

Fireworks

This was an interesting and strange film about a young boy and girl and their friends. The girl has to move away, but she really wants to spend a day with the boy before that happens. He’s not sure initially how he feels about her. Then she finds a small device in the water that changes all their lives. I can’t say I fully understood the ending, but I enjoyed the film.

Those were my favorites of 2019. Did you read or watch any of these? What were some of your favorites from the year?

Best Photos of 2019: My Favorites of the Year /  by Todd Henson

A new year is almost upon us. That means it’s time to look back at what we’ve created this year, to edit it all down to a small collection of our best, or at least our favorites, from the year.

I owe Jim Goldstein thanks for inspiring me to do this each year. It’s a process well worth doing, to hopefully help us grow and improve, as we look back on what we’ve done and think about what may lie ahead.

Below you’ll find my collection of favorite photographs created in 2019. Included with the images are links to the post where it first appeared, and where you can purchase prints of the image.

 
 

Pickerel Frog Profile

I wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and all the best in 2020!

The Inspiration of Books /  by Todd Henson

Overflowing inspiration: One small section of my book collection

Today I wanted to travel briefly to the land of inspiration, that place we go both when we’re actively looking for ideas to explore, and when we simply want to bask in its possibilities, enjoying the time we spend there and perhaps hoping we’ll absorb some small part of what we experience, that we’ll find a way to weave it into our artistic pursuits, whether they be photography, painting, writing, music, woodwork, or any of the other infinite variety of creative endeavors.

The land of inspiration is vast and takes many forms. One of my favorite is that of books, of any topic or genre. The photograph above shows one small section of my collection of books. This section happens to include a wide range of material collected in a semi-organized fashion, but as you can see, still in an overflowing and somewhat haphazard mess.

I don’t actually own a television anymore, though I know that is another source of potential inspiration. I used to have an old CRT, if you remember those, sitting in the enclosure to the left, where photography books now rest. Here you’ll find the works of Steve McCurry, Art Wolfe, Sebastião Salgado, Edward Steichen, Michael Kenna, and many others, as well as books of photographic instruction. I look to these to show me some of what is possible in the world of photography, to show what has been done, and to find ideas or concepts I might like to explore in my own work.

Behind the photography books I have an old poster of Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, purchased at the castle gift shop, reminding me of a wonderful trip to that location, of walking through the castle and around the castle grounds, learning some of the history of the location and the people who lived there. This was such an incredible location, very beautiful, and provided inspiration for many buildings that came later, such as several of the castles at the various Disney theme parks.

Look again and you may find books of artwork by Keith Parkinson, M.C. Escher, Steve Hanks, among others. I love looking not just at the work of photographers, but that of artists of any kind. You never know when something you see in a painting may inspire you to create something in a completely different medium. There are writing books that attempt to teach the art and craft of creatively putting words together, of pulling from within and sharing our thoughts with the world. Hidden in the stacks are books about nature and wildlife and the people for whom these are their passion.

The majority of the books are works of fiction. Most of the visible books I’ve yet to read. I often put two rows of books on each shelf when they’ll fit, with books I’ve read hidden in the back row so I can see the books I still want to read. And, as is obvious, sometimes the books don’t fit on shelves, so I stack them in front in a very haphazard fashion, trying to place books I most want to read near the top where I’ll see them every day. Books like The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden, Ararat by Christopher Golden, The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers, Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez, and many, many others. Some of these books create and share entire worlds, surfacing visions and ideas I might not have otherwise had. How many of these visions and ideas might one day inspire something within me?

Reading is a key player in my land of inspiration, and I think it could have a place in most anyone else’s, as well. What does your collection of books look like? Perhaps it takes the form of the stacks in a public library? Do you have any books you long to read, or ones you go to repeatedly for inspiration?

Do you enjoy these posts?

Sign up to receive periodic emails with updates and thoughts. Don’t worry, I won’t spam you. And please consider purchasing artwork or products from my online store, and using my affiliate links in the sidebar to the right when shopping online.

I appreciate your support!