Jon’s 2011 of Reading

Happy new year!

I’m going to take short break from Treasure Island to look back and reflect in general on my reading for 2011.  I mean if Jim can take a break from narrating (shiftless) then I can take a break from exegesis-ing.

So here are my favorite books from 2011:

a.) How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer by Sarah Bakewell

Far and away my favorite book this year…my love on Montaigne mixed with a uniquely crafted biography narrative structure equals reading bliss.

b.) Radioactive: Marie and Pierre Curie by Laura Redniss

Speaking of creative biographies…reading this book is like reading a work of art.

c.) Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage by Hazel Rowley

More traditional, but about the Roosevelts…so there’s that.

d.) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

A very hyped book that more than met the hype.  Science writing at it’s best.

e.) The Tragedy of Arthur by Arthur Phillips

Kind of a surprise for me because I haven’t loved his earlier books…but this one knocked my socks off.  And it takes place in the Twin Cities, which is always fun (to read a book that takes place where you live).  Plus a very decent Shakespeare pastiche at the end…very gutsy, and even more impressive it’s good.

f.)  The Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny

I love the Armand Gamache mysteries and this one was the strongest one I’ve read yet.

For the record (and records are being kept!) here is entire list of my 2011 reading:

1. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny
2. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
3. One Day by David Nicholls
4. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. LeGuin (blog book)
5. The Sherlockian by Graham Moore
6. Crossfire by Dick Francis and Felix Francis
7. How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer by Sarah Bakewell
8. The Innocence of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton
9. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
10. Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln’s Corpse by James Swanson
11. Just Kids by Patti Smith
12. Parker: The Outfit by Darwyn Cooke
13. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
14. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
15. Bloodroot by Amy Greene
16. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
17. Our Kind of Traitor by John Le Carre
18. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
19. The Body of Death by Elizabeth George
20. The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek
21. The Indian Bride by Karin Fossum
22. Radioactive: Marie and Pierre Curie by Laura Redniss
23. An Evil Eye by Jason Goodwin
24. Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark
25. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
26. The Panama Hat Trail by Tom Miller
27. The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman
28. J is For Judgment by Sue Grafton
29. The Lodger by Karl Stevens
30. Bossypants by Tina Fey
31. The Walking Dead Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us by Robert Kirkman
32. The Tragedy of Arthur by Arthur Phillips
33. The Pun Also Rises: How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics by John Pollack
34. Some Hope: A Trilogy by Edward St. Aubyn
35. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
36. The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
37. The Walking Dead Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars by Robert Kirkman
38. The Walking Dead, Vol. 4: The Heart’s Desire by Robert Kirkman
39. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik Larson
40. Villette by Charlotte Bronte (blog book)
41. My Lucky Life in and Out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke
42. One Shot by Lee Child
43. Both Ways Is The Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy
44. Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon
45. Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson
46. Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage by Hazel Rowley
47. Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol
48. Murder in Retrospect by Agatha Christie
49. Going Bovine by Libba Bray
50. Locke & Key, Volume 1: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill
51. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny
52. The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee by Sarah Silverman (listened to audiobook)
53. Are You There Vodka, It’s Me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
54. Thursday Next: First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde
55. Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward (listened to audiobook)

 

Here’s to hoping that 2012 is a great year of reading!

Jon