Best of the Decade: Books

I'm jumping on the best-of-the-decade bandwagon with lists of my favorite books, movies and TV shows. This week is all about books.

Just to clarify for those of you that don't know, I have a horrible memory. Mainly, it's the recall. If you ask me to name the last five books I read, I can't do it. But if you show me a list of books, I can remember which ones I've read. All that to say, I started keeping a reading list in 1999. And since 2000, I've read approximately 243 books. I still forget to write down every book (my most recent completion and the entire Twilight series were left off; who knows what else.)

I decided to be generous with the list. I went through my list and marked any book that stood out. I went back through and excluded anything that didn't stack up. Not too scientific. The list is in alphabetical order, with the year I read it included, and series listed together.

1. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt (London, 2002). Great story, great writing. You've probably read it. What else is there to say?
   
   
2. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (2008). I didn't want to put this book down, and it's about gardening, cooking and eating.
   
   
3. The BourneTrilogy - Identity, Supremacy and Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum (2003). Started the first book and didn't stop reading until I finished the third and final book. I'm not saying these are top quality books, but the cliffhangers at the end of each chapter keep you reading. Finding a book you can't put down is one of the reasons we read. The books were a jumping off point for the movies, so the plots are different.
   
   
4. Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (2003). I read the Da Vinci Code on a bus and couldn't put it down. Enjoyed Angels and Demons even more; even read it twice. I've also loved thrillers, even though you won't find a Grisham book on my list. (Hmmm. I read eight of them. I guess none stood out.)
   
   
5. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Little Alters Everywhere by Rebecca Wells (2000 and 2002). Not perfect books, but I loved the style and the characters. And these books were loved by my friends, creating a shared experience.
   
   
6. Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer (2003). Now for something completely different, this true crime novel won the Pulitzer in 1980 and tells the story of the first man executed after the death penalty was reinstated in 1977. I remember reading this book at the kitchen table instead of eating during my lunch breaks. Not light reading.
   
   
7. Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser (2006). I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that reading this book did not result in permanent changes in my behavior, just temporary ones. Maybe I should read it every year. Because I want to act on what I learned in this book, and that action should not be eating fast food. It's just not a positive action.
   
   
8. Girl Meets God by Lauren Winner (2006). A quest-for-faith memoir that includes embracing Judaism and Christianity. I enjoyed reading this book because the author's writing style matches the way I think. Everything about this book made sense to me.
   
   
9. Harry Potter novels by J. K. Rowling (2002-2007). How could I not include this series? It was the biggest literary sensation of the decade. Even though the first book was published in 1998, I didn't read it until 2002, in England, with the title "HP & the Philosopher's Stone." I want the entire series in hardcover, but I will always cherish my British paperback. Because I made the decision to wait and read the books until right before the movie releases, I had the shocking revelation in Book 6 spoiled for me. No fun. So I read the final book right after its release. Can't wait to read the series again.
   
   
10. His Dark Materials Trilogy: Golden Compass, Subtle Knife, Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (2007). Another British, young adult series makes the list. In this series, a young heroine fights a corrupt government and makes the ultimate sacrifice to win. Heartbreaking. I wasn't offended by these books and the perceived anti-God theme, but some might be.
    
    
11. Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (2009). A society that forces children to compete in a gladiator-style competition to the death broadcast on TV may not sound like the ideal plot for a young adult book, but it is. And it's excellent. Another story of youth fighting a corrupt government. Great pacing and characters. Can't wait for the third book in the trilogy to be released.
    
    
12. Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Sons by Khaled Hosseini (2006 and 2007). Different stories, but the author and setting are the same, so I'm clumping them together. Great stories, great writing, and a great window into a culture that is dominating the news.
    
    
13. Lamb by Christopher Moore (2004). I love to read and love to laugh but very rarely do books make me laugh. I laughed out loud all the way through this book. This is a religious satire, so if you can't handle reading about Jesus doing "sacrilegious" things, don't try it. To me, that is what made it so funny. And because I read this book, I had a conversation with a stranger on a plane about religion and politics, separation of church and state, Christians and Bush, abortion and homosexuality. All because of a book.
    
    
14. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2005). Magical storytelling is how I've heard this book described, and I have to agree. It's a story you can't resist.
    
    
15. Lindbergh by A. Scott Berg (London, 2002). The book is interesting as much for the man it deconstructs as the role his celebrity plays in the story of his life.
    
    
16. Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (2007). Not as easy read but worthwhile because of how the story is told and the character of Susie Salmon.
    
    
17. Madam Secretary by Madeleine Albright (2009). Loved the insight into the inner workers of foreign policy combined with her personal life story.
    
    
18. McCarthy's Bar by Pete McCarthy (backpacking, 2002). Sometimes a book lands in your lap at the perfect time, and such is the case with this book. By the time I read this, I'd spent 10 months living and working in London and Ireland, and had just started backpacking across Europe. And here was a book about a man on a journey through Ireland to discover if you can ever full belong in a country you weren't born and raised in. I was on the same journey.
    
    
19. My Life in France by Julia Child (2009). Reading this book made me want to get to know Julia Child even more. And the fact that she found her calling so late in life is inspirational.
    
    
20. Personal History by Katharine Graham (2001). Graham was the editor of the Washington Post Co. during Watergate and the Pentagon Papers scandals. Well-written novel about the inner workers of journalism and being a successful woman in a man's world.
    
    
21. Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (2001). One of my all-time favorite books, I've read this book more times than I can remember. Every chapter is written from the perspective of a different daughter in the family, and they each have a unique voice.
    
    
22. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (2006). Living with or without freedom, oppression and the role of women, and the power of art and literature all combine to produce a moving memoir.
    
    
23. The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X (backpacking, 2002). I remember sitting in a train station in Paris forcing myself to finish this book before I moved on. A good book will always slow you down. And what is not interesting about this man's life and his journey?
    
    
24. The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom (London, 2002). Any one can make a difference, as this true story proves.
    
    
25. The Hours by Michael Cunningham (London, 2002, 2003). I kept rereading sentences and paragraphs because they were so beautiful. Even read the book twice. Three intertwining stories, all centered on Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway." Reader beware: dark tone.
    
    
26. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2007). Couldn't put this dark, apocalyptic book down. I read it in one sitting, staying up half the night to do it.
    
    
27. Thursday Next Novels by Jasper Fforde (2004). Reading these books was fun! I've heard this series compared to an adult Harry Potter series. Kind of sci-fi meets literature. Thursday Next is a literary detective in England in the future. Silly, but fun and smart. And fun!
    
    
28. Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer (2007). Under the Banner of Heaven is an intriguing study of Mormon Fundamentalism. To understand Mormon Fundamentalism, you have to understand the history of Mormonism and why the Fundamentalists have broken off from the official Mormon church. The author includes a lengthy reference list, but I wanted a more immediate attribution of facts to base some of his claims.
    
    
29. Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. Almost nothing like the movie, this book is about an American couple that lives in Italy during the summer and and their experiences. Being someone that has lived in a different country and adapted to a different culture, I enjoyed enjoyed this person's perspective.
    
    
30. Welcome to the World, Baby Girl by Fannie Flagg (London, 2002). I just like the style of this book. If I were to look through my happy list from this time in my life, I would find quotes from the book.
    
    
31. Where the Heart is by Billie Letts (2000). Finally, a book from the first year of the decade. Is this book great literature? No. Do I love it? Absolutely. I even own the movie based on the book. To be honest, I read it so long ago, I can't remember why I love it. But if still feels like a part of me.
    
    
32. White Teeth by Zadie Smith (2001). Again, I read this book so long ago. Simply, this book is about multiculturalism and the immigrant experience. Sounds like a book I would have picked up in London (that is the setting), but I read it a few months before I moved there. I remember being surprised by this book, feeling like I was reading something unique.
    
    
33. Wicked by Gregory Maguire (2005). Did not expect the political angle when I picked up this book, but I ate it up. A little uneven, but worth reading. A book you want your friends to read so you can talk about it together.
    

And those are my favorite books of the decade. Did I miss anything you would include? Totally disagree with any of my selections. Sound off in the comments.

Friday Five

1. After traveling three straight weekends, I used last week to be lazy, which is why I didn't blog. I slept in, read books, watched DVDs and relaxed. I'm traveling again this weekend, so it was much-needed.
   
2. After reading the biography of the Duchess of Devonshire, I'm ever-so happy I don't live in the 17th or 18th centuries. Women were completely dependent on their fathers or husbands. Even giving birth to a female was not greeted with enthusiasm. The Duchess' influence in political matters was unheard of and amazing.
   
3. Even though I've been in Central Texas since December, I'm still shocked when I walk outside and instantly start sweating because of the humidity. Crazy.
   
4. What exactly is the point of Supreme Court confirmation hearings? The candidates never say anything new, at least Roberts and Sotomayor didn't. Senators just get to grandstand, which is nothing new.
   
5. Overall, underwhelmed by the new Harry Potter movie. It felt like a teenage love story with a little Fighting Evil thrown in.

Friday Five: Long Time Gone

Wow! I can't believe I haven't blogged in more than a month! I now return to my weekly feature.

1. The new job is going well. January started with a bang. I've started traveling to my territories and made several trips to the Austin office for training and events. I enjoy working with volunteers, and am staying positive about my more challenging events and communities. My boss is encouraging and easy to talk to. My coworkers are friendly and supportive. It's a good fit.
   
   
2. Because of all the traveling I've been doing for work, I haven't been able to establish much of a routine or find a church home. My best bet for a church of Christ here doesn't have any single people my age. The young professionals class I attended was full of married couples. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, but I'd prefer to find some people in the same life stage as me. So I'm still searching for that. I've joined a group of girls that meet once a week for dinner. After three or four weeks, I've determined these aren't the right type of people for me. No one from this group will become a lifelong friend. So I'm "using" them until I find a group where I feel like I belong.
   
   
3. I had a great girls' night with Rachel and Lauren (plus a few add-ons) from college a few weeks ago. We had a blast! It's always fun to spend time with close friends, the kind where you can pick up where you left off, not matter how much time has passed between visits.
   
   
4. Movie Update. I recommend Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Button is a classic "Oscar movie." Very polished and epic. I'd read that it was hard to connect to emotionally, but that wasn't the reaction I had. Can I just add that Brad Pritt is beautiful? Slumdog is at heart a romance, which makes all the critical acclaim bizarre. I have a theory regarding the mostly male movie critics and feminine-oriented films. Critics do not forgive weakness in chick flicks, usually romances, but they forgive all sorts of liberties and flaws in male-oriented films. Slumdog is a violent, gritty film that appeals to males, but it's also a love story. Somehow the so-called flaws of this love story are acceptable because it's in masculine packaging. Anyway, I liked the movie and encourage you to see it. The presentation - colors, soundtrack, editing- is great. Also, the subtitles were part of the presentation instead of a distraction. I also enjoyed the movie Last Chance Harvey with Emma Thompson and Dennis Hoffman. Emma Thompson is fabulous! A grown-up love story. Rachel Getting Married was more emotional than I expected. Anne Hathaway is good. She should take more complex roles like Kym and stay away from fluff like Bride Wars. I'm pretty sure the heat wasn't working in the theatre; I wore my coat and gloves. Gloves! In the documentary genre, I suggest American Teen, a profile of high school seniors in Indiana. It's been compared to a the Breakfast Club (with real people) because it profiles a nerd, a jock, the popular girl, and the quirky outcast. Some parts seem phony, but character of Hannah was enough to keep me invested in the story. Worth a rent.
   
   
5. Book Update. I went on a reading kick and read two novels by Tana French - In the Woods and the Likeness. Both are murder mysteries set in Ireland (!) with well-developed characters, interesting, complex stories and excellent writing. The books are a series, so read In the Woods first.
   

Happy Friday

I'm skipping the Friday Five format this week.

I'm reading Madam Secretary by Madeleine Albright. It's fascinating to read about the inner-workers of the UN and a White House administration, especially as it parallels to the administrative transition we are experiencing. As ambassador to the UN and Secretary of State, Albright dealt primarily with foreign affairs. Reading about the international response and investment in our election helps remind me that nothing happens in our country without repercussions around the world. That is a lesson I believe the Obama administration understands.

I'm started watching the critically-acclaimed TV series the Wire. I've only watched three episodes, but I'm already invested. The show centers on the drug scene in Baltimore, shown through the eyes of both drug dealers and law enforcement. It aired on HBO, so pretty much everything you associate with those subjects is depicted. The pace is pretty slow through the first few episodes as they set the scene and introduce the characters. From what I understand, the entire show - all five seasons - focused on the same investigation.

Friday Five

1. Here is a picture of me and Eileen from the Cowboys game a few weeks ago. We had a blast!
   
   
   
2. I spent last weekend in the DFW area. On Saturday, I participated in the Dallas Race for the Cure. So much bigger than the one in my town. Here is a picture of my team - the Pirates.
   
   
3. I can't believe the month of October is almost over! It was 38 degrees when I headed out of the house this morning. I loved it! Today it's chilly with blue skies and sunshine. Those conditions create the perfect Fall day.
   
   
4. I'll be at ACU Homecoming this weekend. Hope to see you there! Next weekend I'll be in the DFW area again. I always seem to be traveling in October.
   
   
5. I haven't read the book "The Shack" since I wrote about my lack of interest in recent post. I probably need to give it up so I can start a book I want to finish. I can't read more than one book at once. Usually that is not a problem because I finish them so quickly.
   
   

Friday Five

1. I had a fantastic time at the Cowboys game! What started out as a potential blowout ended up being a competitive game. It's fun to be part of the crowd, especially when you feel like you have an impact on the game. I'll post pictures as soon as I get them from Eileen.
   
   
2. I've decided to follow one of those Couch-to-5K training plans. If you've followed this blog for a while, you know I used to be a runner and then over training (stupid spinning class!) resulted in tendinitis in my left foot. I've had to take several breaks from exercising as a result. I miss running and want to do again, but I don't want to do too much too soon. I figure this slow-build plan should do the trick. Plus I'll keep up the anti-inflammation diet I mentioned in this post.
   
   
3. How many of you have read the book "The Shack?" I'm just not that into it. I had to force myself to read it last night, never a good sign. It's such a cultural and religious phenomenon that I made myself read it. I just don't get what all the fuss is about.
   
   
4. I don't like watching Presidential debates. I'm following the election enough that I don't learn anything from the debates. I didn't watch the one this week, but I read the transcript the next morning. The polls said Obama "won."
   
   
5. I watched two high profile summer movies this week: Iron Man and Sex and the City. Both movies could have been shorter, but I enjoyed them. Jon Favreau seems to be a talented director. Elf and Iron Man couldn't be more different. I didn't like the choices the characters made in Sex and the City. Seemed written to advance the plot and create conflict instead of reflecting the characters well.
   

Friday Five: One Week Late

I'm so out of the habit of writing on this here blog that I up and forgot to write a Friday Five post last week, after I advertised it and everything. Oops. But today, I do have five things to share with you.

1. I've been watching tennis for the first time all summer! Gotta love the US Open. Just turn to USA on a weekday to catch a tennis match or CBS on the weekends. The night matches that start at 6 p.m. are usually entertaining.
   
   
2. I made a delicious salmon with blackberry brandy sauce last night. Thanks to Steamy Kitchen for the recipe. My sauce was a little tart, so next time I'm going to add more blackberry preserves to sweeten it.
   
   
3. Check out my friend Janie's blog, "Inside the Sparkling." Be sure and read the great explanation for the blog name in the "About" section.
   
   
4. Even though I spent my summer in the mountains, I managed to not read a single book that entire time. That fact blows me away because I love reading. With all the reruns on during the summer, I usually devour books in that time span. I must have missed being absorbed in great book because I picked up a book last week and read it from start to finish in one night, with the Olympics on mute in the background.
   
   
5. I said I would prove I spent my summer outdoors, and here is your proof. My friend Jenise visited and we hiked to the "crevice." (I have no idea how to spell that word. Pronounce that word with a French accent, and you are probably saying it correctly.)
   
   

Best of 2007: Books

I'm at home watching football - the Seahawks vs. the Packers (so much snow!) - and I decided it was a good time to write about my favorite books of 2007. Nothing fits with football quite like literature.

This list is the hardest one for me to make. I keep a list of the books I read, otherwise I wouldn't be able to tell you what I read last week. I also use Amazon.com to compliment my memory when summarizing books. If only Amazon could remind me what I thought about the book right after I finished reading it. I might need to add notes to supplement my list.

Here is my list of the best books I read in 2007 in chronological order.

• City of Falling Angels by John Berendt. This is a nonfiction book about Venice with the mysterious fire of the Fenice Opera House the main character, besides Venice. If you've been to Venice, you'll probably enjoy reading this book about life in this unique city.
  
  
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I read this book in elementary school and decided to read it again when I found out Disney was making a movie out of it. The relationship between Jesse and Leslie is written so well that you can't help but be heartbroken by the way the story plays out.
  
  
• Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. Almost nothing like the movie, this book is about an American couple that lives in Italy during the summer and holidays and their experience. Being someone that has lived in a different country and adapted to a different culture, I enjoyed reading about someone else's experience.
  
  
• Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I remember liking this book. I remember feeling engaged with the characters and enjoying the story and writing. But I had to read the synopsis on Amazon to remember what it was about. I still can't remember any details. I still feel like it should be on my list.
  
  
• The Reader by Bernhard Schlink. Anytime I read a book that has been translated to English from another language, I wonder if I'm missing something in the translation because other languages have expressions we don't have and words can be translated different ways. How do translators make their choices? That won't stop me from reading translations, but it's always on my mind. This is one such book. You've got sex, war crimes, literacy and guilt in this book. What more can you ask for? Oh, a movie version with Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet! Excellent casting choices by the way.
  
  
• His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, the Amber Spyglass. Just like the Harry Potter series, each book in this series was better than the its predecessor. All the talk about these books and the movie being anti-religion are missing the point. The story is about children fighting an oppressive, corrupted authority and making huge sacrifices to do what is right for the world. It just happens that the authority in the book is organized religion, but it could be any authority with corrupted values and leaders . The heroine Lyra is a great character, and it's nice to read a children's fantasy book with a female heroine. If you saw the movie, the actress did a great job of personifying Lyra's attitude and strength.
  
  
• A Thousand Splendid Sons by Khaled Hosseini. The author of the Kite Runner has created another great book about living in Afghanistan, this time following the lives of two women through several decades and leadership changes in the country.
  
  
• Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer. Here is what I wrote about the book after I read it around Thanksgiving. Under the Banner of Heaven is an intriguing study of Mormon Fundamentalism. The author dissects the case of the two Lafferty brothers who murdered their brother's wife and child because God told them to do it and places it in the context of Mormon Fundamentalism. To understand Mormon Fundamentalism, you have to understand the history of Mormonism and why the Fundamentalists have broken off from the official Mormon church. It all seems to boil down to polygamy. The book was fascinating. Occasionally he made statements that I wish were followed by a source ID, but he provided a lengthy reference list at the end of the, so I guess that counts.
  
  
• Atonement by Ian McEwan. It look me a while to get into this book because I don't generally like long, narrative passages, but once the exposition and initial character development were out of the way, I didn't want to put the book down. McEwan is a great descriptive author because I read all his words and can clearly form pictures in my head. (Literature snobs, don't hate me, but I have a tendency to skip long, descriptive passages.)

What great books did you read this year?

My Library

You might notice a new feature on the sidebar of my blog. I discovered the website LibraryThing today. It hasn't been a busy day at work, my boss is out of town, it's rainy and I'm just not motivated to work. I was reading the Arts & Entertainment section of The Guardian when I came upon an article about this website.

LibraryThing is essentially an online book catalog, complete with recommendations and a social networking capabilities. It's free and there is no registration, so I thought I would try it out. I started adding books I've read this year. I have to keep a list anyway or I'll forget what I've read, so why not do it online and share it with others. You can connect with people that have similar interests and even leave comments. I don't expect to leave comments with strangers, but my friend and I are about to read a book together, and if she sets up a LibraryThing account, we can comment back and forth. The ability to express a response to a book as it comes to me instead of hoping I remember it for when we talk about the book might come in handy for forgetful ol' me. You can also export your data to Excel or even your cell phone for access anywhere. You can review books as well. I haven't done that yet. You can even see how many LibraryThing users have your books in their libraries. I'm sure there are more features I haven't discovered yet.

That might not sound interesting to you, but if it does, check out my library from the link on the sidebar and set up your own account. Then send me the link!

Books

Like most of you readers out there, I'm always reading something or about to start a new book. I've always loved to read, ever since I was a kid, as mentioned in a previous post. My reading habits come in waves. I'll go a few months where I read instead of eating or sneak in a read during lunch or anytime I have a spare five minutes and stay up late reading. I finish a book and immediately start another one. Immediately. At other times, I read once or twice a week, and then when I finish a book, it takes me a few weeks to start a new one.

Right now all I want to do is read. I read three books in four days over spring break, and when I came back home I finished a library book I accidentally left behind. I chose to finish reading that book instead of watching Grey's Anatomy with my roommate. (By now you should know I'm a TV junkie as well.) As soon as I finished that book I jumped into another one and read it in two days. Yesterday I went to Barnes & Noble and bought two books with my birthday gift card. I came home, started to read, and finished the book three-ish hours later. And then I picked up the second book I bought. All I want to do right now is read. I always ride this wave as long as it lasts because the day will inevitably come when I won't want to pick up a book for a week or more.

So are the rest of you readers manic like me or do you read more consistently throughout the year?

Sunday Afternoons

I love Sunday afternoons during football season, especially when the Cowboys are playing. They don't make me quite so happy when we lose games we should have won.

Met the 36 year-old divorcee last week. He sat at my table, but didn't talk to me.

Last week we had gorgeous Fall weather. Blue skies and highs in the mid-50s. Perfect. So I was surprised Saturday when I walked outside at noon and was hot in my long-sleeve shirt. All this week the high is predicted to be in the mid-70s. I'm disappointed that the Fall weather isn't sticking around. But I enjoyed it last week.

In fact, on Halloween, I spent two hours standing outside in the grass, shoes off, handing out caramel apples to faculty and staff. The weather couldn't have been better. It's nice to work at a place where I can pass my afternoon that way.

Has anyone seen The Departed? Tried to see it Saturday night, but it was sold out. I don't understand this town. That movie has been at the theatre for about a month, and it sells out? I did get some gelato out of the botched trip to the movies, so that was nice.

I'm currently reading Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama. Obama lived in Indonesia for several years as a child. I don't know if the Senator is going to run for President in 2008, but I thought I would check his book out from the library while it was available. I don't have a definite opinion on him as a candidate yet, but I do appreciate his intelligence.

I only have two more weeks of spinning class left. It's so hard. I don't think I like it. I'm a slow, steady runner. Spinning is a complete change of pace. From the moment the class begins, I can't wait for it to be over. I'd rather run six miles any day. I've actually stopped running due to inflammation of the tendons in my left foot, but I think I'm going to start it back up again tomorrow. Must finish strong for the Biggest Loser Challenge. Our department has only lost 1.59 percent of our beginning weight. Another department has lost more than 3 percent of their beginning weight, so we're not winning.