Ares began this little exercise last year, and, inspired by a gift from L., my local book pusher, I decided to continue on with it myself. Following are all the books I’ve read this year, in order (mostly—I put down and picked up a few). For me, when it comes to books, all things are created equal, so there are vast swings from the canon to non-fiction to chick lit (its mostly crap, with a few exceptions) and back again. And when I discover a writer I like, I tend to read everything they’ve written (preferably in chronological order—yes, I know I have control issues, and I’m at peace with that knowledge).
So thanks, L, for the journal and for many of the books on this list!
The History of God, Karen Armstrong. Incredibly dense, full of good info.
Dead Until Dark, Charlaine Harris. This is where it all began, for you True Blood fans.
Club Dead, Charlaine Harris
In the Company of the Courtesan, Sarah Dunant
Dead to the World, Charlaine Harris
Dead as a Doornail, Charlaine Harris
Absolute Friends, John LeCarre
All Together Dead, Charlaine Harris
Suite Francaise, Irene Nemirovsky
U-Turn, Bruce Grierson. Ares recommended it, and I agree its worthwhile.
Secret Yankees, Thomas Dyer
Sweet and Deadly, Charlaine Harris
Last Scene Alive, Charlaine Harris
Undaunted Courage, Steven Ambrose. Fascinating account of the Lewis and Clark expedition--now I want to visit Montana.
What’s a Ghoul to Do? Victoria Laurie. Crap.
Sleeping with the Fishes, MaryJanice Davidson
How to Manage Your Mother, Alyce Faye Cleese. Good info for any situation, not just mothers.
Dead and Dateless, Kimberly Raye. Worse crap.
The History of Love, Nicole Krauss. Engaging.
The Alphabet Sisters, Monica McInerney
The Mission Song, John LeCarre
Coyote Waits, Tony Hillerman
Listening Woman, Tony Hillerman. Thanks for the Hillerman dose, Jayne.
On Beauty, Zadie Smith. I liked White Teeth better.
Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion. Extraordinary.
Small Favor, Jim Butcher. Love me some Harry Dresden.
Ultramarathon Man, Dean Karnazes. Dude is in love with pain.
From Dead to Worse, Charlaine Harris
Undead and Unworthy, MaryJanice Davidson
Bottlemania, Elizabeth Royte
Natural Capitalism, Paul Hawken, L. Hunter Lovins, Amory Lovins. Very, very good ideas for improving our world--all of which are in use, not just conceptual.
Under Cover, MaryJanice Davidson
Brick Lane, Monica Ali
The Great Awakening, Jim Wallis
Things I Learned from Knitting, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Funny, but not her best.
Dog of the Marriage, Amy Hempel. Sublime haiku in fiction.
Collected Stories of Amy Hempel
Sea of Poppies, Amitav Ghosh. Lovely story
The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks. Sorry L., but its sentimental crap.
In progress, on the nightstand, at year’s end:
Your Money or Your Life, Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin
A More Perfect Constitution, Larry Sabato (Ares’ copy)
The Cultural Creatives, Paul Ray, et. al. (beloved by a friend, but its just not blowing my skirt up)
So that's my year in books, though there's still room for one or two more. We'll see. I'm working on a knitting project with a deadline, so it may be more movies than books for the next week or so.
Athena
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I recently read your post about reading Irène Némirovsky's Suite Française this past year. I wanted to let you know about an exciting new exhibition about Nemirovsky's life, work, and legacy that opened on September 24, 2008 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage —A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City. Woman of Letters: Irène Némirovsky and Suite Française, which will run through the middle of March, will include powerful rare artifacts — the actual handwritten manuscript for Suite Française, the valise in which it was found, and many personal papers and family photos. The majority of these documents and artifacts have never been outside of France. For fans of her work, this exhibition is an opportunity to really “get to know” Irene. And for those who can’t visit, there will be a special website that will live on the Museum’s site www.mjhnyc.org.
The Museum will host several public programs over the course of the exhibition’s run that will put Némirovsky’s work and life into historical and literary context. Book clubs and groups are invited to the Museum for tours and discussions in the exhibition’s adjacent Salon (by appointment). It is the Museum’s hope that the exhibit will engage visitors and promote dialogue about this extraordinary writer and the complex time in which she lived and died. To book a group tour, please contact Tracy Bradshaw at 646.437.4304 or tbradshaw@mjhnyc.org. Please visit our website at www.mjhnyc.org for up-to-date information about upcoming public programs or to join our e-bulletin list.
Thanks for sharing this info with your readers. If you need any more, please do not hesitate to contact me at hfurst@mjhnyc.org
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