These wonderful best-of-the-year book lists!
I've browsed several and my wishlist is swelling.
Here are some grownup books from best-of lists I want to read:
Personal Days by Ed Park
It was compared to Then We Came to the End, another book about the quirky world of office life.
The Age of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby
The World is What It Is
An authorized biography of Naipaul.
The review called it one of the best biographies ever written.
My Jesus Year by Benyamin Cohen
The son of a rabbi wanders in search of his religious beliefs.
How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still Alive)
This one sounds like it was made for me.
Netherland by Joseph O'Neill
On almost every list.
It initially didn't sound appealing to me, but if this many people love it....
The Post-American World
The Big Sort by Bill Bishop
Bishop was at the Texas Book Festival, but I didn't get a chance to hear him talk. People are segregating themselves by education and interest and level of affluence, with consequences for America.
2666 by Roberto Bolano
Rave reviews everywhere for this book.
It doesn't sound like one I'd like and it's very long...but still I'm intrigued.
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
Setting in India.
The House at Sugar Beach
Had this one from the library and gave up on it, too soon, I think now.
Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
I bought this last week and I'm reading it next.
I also found these kids' books I want to read:
What the World Eats by Peter Menzel
One of my all-time favorite reads is Material World. I've always wanted to share this book with the kids at school. What the World Eats is a kid version of Menzel's Hungry Planet.
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Science fiction-ish book about an apocalyptic world.
The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West by Sid Fleischman
Two reasons for reading this: Love Sid and read Roughing It this summer.
How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz
Nazi Germany.
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever
Adele & Simon in America
Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein
Anyone have any other books from best-of-2008 lists they are dying to read?
I would love to send you my copy of Netherland, but my dog ate it. Really. She liked it more than I did. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI loved Material World and What the World Eats! Little Brother is on my TBR pile (it's one of the Mock Printz Award books at my library) but I've been putting it off because I'm not usually a fan of science fiction.
ReplyDeleteLoved your wishlist! Might as well do a post on my wishlist!
ReplyDeleteSS 1: Lost and Found/Sarah's Key
SS 2: The Triumph of Deborah
I really want to read The Elegance of the Hedgehog! I know what you mean about Netherland, it hasn't really appealed to me either. I think I'll wait and see.
ReplyDelete