Have you ever had one of these thoughts: How do I parse through this tsunami of (research, data, facts and figures, etc.), and make it meaningful to someone else? How do I quiet the noise in my mind, long enough to form a coherent argument or recommendation? How do I take something incredibly complex and make it simpler to comprehend?

In case you’re new here, just know this about me: my small nightstand is mostly taken up by an unstable tower of stacked novels, memoirs, and, yes, self-help books.

Each December, I offer my favorite reads of the year. Some of these books were published during the course of that year, but most were simply new to me.

In case you’ve not heard of it or seen it, the film is set in Edwardian England...think horses and carriages. It’s protagonist, Paula, is a wealthy young woman who is swept off her feet by a handsome older man named Gregory. They quickly marry, and things start to get...difficult.