The Year of Making Stuff

2009 is going to be my Year of Making Stuff.  I know, I should have probably come up with a catchier name or a logo or something, but that basically sums it up.  This is a fairly simple project, every week, I will make something.  Every week I will finish something either by sewing, knitting, embroidering, cross stitching, baking, painting, whatever.  And at the end of the year, I will have finished 52 things.

Thanks to Ashley, I have a picture of the bookmark that I made her for Christmas from Subversive Cross Stitch.

Book Awards 2008

As always, this isn’t the best of list for books published in 2008, but the best books I read in 2008.  And while nobody else might pay any attention, I actually go back and use these lists.  I use them to make recommendations, to add good books to book lists, to create displays at work, and to select titles to read in book discussion groups.

The Best Book Sary Read in 2008:  Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Foer.  Turns out though that I read a lot of good books in 2008 (and some bad too), so followed closely by Suite Française by Némirovsky, Devil’s Highway by Urrea, Run by Patchett, Geography of Bliss by Weiner, Cold Mountain by Frazier, Dairy Queen by Murdock, and The Book Thief by Zusak.

Happy reading in 2009!

Book List 2009

1. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
This is the second graphic novel that I’ve read by Satrapi, after reading Embroideries last year. And while I love some of the drawings, I am never really drawn into the characters or really the story either. I understand the appeal, and I wholeheartedly approve of having graphic novels in a library. They do capture reluctant readers or offer an alternative to not reading for some. Just not for me.

2. Enemy at the Gates by William Craig
Ok, I know I listed this on my last year’s list, but I read equal parts in 08 and 09 so I am totally counting it here. This isn’t the first book I’ve read about the Battle of Stalingrad and it won’t be the last. This wasn’t the best book about the Battle of Stalingrad, and it wasn’t the worst. I probably learned a few new things and some of the personal stories, while slightly choppy, did add a perspective. I still get lost with some of the more military terms (how big is a battalion?), this is a decent read for anyone intersted in WWII, written by an American but not about any American theater of war.

3. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Unaccustomed Earth is Lahiri’s newest collection of longer short stories. Each of the eight stories are centered around the Bengali family, often first or second generations as we have seen from her in the past. The characters struggle with a sense of belonging and there are also generational and culture clashes, both specific and universal. These themes aren’t new for Lahiri, but these stories don’t feel like they’ve been done before. They are fresh, new and I think better than her previous work. The first story is about a daughter and father relationship I found personally touching. I also really like the last 3 stories that become interwoven and end in a way that is both tragic, beautiful and fitting. The middle stories also very good, a few better than others. I wish I could start over and read this fresh again. Brilliant characters and fantastic writing, I loved this book.

4. Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
This book came highly recommended by both friends, coworkers and reviews. It is a mystery set in a rich private school starring a select group of friends called the Bluebloods and include the the introduction of a new member, protagonist Blue Van Meer. This book has been described as a postmodern version of A Secret History by Donna Tart. I enjoyed that the book takes an inventive turn and does look and feel different. It is indeed literary, complete with quotations and citations from a diverse range of Western thought and literature. However, while these citations sometimes seemed on the verge of genius, they ended up feeling gimmicky and got in the way of fleshed out, believable characters. I did quite a bit of scanning at the end to finish this book, but I did like the final exam at the end.

5. A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
I meant to read this book ages ago when it came out, but only recently checked it out. This book isn’t an easy read, and there are some nighmare inducing parts, but I am glad that I read the book. The book is written by Beah, who at the age of 13 was recruited by the army in the Sierra Leone as a soldier. Beah’s family has been killed by rebels, and he is wandering the country alone, or with other orphan boys. He feels he has no choice. The young recruits are fed a steady supply of marajuana and cocaine to sustain their unbelieveable acts of mindless violence. Then the violence becomes a habit to maintain as well.

Beah writes about some of the violence with bloody descriptions, including slitting a man’s throat and ambushing the rebels. Glossed over is any mention of harm against villagers, including women and children which seem like a certainty. I wouldn’t want to remember it either. Beah ends up in a rehabilitation center, and with the help of extended family is able to come to the United States and attend college. The writing was plain and straightfoward.

6. The Viking by Alan Baker
Currently reading…

7. Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley
Spindle’s End is a retelling of the classic fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty. While I’m glad that I gave this a shot and finished reading, it wasn’t one of my favorites. The story and characters weren’t too bad and I am happy to see some strong female characters, but the endless narration and lack of dialog detracted from the overall story. I also felt that the magical world of the Gig to be so artificially constructed that I was having to constantly be reminded how the magic worked. The magical world becomes sloppy and overpowering. Compared to the magical world of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, which seemed to enrich the story in a effortless way, the magic in Spindle’s End was lacking.

I have heard though from a few people who loved this book, so maybe it does just come down to what you like to read.

8. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
This memoir is in parts hysterical and boring. Written by Carrie Fisher, and based on her one act play of the same name. Fisher recounts her early years as the child of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher and continues up through the Star Wars years and how she copes with her alcohol and pill addiction. She is sarcastic and witty as she talks about recovering from her addictions and then her electro-shock therapy. Despite the heavy topics, this is a pretty lightweight memoir, without any deep introspection. My favorite part was her revelation about going to addiction meetings (which she slipped several times). She said that she didn’t realize that she didn’t have to like going to the meetings, she just had to go. Dealing with things you don’t like in your life without your crutches (in her case, drugs and alcohol) was a true moment for her. I would only recommend this to someone who was a Star Wars fan, or someone interested in what it was like to grow up as a child of Hollywood royalty. It wasn’t great, but it was a quick read!

9. Death With Interruptions by Jose Saramago
This is a strange and difficult little book. Set in a small Catholic land locked fictional country, death decides to stop killing at the first of the year. Locals celebrate at first, but after a few months weary of the growing number of sick, elderly and injured who can not die. Death is a possibility in other countries, so some take their forever-dying relatives across the border (often with the aid of the maphia). The first half of this book is about how the government, maphia, church and royal family all react to the interruption in dying.
Written without paragraphs (even the dialogue) the first half is both boring and difficult. We don’t meet death until the second half, and by then the no paragraphs gets easier and the subject matter suddenly more interesting with the focus on the one character. Death decides to start killing again, but gives people one week notice, until she meets a cellist who simply won’t die.
I would have a pretty hard time recommending this book to most people. I am glad I finished it, but it is work. Even though I don’t mind a challenge, I found this more work than necessary for a pleasure read.

10. Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris
This book is about a fictional ad office in downtown Chicago. This book is Ferris’ first, and while not genius or life changing, it is worth the read. The book is written in first person plural, so statements begin with we. We went to Benny’s office (we are ALWAYS going to Benny’s office). We made fun of Marcia’s hair and love of rock ballads behind her back. While that took some getting used to, so did the time line of the narrative. You aren’t sure what events are happening in what order, and you don’t necessarily meet the characters in the way you do in most novels. This book assumes that you work in that office and therefore don’t need introductions. Almost all of what you know happens at the office and you know very little about what happens outside of the office, with one exception. But that exception, while odd seeming at first, comes back in a way that it all makes sense right at the end. I would recommend this book to readers interested in contemporary writers like Foer, Hornby, or Eggers. It is funny. I would also recommend this to anyone who has worked in a corporate office, or really any office.

11. Nowhere in Africa by Stefanie Zweig
This book was originally written in German and the basis for the film of the same name which won the 2002 Academy Award for best foreign language film. I saw the movie several years ago and just came across the book. There are some crucial plot point differences, but both the book and the movie are enjoyable.
In the book, a Jewish family with strong ties to their community are forced to flee under the Nazis and find refuge in the British colony of Kenya. Walter, the father, gives up a job as an attorney for that of a farm manager who is constantly worrying about his employment status as that of a refugee. His wife, Jettel, was pampered and has a hard time initially adjusting to life in the middle of nowhere. Regina, 5 years old at the time of the move is the one who fits right in and falls in love with rural life in Africa. Language plays a big role in the book. Walter and Jettel speak German and remain steadfastly German even picking up some Swahili, but Regina is the one who proves to be the most adaptable. After learning Swahili, Kikiku, and Jaluo on the farm, she also learns English at her boarding school. When the decision to go back to German is decided, Regina can barely read and write German. The pull of a homeland is too great for Walter, and his desire to fit in somewhere. I enjoyed reading this book. It wasn’t great, but I would recommend it to people interested in learning about emmigration stories or who enjoy coming of age stories (especially in a different country than birth).

12. They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky by Alephonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak
This is a memoir of three lost boy survivors, recently relocated to San Diego under the guidance of Judy A. Bernstein.
The three boys, two brothers and one cousin were ages 4-6 when they fled their village due to violence and destruction from the Murahiliin. For the next 12 or so years, they were on the run from one unstable village to the next, trying to survive with very little food and water. After making it to one refugee camp in Ethiopia they are gunned down at the Gilo River trying to leave. The boys paths merge and separate many times but finally, despite all the odds, make it to Kakuma, a refugee camp in Kenya.
This non-fiction account is interesting in that the paths these boys take is very similar to that of Valentino Achak Deng in the semi-fictional What is the What, including the Gilo River Massacre and the final destination of Kakuma. What is interesting however are some smaller details. These boys also paint a much harsher picture of Kakuma than Valentino’s experience. Scarce food, beatings and general intimidation are a part of daily life.
What I find interesting about this book is it describes a little of their lives after arriving in the United States. This book was interesting and a worthwhile read.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in world politics, current events, coming of age memoirs, or refugees (specifically refugee children). It is accessible and honest.

13. Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon
14. Straight Man by Richard Russo
Both of these books fall in the academic satire genre, and both follow a relatively short time period of two male academics and their (often self imposed) follys in dealing with academic red tape, students, relationships (personal and professional) and their own successes (or failures).  In both books the protagonists are lovable assholes.   However, the main character in Wonder Boys falls more on the asshole side and wasn’t as sympathetic as the main character in Straight Man.   Maybe it was due to these characters and my feelings for them, but it seemed that Wonder Boys dragged on while Straight Man kept pace and was funny throughout.  Pick up the Russo, its really wonderful.

15. Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Goff
This book by Lauren Goff is part family history, part ode to a town and part self reflecting journey. Oh, and there is a monster named Glimmey who lived in Lake Glimmerglass.
Willie Upton returns to Templeton, NY after an affair (with her professor) goes bad to unwind at her mother’s home. Instead of finding peace in Templeton, Willie instead is faced with a tangled family history, finding her father, navigating old relationships and the death of Glimmey which casts a pall over the town for the whole summer.
The chapters alternate between Willie and her ancestors, the original founders of the town of Templeton.
The writing is rich, inventive and different from anything I’ve read lately. I was intrigued right from the beginning. In addition to the monster in the lake, there are also ghosts who show up in different parts. These elements are treated with the same respect as the rest of the characters, and are integrated nicely into the story.
Willie is a young woman who is trying to find her place in the world and is torn between the academic Willie and the small town girl who is safe at home. This appeal would be a good fit for many X/Y readers. I would recommend this to readers of contemporary fiction, but also interested in family saga type readings.

16. Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
Mark Dunn’s subtitle for this book is: A progressively lipogrammatic epistolary fable.  Thankfully he goes on to define these terms in the introduction where it sets the stage.
This book is a collection of letters between two adult sisters, their 18 year old daughters and a few husbands, admirers and townspeople.  The book is set on the fictional island called Nollop, a rural life, partially guided by Nevin Nollop the creator of the sentence the quick red fox jumps over the lazy brown dog.
One day a title falls off the statue that commemorates this sentence inscribed with the letter Z.  The island council determines that Nollop is speaking through the grave and the letter Z is to be eliminated from all writing and speech.  The edict is literal and punishment for slips is severe.  Tiles continue to fall, and letters continue to be banned (finally only LMNOP are allowed).  The only solution  to getting all the letters back is to create a new sentence that covers all the letters using fewer of them than Nollop’s creation.
This book is for word lovers, and through the characters shows a dedication to language, both written and spoken.  A delightful little book is well worth a read and can even be read in an afternoon!

17. Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
Finished….I don’t know what really to say about this book.  I was surprised at the violence, both historical and contemporary.

18. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
John Berendt follows Capote and Mailer in writing a hugely popular true crime non-fiction novel.
In 1981, Jim Williams shot Danny Hansford in his Savannah mansion.  Danny worked part time for Jim, but their relationship was fuzzier than simply professional.   The murder, local reactions, and the resulting 4 trials make up a main part of the book but the colorful supporting characters round out this non-fiction novel perfectly.
The term ‘non-fiction novel’ refers to the fact that the book reads like a novel but is based on true facts.  However the author’s note at the end, and a close inspection of when Berendt actually arrived in Savannah, acknowledges some liberties with characters, motivations and dialogue.
In addition to the true crime interest, this book also covers the history of Savannah, a very unique city.  Fans of Southern Gothic books may appreciate both the historical facts, and a glimpse into some of the unique local workings, including voodoo, which was the inspiration for the title.

19. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Some books can change your life. Thinking about how those life changing books come into our possession, is it fate or serendipity? The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society didn’t change my life, but is about books that do.
Juliet is a British author who shortly after World War II, finds herself without a new book subject. She receives a letter from a resident of Guernsey Island, who found her name and address in a book about Charles Lamb. Guernsey is isolated and after years of Nazi occupation is slowly recovering with the help of each other and their literary society. At her request, Juliet begins to receive letters from the islanders detailing how the literary society helped them during the occupation. Juliet is drawn into their lives, their love for books and their war time tragedies. A single book will forever change the lives of both Juliet, and the residents of the island after Juliet travels to Guernsey to further investigate.
This book is sweet, fun and a quick read, as the book is made up entirely of letters. I was instantly drawn into the characters and story. My only minor quibble is the neatness (quickness?) of the ending, but would still recommend to a wide range of readers including those who favor light romance, Brit Lit, historical fiction and books about books.

20. School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
This book is short, sweet and an easy read if a little light.  The story starts with Lillian, the owner of a restaurant who teaches cooking classes on the side, and eventually covers the back stories of all the students in the class.  The students arrive broken and lost and through the magic of food, end up healed.  I wasn’t completely sold, but really enjoyed the food parts of this book as someone who enjoys cooking and was considering that as a career.  The characters were a little flat for me, especially Lillian who was flawless, perfect, and almost magical (mystical?).  Anyway,  I would recommend this book to grandmas everywhere!

21. Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
Most book lovers would agree that most of the time movie adaptions aren’t as good as the original book.  And with a few exceptions, I would agree with that.  On the positive side, movie adaptions can revive otherwise neglected books.  Revolutionary Road, published in 1961, is enjoying a revival of its own, thanks to the Sam Mendes’ adaption starring his wife, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.
While some of the novel does seem dated, the major premise of Finding Greater Meaning, still rings true today.  Suburban disillusionment, typified by Frank and April Wheeler in this book, has evolved in the passing generations, but is still around in one form or another.  While told from the perspective of Frank, it is April who is lost, and ultimately for me the more interesting of the two characters.  While the writing is really good, this isn’t a happy book.  It starts out rocky, has a slight pick up (though you know even reading that it is doomed), and continues its spiral into despair far beyond where you thought it would go.  I would recommend this to any lover of literature, or those interested in mid-Century American history.  Just be sure to pick up something light and fun to read next.

22. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
What makes uber-successful people so successful?  Why do some people rise to the top of their professions while others flounder?  Gladwell’s suggestion in his newest, Outliers, is that natural talent only takes someone so far while the rest is up to a combination of luck and really really hard work.  Gladwell argues that luck can include factors such as where and when you were born.  In some cases, this includes the year you were born and in other cases even what month, as in the case of the Canadian Hockey players.   Often the luck is a combination of factors, including children of Jewish emmigrant garment workers at the turn of the century who became successful thanks to a combination of both where they were born and when.  Hard work is also a major factor in success, and Gladwell argues that studies have even pinpointed how long one must practice before mastery.  The magic number?  10,000 hours.  If you could practice something that much, you’d have to be lucky enough for both access and availability.
I have heard of both of Malcolm Gladwell’s other books, Tipping Point and Blink, but never picked either of them up before.  This reminds me a little of Freakonomics, as an interesting and fun read.  It would be interesting to know if there were exceptions to his theory, but still enjoyable.

23. Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar
I have never read a self help book before.  But I trust my mom, and she passed along this title.  This book promises to be a new and different kind of self help, positive psychology (as taught by the author, a popular professor at Harvard)  and outlines how everyone can be happier.  There are exercises in this book I was somewhat too lazy to do, but the main theme is to do things that make you happy.  But not just anything, there should be a balance of things that make you  happier immediately, and things that make you happier in the future.  If those are the same things, do those things.  This makes sense.  The quickie tips from his webpage are pulled from his book.  Number one is making me happier already! 

24. City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
A self supporting, totally enclosed city where there isn’t any crime and everyone gets along sounds like it might be an easy life.
But 12 year olds, Lina and Doon, start recognizing that not only are food and supplies in short order, but the mayor appears to be in on a small group of people who are hoarding supplies. In addition to this injustice, they realize that the city’s generator is closer to total and complete failure than the city authorities make it out to be.
Lina discovers a note that appears to be instructions for escaping the city, and with security hot on their heels, Lina and Doon make a run for the boats down in the Pipeworks.
There is lots of action in this book, if that is your thing.  However, I felt that the characters were a little flat and where the book could have gone the environmental route, but seemed to cop out in the end.  It would still be  a nice easy recommend to a very young teen or even pre-teen, either gender.

25. Run by Ann Patchett
Ann Patchett says in an interview that Run is about politics. It isn’t. It’s really about family.  This is my second reading of Run, and I liked it just as much the second time.
This book is the first novel to follow the uber-hit Bel Canto, and follows a wide array of Doyle family members during a 24 hour period leading up to and following a snow storm in present day Boston. Bernard Doyle is the ex-mayor of Boston, whose beloved wife, Bernadette has died many years ago. He has raised both his biological son, Sullivan, but also two adopted African-American boys, Tip and Teddy. Sullivan has secrets (everyone in Run has secrets) and has returned under suspect conditions from Africa. Doyle is making a last ditch effort to entice Tip and Teddy into politics by inviting them to a Jesse Jackson lecture at Harvard. They go, but would rather be elsewhere. After the lecture, Tip’s life is saved by Tennessee, who pushes him out of the way of a car in the snow. Why was Tennessee so close? And what should the Doyle family do with her daughter, Kenya?
This book starts off telling the story of a statue of the Virgin Mary. The story of how the family comes into possession of the beautiful statue is one of secrets, lies and ultimately how deceit can ruin a family. Race, family, Catholicism, lies, loyalty provide the twists and turns in this novel. Underneath it all is a good family, and interesting story and solid characters. Patchett bites off a lot, sometimes too much, bu this would be a good recommendation for anyone who enjoys contemporary literature.

26. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
It takes a graveyard to raise a child…so is the premise of Neil Gaiman’s new book, The Graveyard Book. Nobody Owens is a baby when his family is murdered in their home. Nobody has slipped out right before The Man Jack with his knife enters and wanders up to the graveyard. Nobody is taken in by the residents of the graveyard who promise to raise him.
The graveyard is old, and the residents don’t really know how to raise a modern boy whose life may still be in danger. Nobody is curious about both the graveyard world and the outside world, even attempting to go to school.
There are adventures and as Nobody becomes an adolescent, there is a final confrontation with The Man Jack (and other Jacks) at the end. The setting was perfect, but I sort of felt that the combination of the setting and story end up outshining the characters.
This is really a coming of age story, and I can see the appeal for young teens. A Coraline for boys of sorts, I didn’t love it, but I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to fans of Gaiman and other adventure or fantasy readers.

27. Tippng Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Hm.  I finished this a few weeks ago, and thought it sort of eh.  Maybe I shouldn’t have read it so close to The Outliers, because it is sort of more of the same.  Tipping Point is about trends that take off…sort of.  There are some fascinating points to this book, but it seems like each chapter would make a better stand alone article than the sum of a whole book.  I will probably read Blink at some point, but not anytime soon.

28. 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith
Fiction serials a la Dickens have pretty much become a thing of the past. But what if the modernization of the genre happened not because a story grips the whole nation, but instead one specific city? Published in city newspapers, wouldn’t it make sense to create a story that centered on the city itself? In 1978, Armistead Maupin wrote one such serial, Tales of the City, in the San Francisco Chronicle, creating characters and relationships that all center around San Francisco.
So inspired to create such a story for Edinburgh, Alexander McCall Smith, in 2004 started writing a daily serial in The Scotsman that ran for 6 months.
This novel is the collection of those 100+ short chapters.
Most of the action centers around 44 Scotland Street, the residence of many of the characters. We learn of their lives, loves and pasts and also meet their acquaintances, co-workers and therapists. But the main character of this story is really Edinburgh itself.
That isn’t to say that those of us living outside of Edinburgh can’t enjoy the story. The characters are many and interesting and the stories move along at a decent pace. I enjoyed this book, but didn’t love it. I do wonder though what it would have been like to read as intended, one short chapter each day?

29. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
A thrilling and dark mystery set in modern-day Sweden, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is the first in a series of three from Stieg Larsson. This book starts a little slow, introducing journalist Mikael Blomqvist who has been found guilty of libel against uber-capitalist Hans Wennerstrom. Needing a break, Blomqvist takes a leave from his magazine, Millenium, and heads north to take on an unusual assignment. He is hired by Harald Vagner, CEO of Wennerstrom rival, Vagner Corporation, to find the killer of his favorite niece, who was killed 40 years ago. Along for the ride is the girl with the tattoos, Lisbeth Salander, who is Sweden’s best hacker and is serious about her research despite appearances. What Salander and Blomqvist uncover is far more disturbing and shocking than ever imagined.
This book has much more story than I usually prefer, but the characters are great, and the details are absorbing. The setting, both in Stockholm, and in smaller Swedish towns was interesting. I will certainly pick up the other two books in this series, and was saddened to read that the author died shortly after finishing the third manuscript.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller or mystery. There are some disturbing details in this book, so not exactly for the faint of heart!

30. Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World by Dan Koeppel
Dan Koeppel was driven to write this book after reading an article in a journal describing diseases that the banana is facing, such as Panama Disease, Bunchy Top and Black Sigatoka. Upon his world wide research quest, Koeppel discovers not only the banana empire’s ugly past but also a possibly more despairing future.
Did you know that Americans consume more bananas than apples and oranges combined? And that bananas are the world’s 4th leading crop behind wheat, corn and rice? And we pretty much eat only one type of banana, the Cavendish, and it is threatened by diseases that can wipe out entire plantations.
But to understand where the banana is going, we must understand where its been. And that history of United Fruit and Standard Fruit in Central America is ugly, violent and embarrassing. Backed by the US government, these companies were not only allowed to violate labor agreements, but take down unfriendly governments. It would be nice to say that this doesn’t happen today , but these companies are driven to continue to offer cheap bananas at your local supermarket, damn the labor, political and environmental impacts.
On the other hand, the health of bananas isn’t always about whether or not we in middle America can eat a banana with our breakfast. Bananas are a crucial factor in the diet of many areas in Africa. If a solution isn’t found for the diseases the Cavendish banana faces, we could be looking a humanitarian disaster.
Fans of micro-histories like Salt, Cod and Curry, will enjoy Banana too. I would also recommend this to anyone interested in the history of food or thinking about where food comes from may enjoy this book too, as well as anyone interested in the history of Banana Republics or Latin American history.

31. The Food of a Younger Land by Mark Kurlansky
During the depression, the WPA had a project in mind to employ writers, called America Eats.  The plan was to have different regions pull together different essays written by WPA writers about food, families and communities, much like the guidebook projects that had been done in the past.  Many essays were written and gathered, but with the start of WWII, the project lost steam and edited compliations never materalized.  70 years later, food micro-history expert, Kurlansky, was given access to these essays.  He pulls out the most interesting and gives background when necessary, but primarliy leaves the essays intact.  The result is a mixture of boring and interesting.  The more interesting essays to me were the ones that talked about community get togethers, the paid chitlin dinners, and the oyster roasts, either designed to be social or as fund raisers or both.  My advice is to pick this up, read the essays (or regions) you might be interested in and skim the rest.

32. Quentins by Maeve Binchy
Set in contemporary Dublin, Quentins tells the story of Ella Brady, a young woman who has fallen for The Wrong Man. The tale is both universal and timeless, but this time around there is the added elements of tax fraud, hiding out in Spain and The Mystery of the Laptop Computer. While great parts of this book are highly improbable, unrealistic and unnecessary, this book was a really great read. It isn’t the main characters that make it work, but the side characters (there are many, and some from Binchy’s previous work) and the setting are so much fun that you don’t care about the goofy tax fraud business.
I’ve never really gotten into the idea that summer reading should always be light and fun, but this book seems to sort of fit that bill. I would recommend this book to readers who are looking for a good story without a lot of heavy elements or objectionable material.
While this book is set in contemporary Dublin, it is a little on the quaint side. Dublin today is multi-ethnic melting pot, warts and all. To read about both Dubliners and immigrants both, I would recommend The Deportees and Other Stories by Roddy Doyle.

33. Honky by Dalton Conley
This is one of those books I don’t really know how to feel about.  This is a memoir of Irish-Jewish Conley who grew up in the  projects in NYC in the late 70s/early 80s.  His parents were artists and the book follows Conley as he figures out his way around racial boundaries and public schools.

34. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
I’m glad I read it, I liked it, but didn’t love it.  This first book by Wroblewski follows a few years of Edgar Sawtelle while he grows up in rural Wisconson in the early 60s.  Edgar’s parents raise dogs, and the breeding and training are major factors in the book.  While the dogs are interesting, this is sort of a modern(ish) day Hamlet.  Things on the farm are peachy until Edgar’s uncle Claude shows up, and tragedy befalls tragedy.  I felt unsatisfied with the ending, and thought that the book could have stood a little more editing, but it was interesting overall.

35. Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamsun
This is a classic book by Norwegian author Hamsun, part ode to settler, part valley epic and part historical novel chock full of both pagan and biblical metaphor and imagery.  Despite all that academic babble, I really enjoyed this book.  The characters were interesting and human emotions and relationships were layered and nuanced.  One another level, this book is an interesting look at rural settlers and how they lived and worked.  Somehow interesting, and beautifully written all at once.

36. Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer
This YA book is the first in a long series and follows Mary as she is orphaned in long ago London.  Mary joins a gang of other orphans, but after the death of their leader, she takes on the guise of Jack and joins the crew of a ship.  Once aboard, she struggles to cover up her identity, stay low and not fall in love with another ship boy.  Surprise!  She fails at all three.  Lots of action, and relatively interesting.  I would recommend this to a teen looking for a historical fiction with lots of action.

37. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
80 percent original text and 20 percent ultra violent zombie mayhem.  Eh.  This book takes many relationship twists and human will that is so wonderfully articulated in the original and uses zombie wars as the reason for why people do the things they do.  All human motivation is defined, and that is Austen’s talent.  This has promise, but sort of let me down.

38. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Wonderful story told from three different view points, one white college educated woman and two black maids in Jackson Mississippi in the early 60s.  The frame of telling their stories seemed a little stiff, but the characters are interesting and while it all seems a world away, the ebb and flow of relationships is timeless.  I especially loved Aibileen, one of the black maids.  This is a first novel, and sort of reads like one, but I would be interested in what else this author puts out.

39. The Story of Forgetting by Stefan Merrill Block
This book is another first novel, though it is a little more sophisticated than The Help.  This book tells three stories, one is of a geeky, pimply teenager whose mother is plunging drastically and violently into early onset Alzheimer’s.  There is a parallel story of an old man who lives ramshackly alone and recounts his younger adult years and the disaster of the disease on his family as well.  The third story interwoven is that of a fantasy world, and at first didn’t really make much sense.  How all of this comes together at the end is highly emotional and powerful.  This is truly a wonder of a book.  Generally recommended.

40. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Larsson
More complicated and deep than the first one.  He was certainly becoming a better novelist.

41. Our Lady of the Forest by David Guterson
Ug.  This book was terrible.  I can’t believe that this is from the same author who wrote Snow Falling on Cedars, a fantastic book filled with imagination, full characters and complexity to challenge and enthrall.  This book could have made an interesting short story, but as a novel just doesn’t work.  There isn’t enough there, and the end trivializes all that has come before.  Not worth recommending or reading.  I am sort of glad I finished it, because I would always wonder if the ending would have been worth it.

42. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
Eggers is a trained journalist and does work on journalism projects, most of his recent books have been fiction.  I loved What is the What (loved it loved it loved it) and heard about this new one from Mitch who saw Eggers speak about the book and family in New Orleans.  Zeitoun is a non-fiction books that is written straightforward and recounts the story of Abdulrahaman Zeitoun, a successful businessman and Syrian American, who stayed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.  What happens is both beautiful (the canoe in the water, feeding dogs, saving people) and horrific (being arrested and held as a possible terrorist by FEMA and not getting a phone call or charged for 3 weeks).  My esteem for Eggers as a writer (or here really as a reporter – his “voice” is muted) and as a social agent for change increases with every work he does.  This book is both interesting and an important  chronicle the historical failings of America.

43. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Eh.  This has been pretty popular here with teen girls, and I was hoping for something with a little substance.  Instead, this book felt flat and filled with stereotypes.  This book wants to be cutting edge and cool, but felt like it was trying just a little too hard.  The main character can see faeries, and is chosen by the Summer King fairy to be his queen, which will break a spell his mother put on him.  Or something.  The main character is also in love with a super cool dude and doesn’t want to be the Fairy Queen.  It all works out in the end.  I don’t think I will be reading any follow ups.

44. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
This is a lovely little book that made me want to read more from this (before unknown to me) author.  Recommended by a coworker, this book tells the story of an Irish young woman, who goes to America in the late 40s.  Her experiences in Brooklyn are interesting and as a character, she is fascinating.  The relationships between the Italian man who falls for her and those with her housemates are wonderful and the historic aspects make this something that would be easy to recommend to a broad range of fiction readers.

45. Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Wow.  This book is amazing.  I loved it.  I was hesitant and skeptical at first, and it did actually take a little bit before I was completely into it, but man it was worth it.  I think part of my skepticism was based two things: I have read another of Chabon’s books, Wonder Boys and didn’t care too much for it.  And I think the second was the topic.  I am not interested in comic books.  Period.  So reading the description of the book, I was automatically turned off.  Comic books aside, this is a great book filled with interesting characters, universal themes, love, loss, and an ending so perfect it made me want more.  Even after almost 700 pages.  I would recommend this to most contemporary lit readers, especially men based on the topic, but think that anyone interested in American history would appreciate as well.

46. Netherland by Joseph O’Neill
I grabbed this at an airport when I had 3 minutes to pick out a book. And while I like this book, I didn’t love it.  The main character is a Dutch man who has been left by his wife and child in NYC after their marriage goes stale after 9/11.  He lacks in emotion but finds somewhat of a solace in playing cricket with South Asian immigrants, especially Chuck.  The friendship that develops is strange, funny and sometimes disturbing.  There is also LOTS about cricket.  I would recommend this to fiction readers that are also intersted in sports.

47. Cirque du Freak: Living Nightmare by Darren Shan
This is the first book of a series that has been very popular and has been turned into a movie.  This book follows Darren as he becomes a Vampire Assistant and the events leading up to his apprenticeship.  This wasn’t my favorite book, but I can see how it is a nice alternative to Twilight.  Lacking a romance, and told from a young man’s perspective, this is a vampire book that can be recommended to young teens and will appeal to those not looking for a love story.  There is a lot of action, and the descriptions are pretty interesting.  I can’t say that I will be picking up any of the other books, but I am glad that I read this one.

48. French Milk by Lucy Knisley
This graphic novel is by a young woman who in the few weeks leading up to her 22nd birthday, spends 5 weeks in Paris with her mother.  Knisley is a cartoonist and they roam the city in search of good art, good food and stay in an apartment.  Graphic novels aren’t my favorite, but the drawings were fun, and the book was light yet interesting.  This would be a good graphic novel for adults (especially women) who are hesitant to get into graphic novels.

49. The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
A YA series that revolves around loves, friendships, class and social pressures in New York City in 1899.  Slightly soap opera-y, this first book starts off with the death of a “perfect” 18 year old socialite from a good family, Elizabeth Holland.  Flash back about a week as we follow Elizabeth, her maids, her wild sister and her social climbing best friend.  Not to mention her sham fiance and her coachman lover, Will.  The relationships were somewhat interesting, and the historical details interesting.  This wasn’t near the best YA book I’ve read, but for basically a romance, it wasn’t too bad.  Easy to recommend to any teen looking for a romance.

50. Chibi Vampire by Yuna Kagesaki
Adorable.  My first foray into manga was with Death Note, a very serious book about a boy who can kill anyone by writing their names into his notebook.  Chibi Vampire on the other hand is about vampires, but the main character, Karin is super cute and doesn’t actually suck blood, but instead gives it to humans who are in need (or something).  The plot isn’t super important, but the characters are fun and it was easy to read.  There is the possibility of a romance, but at least in the first book there isn’t anything objectionable. I also read the second volume, but nothing happens, so nothing to report!

51. City of Thieves by David Benioff
Wonderful!  This by no means was the best book I ever read, and could have possibly benefited from a little more character development (what is Kolya’s story?  What happened to Vika? Tell me more about Lev’s father…) but the book stays pretty focused on one week and two characters in search of a dozen eggs during the siege of Leningrad.  Funny, sad, depressing and with an ironic twist at the end, this book was both entertaining to read and interesting.  I saw this book on some list somewhere, and I am sure it was the Leningrad connection that triggered for me, but I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes war novels.  Especially war novels that focus on one particular aspect, or even focuses on the homefront (they aren’t exactly on the front lines).

52. Carnet de Voyage by Craig Thompson
Craig Thompson is a famous cartoonist and graphic novelist known for Blankets.  He was basically unknown to me when I picked up this book.  It is a travel journal covering his European (mostly French) publishing tour for Blankets and a side trip to Morroco.  While I will still maintain that graphic novels aren’t my favorite medium, I LOVED this book!  His drawings are amazing, and the story was somehow richer than French Milk.  The page where he describes getting traveler’s diarrhea is so fantastic and funny that it is worth reading the rest of the book as well.  I would recommend this to anyone interesting in trying a graphic novel or anyone interested in travel and cultures.  It is very accessible, funny and sad all at once.

53. The Alternative Hero by Tim Thompson
Clive Beresford is a little like Rob Fleming from High Fidelity.  Both protagonists love music and are having a hard time transitioning into adulthood.  Clive is thrown for a loop after seeing his fictitious rock idol, Lance Webster of the Thieving Magpies, walk out of a dry cleaners.  I first read about this book in Details magazine of all places, but turns out it was actually a pretty good read.  The rock references, both real and imagined are both nostalgic and fun.  In the end I did care about the characters.  I would recommend this to anyone who likes 90s rock music and fiction.

54. The Parting by Beverly Lewis
Part of reader’s advisory is to read things that are outside of your comfort zone to better help all different kinds of readers.  Beverly Lewis is a HUGELY popular Christian author, specifically known for her Amish series.  Honestly, these are often the kind of books I look down my librarian nose at, but people often ask about them, so I thought I would pick one up.  A few days of being sick, and this was almost just what I needed.  This book tells of a schism that took place in the 60s in Pennsylvania between the Old Order and a new group.  Caught in this parting, fictitious characters have their love tested by family differences and the rigid structure of the church.  This book wasn’t as terrible as I might have first thought.  I don’t think I will pick up any others anytime soon either.

55. Liar’s Club by Mary Karr
Interesting memoir by poet Karr who grew up in rural east Texas in the early 60s.  Her life is rough and tumble, parents alcoholics, older sister is deadly serious.  Karr has a new memoir out and has made the rounds of best of nonfiction lists of 09, so I thought I would go back and start at the beginning.  I liked this book, but am not immediately drawn to really reading any of the others.  For fans of dysfunctional family memoirs.

56. The Book of Other People edited by Zadie Smith
The premise of this book was for different authors to contribute a short story with the sole instruction to “make somebody up”.  The character based stories that follow are not very cohesive and are completely hit or miss.  There were stories that I loved and stories that I thought were more than a bit flat.  Slightly disappointing overall, but an interesting read nonetheless.

57. Nana by Ai Yazawa
Shojo manga designed for teen girls that focuses on romance.  This is a huge genre of manga, and can range from pretty bubbly and sweet to titles for a little older audience.  Nana falls somewhere in the middle.  This follows two girls named Nana as they are navigating the world of love and romance and decide to move to Tokyo.  Some nudity, but overall pretty clean and had a better story line than….

58. Peach Girl by Miwa Ueda
This is a much sweeter manga and is basically a high school romance.  I couldn’t help but think of Sweet Valley High.  The main character is likeable, but the conflicts felt forced and the plot was meandering.