The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon It was hard to get into this book at first—the language felt almost foreign. But after rereading the first five pages about five times, I was in. The names of the characters alone were worth the effort. Perfect story arc: the conflicted character, the journey, the climax, the resolution—all in a way I’d never imagine (all of the book was past my imagination, which made it wonderfully strange).
Who Moved My Cheese? - Spencer Johnson and Kenneth Blanchard Kind of a silly, blah, overdone, long metaphor about why we do what we do (and how to do it better), but I did take a few helpful pointers from it. Smell your cheese frequently. When it disappears, go find it. Don’t complain, act. Don’t ignore your hunger.
I think I want some cheese.
Grayson - Lynne Cox Kind of disappointing. Certainly a cool story, but there was way too much direct moralization thrown in. Boo.
Salvador - Joan Didion One review I read about this—I think maybe it was right on the book—said something to the effect that it was a so-so book about Latin America, but a great account of being nervous. True. I felt immersed in a culture of daily terror right along with Didion. Her account of 1980s El Salvador was good; her account of sublimated terror is genius. And I love her writing.
Brother, I’m Dying - Edwidge Danticat Pretty much perfect—at least, I’m not smart enough to see any error. This is perhaps my favorite kind of book: a rather simply told story, even if some of the details are pretty awesome. There are no frills, no sleepy spots… at no time did I get bored, at no time did I step back from Danticat’s tale of love and courage. Just a really good story.
Falling Man - Don DeLillo Huh? I wanted to like this book, but could not. I got the whole memory theme. But I did not sympathize with the characters, despite the generally sympathetic nature of their situation. And (personally, I know a lot of smarter people disagreed) I really disliked the disjointed writing style. There didn’t seem to be a reason other than to say, “look at me, I’m so good at this disjointed stuff.”
Black Girl/White Girl - Joyce Carol Oates I’ve read a couple other books by Oates, and this was not my favorite, but I’m glad I read it. It has big stuff: racial tensions, how we relate to family, and it’s a sort of bildungsroman (my fave). And there’s mystery and death. And Oates’ writing. Faults forgiven.
Fugitive Pieces - Anne Michaels Made me cry. Made me believe in prose poetry novels. Made me believe in rebirth. Too good to explain.
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides Engrossing—great writing, haunting tale. I don’t know why I expected not to like the book, or why I bought it since I subliminally expected not to like it… but I did.
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter - Kim Edwards Bah humbug. I expected to like this one, and did not. It was OK at first, and I did like the parts with Caroline and Phoebe in the beginning, but the more I read, the less I liked most of the characters, and the book in general. Too contrived.
The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold Pretty good—rather terrifying at first, but such a subject should be. I liked most of it, especially the family dynamics, but I really lost interest when the deceased protagonist comes back to earth a la Ghost to sleep with someone. But mostly good.
the school among the ruins - Adrienne Rich Is everything Adrienne Rich does this good? I don’t even care that I don’t totally understand it. I just want to keep reading.
48 Days to the Work You Love - Dan Miller Not bad. It asks good questions that really led me to deep evaluation of what I’m doing and why I’m doing it.
Rescuing Sprite - Mark Levin Seriously?? Seriously?? American public, this is an awful book. Don’t settle for sludge like this just because you like puppies. Terribly written and unoriginal, and it gives me the skeevies to think this is such a hit.
The Mysterious Benedict Society - Trenton Lee Stewart Not perfect, but such a fun book. I didn’t want to put it down. Fun, clever, about kids saving the world… what’s not to love? So it’s a fourth-grade reading level. So? I’m getting the sequel ASAP.
Three Dog Life - Abigail Thomas Yes, I read this less than six months ago, but I needed an antidote to that Sprite book, and this was it. It’s not that it’s fancy or intellectual—it’s just about a woman, her dogs, and her grief—but it’s so good. I love you, Ms. Thomas.
Leaves of Grass - Walt Whitman
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey - Trenton Lee Stewart Not quite as fun as the first, but still delectable. I love good YA fiction. Gotta find some more.
A Tranquil Star - Primo Levi I really loved this collection of short stories. Levi’s style is very distinct—his chemist training (and personality) shine through. Several of these are message-centered stories popular in the 1960s; some almost border on feeling like Science Fiction to me. Very fun. And his stories that are more traditional fiction—like the opening one set in WWII—are detailed and deeply moving.
The Hungering Dark - Frederick Buechner
As I Lay Dying - William Faulkner
hey,
did you read three dog night? did i tell you i thought you should? i read it earlier this year and loved it and thought of you. there was a lot about it i wanted to talk to you about. it made me cry and cry.
bubba: yeah, your mom loaned it to me and i need to return it to her. great great book. i reviewed it in my 2007 list.
Updated my list. I’ve decided to stop with the ratings—they’re meaningless, really, and I only did them for the sake of protocol, and they endlessly frustrated me with how subjective they were. So no more numbers. But I will share some thoughts once I get around to it!
“The Crying of Lot 49″ is pretty close to being a perfect book. Have you read “Gravity’s Rainbow”?
nathan1313: I absolutely agree about “The Crying of Lot 49.” I loved it. Haven’t read “Gravity’s Rainbow.” You liked it?