Most book reviewers, whether in newspapers or on websites, tend to pick their top ten out of books that were published during the previous twelve months. This makes sense for professionals, but not for a private reviewer such as myself. I read whatever book strikes my fancy, from whatever decade. From my own count, I read 54 books in 2011. Of these, 23 were fiction, which is the same percentage of fiction (42%) that I read last year. That follows the national trend of people preferring nonfiction to novels.
The following are the ten most enjoyable, fascinating, or thought-provoking books I read in 2011. Enjoy!
1.) The Borrowed Years by Richard M. Ketchum
2.) Hitch-22 by Christopher Hitchens
3.) Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
4.) The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst
5.) A Kidnapping in Milan by Steve Hendricks
6.) The Men Who Would Be King by Nicole LaPorte
7.) A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
8.) Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams
9.) The Golden Spruce by John Vaillant
10.) Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones
But there are many honorable mentions, including Eaters of the Dead (Michael Crichton), Farm Boys (Will Fellows), Life Itself (Roger Ebert), and The Unlikely Disciple (Kevin Roose). UFOs by Leslie Kean kept me thinking for weeks, and Zeitoun by Dave Eggers inspired a lot of outrage from me. Persepolis would rank up there in the top 10 if I chose to count graphic novels.
This year I look forward to reading just as many books, and am anticipating greatly The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, The Day of the Locust, The Hunger Games, and Undaunted Courage.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
366 Days of Blogging
How about this for a challenge: blogging every day for a year. I'm sure it's been done before, but I want to try it. I feel like 2012 is going to be a momentous year for me, as I try to publish a novel and buy my first car. I may even move out on my own.
Even if I do skip a few days, I'll try and recap what exciting things happened while I was away--and they will be exciting things. Why wouldn't I blog unless I was distracted by doings a-transpiring.
Even if I do skip a few days, I'll try and recap what exciting things happened while I was away--and they will be exciting things. Why wouldn't I blog unless I was distracted by doings a-transpiring.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Blog Revival
Sorry I haven't posted.
(Why is that site inactive? It was such a cool idea.)
I am back with a 2011 list or two, as well as an idea about where to take this blog. Stay tuned.
(Why is that site inactive? It was such a cool idea.)
I am back with a 2011 list or two, as well as an idea about where to take this blog. Stay tuned.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Overheard at the bookstore
Pre-teen girl today, carrying a heavy armful of books from the cash register:
"Oof! I think I read too much."
"Oof! I think I read too much."
Friday, July 29, 2011
Novel stuff
Last month I sent out queries to about a dozen agents, hoping they might be interested in my 400-page novel. I didn't hear anything from most of them--one said they were not accepting anything from new authors at the moment, and another said they were not interested in my work.
A few days ago, an assistant from a fairly well-known agency asked to look at the first 50 pages of my manuscript. My first partial! I barely had a weekend to ride high off this validation before I was contacted again by the agency and asked to submit the full manuscript.
Wow! I'm starting to think those six months of writing will actually pay off. Stay tuned to this blog for further updates.
A few days ago, an assistant from a fairly well-known agency asked to look at the first 50 pages of my manuscript. My first partial! I barely had a weekend to ride high off this validation before I was contacted again by the agency and asked to submit the full manuscript.
Wow! I'm starting to think those six months of writing will actually pay off. Stay tuned to this blog for further updates.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Where's George? Not far.
For years I've entered dollar bills into the "Where's George" website. These have all been bills that have come across my register while working my retail jobs (the zoo and the bookstore), and while most of them have sat dormant for years with nary a hit, some have popped up and been recorded elsewhere. My bills have most commonly shown up in Wisconsin, but also in Chicago and Tennessee.
The other day a five-dollar "Where's George" bill ("Where's Abe?") came across my register at the bookstore. I recorded the number and then sent the bill away with a customer. At home, I entered the number into the website.
Just two days later, I got a hit on the bill...at my old workplace, the zoo! Either an employee or a customer received it there. I guess I gave it to the right person, one who made sure it traveled only a few minutes to the east. Now if it shows up at the bookstore...
The other day a five-dollar "Where's George" bill ("Where's Abe?") came across my register at the bookstore. I recorded the number and then sent the bill away with a customer. At home, I entered the number into the website.
Just two days later, I got a hit on the bill...at my old workplace, the zoo! Either an employee or a customer received it there. I guess I gave it to the right person, one who made sure it traveled only a few minutes to the east. Now if it shows up at the bookstore...
Monday, May 9, 2011
Graduate for a year
I graduated from college a year ago today. Kind of scary. The only real celebration I did all day was play some Elgar and reminisce.
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