It's always interesting, I think, to read lists. I'm a list maker from way back and can't seem to accomplish even the most simple tasks without a list close by.
So it only makes sense that all the "Best Of" lists that come out at the end of the year are of special interest to me. Especially the book lists. I eat 'em up. There are lots I agree with, and lots I don't, but I love reading each and every one.
One of my favorites has always been the list put together at the mystery literature econference, DorothyL.
I haven't gotten around to choosing my favorites yet, but for the first time ever, I did actually keep a list of all the books I read during the year. I did not include any of the books I didn't finish.
They're not all mysteries, so I'll have to cull those out first to make my contribution to DorothyL, then ponder. A few will hop right off the page, some will take a little more thought.
Do any of you keep a list of what you've read?
I always say I'm going to and I'm glad I finally did it. I've been keeping the list here at Meanderings and Muses, and will do it again for 2011.
I know 2010 isn't quite finished, and whatever I do read between now and the end of the year, I'll be adding to the list. Right now I'm in the mood for poetry and for essays. I recently finished Billy Collins' "Ballistics," (which I had loaded onto Kindle on my iPad). And I'm now rereading Nancy Peacock's "A Broom of One's Own."
If someone were to ask if I have one favorite book from 2010, I think I'd actually have to pipe up with two.
My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
and
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Books Read During 2010
- BALLISTICS by Billy Collins
- THE COMPANY, A NOVEL OF THE CIA by Robert Littell
- MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED by Carolyn Brown
- SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE by Libby Fischer Hellmann
- HELL, YEAH by Carolyn Brown
- I LOVE THIS BAR by Carolyn Brown
- LAST HOUSE, REFLECTIONS, DREAMS, AND OBSERVATIONS, 1943-1991 by M.F.K. Fisher
- THE EDUCATION OF MRS. BEMIS by John Sedgwick
- CRASHED by Tim Hallinan (Ebook)
- DIE A LITTLE by Megan Abbott
- THE SEX CLUB by L.J. Sellers
- THE BLUE HACKLE by Lillian Stewart Carl (ARC)
- THE END GAME by Gerrie Ferris Finger
- THE NEIGHBORS ARE WATCHING by Debra Ginsberg
- DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF by Don Bruns (ARC)
- DEAD MAN'S CHEST by Kerry Greenwood
- IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS by Jan Karon
- THE IMMORTALS by JT Ellison
- HAPPY EVER AFTER by Nora Roberts
- AN UPLIFTING MURDER by Elaine Viets (ARC)
- CHRISTMAS MOURNING by Margaret Maron
- WORTH DYING FOR by Lee Child
- INNOCENT MONSTER by Reed Farrel Coleman
- AT THE PLAZA by Curtis Gathje
- THE HOUSE AT RIVERTON by Kate Morton
- FORTUNA by Michael R. Stevens (ARC)
- THE BIG HOUSE, A CENTURY IN THE LIFE OF AN AMERICAN SUMMER HOME by George Howe Colt
- FATAL ERROR by Colleen Thompson
- PAINTED LADIES by Robert B. Parker
- ON THE LINE by S.J. Rozan (ARC)
- THE UNBIDDEN TRUTH by Kate Wilhelm
- THE KEEPSAKE by Tess Gerritsen
- THE MEPHISTO CLUB by Tess Gerritsen
- THE PARIS WIFE by Paula McLain (ARC)
- A KILLER PLOT by Ellery Adams
- VERMILION DRIFT by William Kent Krueger
- OLD DOGS by Donna Moore
- MISS MELVILLE'S REVENGE by Evelyn E. Smith
- MISS MELVILLE RETURNS by Evelyn E. Smith
- MISS MELVILLE REGRETS by Evelyn E. Smith
- BREAKFAST AT MADELINE'S by Matt Witten
- THE LAST TALK WITH LOLA FAYE by Thomas H. Cook
- LULU MEETS GOD AND DOUBTS HIM by Danielle Ganek
- VANISH by Tess Gerritsen
- NECESSARY AS BLOOD by Deborah Crombie
- BAD BOY by Peter Robinson (ARC)
- I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE by Laura Lippman
- MURDER IN THE MARAIS by Cara Black
- FLY BY WIRE by Ward Larsen (ARC)
- THE SUMMER WE READ GATSBY by Danielle Ganek
- STRANGERS AT THE FEAST by Jennifer Vanderbes (ARC)
- MY READING LIFE by Pat Conroy (ARC)
- DYING ON THE VINE by Peter King
- THE PROVIDENCE OF DEATH by Bronson L. Parker
- THE GOURMET DETECTIVE by Peter King
- THE MESSENGER OF ATHENS by Anne Zouroudi
- THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS by Vicki Lane (ARC)
- EVERY BITTER THING by Leighton Gage (ARC)
- THE BEACH HOUSE by Jane Green
- OF ALL SAD WORDS by Bill Crider
- THE WHITE GARDEN by Stephanie Barron
- EAST HOPE by Katharine Davis
- CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER by Tom Franklin (ARC)
- DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS by Riley Adams
- BODY DOUBLE by Tess Gerritsen
- SNIPE HUNT by Sarah R. Shaber
- THE PATIENCE OF THE SPIDER by Andrea Camilleri
- THE GLASS RAINBOW by James Lee Burke
- JOURNEY TO DIE FOR by Radine Trees Nehring
- HOME COOKING: A WRITER IN THE KITCHEN by Laurie Colwin
- A VINTAGE AFFAIR by Isabel Wolff
- CLOSET CONFIDENTIAL by Mary Jane Maffini
- BOUND SOUTH by Susan Rebecca White
- LOCAL KNOWLEDGE by Liza Gyllenhaal
- HIGH SPIRITS by Alice Duncan
- THE BURYING PLACE by Brian Freeman
- BEACH TRIP by Cathy Holton
- THE SEASON OF SECOND CHANCES by Diane Meier
- ON FOLLY BEACH by Karen White
- THE BROKEN TEAGLASS by Emily Arsenault
- MAJOR PETTIGREW'S LAST STAND by Helen Simonson
- RED HOOK ROAD by Ayelet Waldman (ARC)
- THRILLERS: 100 MUST READS edited by David Morrell & Hank Wagner
- A DEADLY ROW by Casey Mayes (ARC)
- BOOK OF SHADOWS by Alexandra Sokoloff
- PEPPERONI PIZZA CAN BE MURDER by Chris Cavender (ARC)
- TORN APART by Shane Gericke (ARC)
- NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED by E. J. Copperman
- THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS by Sharyn McCrumb (ARC)
- GRACE UNDER PRESSURE by Julie Hyzy
- JUDGMENT OF THE GRAVE by Sarah Stewart Taylor
- MANSIONS OF THE DEAD by Sarah Stewart Taylor
- O'ARTFUL DEATH by Sarah Stewart Taylor
- THE BLACK CAT by Martha Grimes
- JUNKYARD DOGS by Craig Johnson
- HOLLY BLUES by Susan Wittig Albert
- BURY YOUR DEAD by Louise Penny (ARC)
- CAT OF THE CENTURY by Rita Mae Brown
- 61 HOURS by Lee Child
- CAUGHT by Harlan Coben
- LOWCOUNTRY SUMMER by Dorothea Benton Frank (ARC)
- A TIMELY VISION by Joyce and Jim Lavene
- CANAAN'S GATE by Kathryn R. Wall
- SAVOR THE MOMENT by Nora Roberts
- FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER by E.L. Konigsburg
- THE KILLING OF MONDAY BROWN by Sandra West Prowell
- THE GOD OF THE HIVE by Laurie R. King (ARC)
- BY EVIL MEANS by Sandra West Prowell
- THE TURQUIOSE SHOP by Frances Crane
- MRS. DARCY AND THE BLUE-EYED STRANGER by Lee Smith
- SHOOT TO THRILL by P.J. Tracy
- A DEEP BLUE FAREWELL by Sharon Duncan
- WHEN WALLFLOWERS DIE by Sandra West Prowell
- CASE HISTORIES by Kate Atkinson
- NEVERLAND by Douglas Clegg
- NERVE DAMAGE by Peter Abrahams
- NO TIME FOR GOODBYE by Linwood Barclay
- INVISIBLE BOY by Cornelia Read
- THE SMELL OF THE NIGHT by Andrea Camilleri
- HEART OF THE SEA by Nora Roberts
- TEARS OF THE MOON by Nora Roberts
- JEWELS OF THE SUN by Nora Roberts
- EXCURSION TO TINDARI by Andrea Camilleri
- VOICE OF THE VIOLIN by Andrea Camilleri
- THE POT THIEF WHO STUDIED PTOLEMY by J. Michael Orenduff
- HOME TO BIG STONE GAP by Adriana Trigiani
- THE VANISHED PRIESTESS by Meredith Blevins
- MILK GLASS MOON by Adriana Trigiani
- EVERY LAST ONE by Anna Quindlen (ARC)
- THE HUMMINGBIRD WIZARD by Meredith Blevins
- A DEADLY SILVER SEA by Bob Morris
- THE POT THIEF WHO STUDIED PYTHAGORAS by J. Michael Orenduff
- THE COLD ROOM by J. T. Ellison
- THE TEABERRY STRANGLER by Laura Childs
- THE LAST STRIPTEASE by Michael Wiley
- MURDER IN MYKONOS by Jeffrey Siger
- BERMUDA SCHWARTZ by Bob Morris
- JAMAICA ME DEAD by Bob Morris
- BAHAMARAMA by Bob Morris
- THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING by Melinda Wells
- THE WEED THAT STRINGS THE HANGMAN'S BAG by Alan Bradley (ARC)
- THE LACE READER by Brunonia Barry
- FRAME UP by John F. Dobbyn (ARC)
- THE VINTAGE CAPER by Peter Mayle
- BIG CHERRY HOLLER by Adriana Trigiani
- BIG STONE GAP by Adriana Trigiani
- BAJA FLORIDA by Bob Morris (ARC)
- I, ALEX CROSS by James Patterson
- SAVING CEECEE HONEYCUTT by Beth Hoffman
- ARCADIA FALLS by Carol Goodman (ARC)
- ROSES by Leila Meacham
- DRIVE TIME by Hank Phillippi Ryan (ARC)
- DEATH WITHOUT TENURE by Joanne Dobson
- EGGSECUTIVE ORDERS by Julie Hyzy
- THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
- SPELLBINDER by Helen Stringer (ARC)
- THE FOURTH PERSPECTIVE by Robert Greer
- HELL GATE by Linda Fairstein (ARC)
7 comments:
OOh, you read some really good ones this year. A lot of them were unfamiliar to me but I particularly liked Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and sure hope Ms. Simonson writes a sequel. Bury Your Dead lead me to read sever others of Penny's books.
The Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was a huge favorite of mine, one of those books that I will probably re-visit in the future.
Happy New Years and best wishes for health and peace.
Impressive list-making and reading. I've only read one of your selecteds. My favorite this year was Girl in Hyacinth Blue which moved me to tears and then I saw that the author is a lymphoma survivor. What a way to help her healing!
Guernsey was a wonderful read, Kaye, but I haven't read Pat's latest yet. Thanks for this terrific list, and I hope you have a great good new year. And thanks for being such a friend to all us authors. Bless you.
P.S. shpullum was my word verification word. Isn't that a great word?
Last year I tried to make a list of the books I read . I had a good start but failed to continue.
This year I especially enjoyed:
The Guernsey Literay... and
Bury your dead.
Happy New Year and good reading !
I'm with you, Kaye. Love those lists! I've read 30 of the books you did, loving Guernsey and Bury Your Dead.
As to lists, I've been keeping lists of the books I read for years. In fact, the current book covers almost the entire decade. I introduced my niece to this the year we competed. My mother keeps a list, and my grandmother did. And, I use it for answers at the library! It's a nice way to look back at my reading life.
Happy New Year, Kaye. May you have stacks of good books in 2011, and time to enjoy them!
Hi Everyone!
Happy New Year's Eve to you all!
Isn't it funny how we all read so much and have such a small overlap in what we've read? I love that!
Kaye - I'm with you in hoping for a sequel to Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - loved it!!
Mimja - that's one I haven't read, but will check it out, thank you.
Shane Honey - Hey!! You being you, I know you'll enjoy the latest Pat Conroy. Let me know what you think. I was surprised, a bit, by how very personal it seemed to be, beginning with the acknowledgment to his daughter, who I believe is estranged from her dad. So sad.
Danielle - OH! Louise Penny's "Bury Your Dead" was fantastic, wasn't it?! I can't wait for the next one.
Lesa - you're actually the person who inspired me to start keeping this list! Actually, you've inspired me in many, many ways. And I know you will continue to do so.
You are absolutely amazing, kaye! Wish i could get through a fraction of that. Fun to see a few titles I've read on your list, though.
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