I read a lot of books in 2009. A LOT.
I stopped last week at 357. A nice round number.
(Oh, are you one of those people who doubt me? Well, I did read 357 books. I read every book and reviewed every book.
I see. You think I should not count children's picture books. Please. Some of these I read not once, but 35 times. And that shouldn't count as a book?)
I read fast. (Too fast, I often think.) I miss details, symbols, clever word play at times. I have tried many times to slow down but I can't. I'm like a speedy driver; I just like to go fast.
So, what were my favorites? Here are my choices for Best of 2009:
Why We Call Some Books Classics
Of Mice and Men
Rabbit, Run
Little Women
Foundation
Secret Lives of Walter Mitty
The Once and Future King
A Streetcar Named Desire
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Great Expectations
The 13 Clocks
Good-bye, Mr. Chips
Best Going-Here-and-There
Nine Hills to Nambonkaha
Lois on the Loose
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven
When Wanderers Cease to Roam
Blue Highways
Best of the Bleak
The Word for World is Forest
The Year of the Flood
Hunger Games and Catching Fire
Radiant Girl
The Sea
Best Women's Reads
Everyone is Beautiful
Still Alice
The Group
Perfect Fifths
School of Essential Ingredients
That Night
The Housekeeper and the Professor
The Help
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Best Books with Challenges
Do-Over
The Guinea Pig Diaries
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper
Best Poetry
Staying Alive
Poetry in Motion from Coast to Coast
Best Memoirs
Stargazing: Memoirs of a Young Lighthouse Keeper
Refuge
Desert Solitaire
Crazy for the Storm
What I Thought I Knew
Best Surprises
Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak
(un)Fashion
Tales of Outer Suburbia
Best for Teachers
Work Hard. Be Nice.
Whatever It Takes
The Reading Zone
Best Children's Books that Grownups Will Love (though not, necessarily, kids)
The World That Loved Books
Abe's Honest Words
Absolutely Maybe
Life-Size Zoo
The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West
One Beetle Too Many
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach
The Box of Delights
Gertrude is Gertrude is Gertrude
You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!
14 Cows for America
Jackson and Bud's Bumpy Ride
Eleanor, Quiet No More
Redwoods
Best New-To-Me Children's Christmas Stories
What Dogs Want for Christmas
Uncles and Antlers
An Orange for Frankie
Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas
Pirate's Night Before Christmas
Great Joy
Best Recent Fiction
Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name
Elegance of the Hedgehog
Out Stealing Horses
Home
The Thing Around Your Neck
Brownsville
The Sea
Royal Ghosts
Best Recent Nonfiction
Columbine
Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction
Zeitoun
What I Thought I Knew
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge
Strength in What Remains
That's a lot of good books you read, Debbie. I hope 2010 is just as good for you if not a lot better.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing a list with The 13 Clocks on it. One of my all-time favorites.
ReplyDeleteWHOAA, congrats on all the books! I really liked Breakfast at Tiffany's as well. Did you get a copy with the short stories at the end? They were pretty fabulous too.
ReplyDeleteSince you read plenty of adult books, I'll let you count the kids books. ;-) 357 reviews is very impressive, not matter how long the book was.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year.
Wow! Great job!
ReplyDeleteChildren's books absolutely count as books. Whoever says otherwise is ignoring a very important part of literature.
WOW WOW WOW...speechless here.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
ReplyDeleteSome of the best writing occurrs in children's picture books, I know just what you mean I often end up re-reading them over and over too.
ReplyDeleteBrag away! You deserve it! Well done, so many places you have been and adventures you've had.
ReplyDeletenice post. thanks.
ReplyDeleteI don't doubt you at all. ONLY 357? ;) 95 percent of what I read is children's or YA, so I would say they count! The Once and Future King took me an entire week to read!
ReplyDelete