In early January of 2008, I decided to keep a log of all the books I read in 2008. In addition to title and author, I wrote a few sentences about each book reminding myself of the plot and what I thought of the book. Mostly, this was a personal endeavor to remember books, as once a few weeks have passed, I often begin to jumble plots and characters. It was a year of good books. A year of heavy public library use. A year of browsing the library and friends' bookshelves with no particular direction. Ever since finally finishing grad school, after being in school for 18 straight years, I did enjoy disproportionate numbers of fiction and literary fiction titles- it was glorious. Some were re-reads, and some are written in the back of my little blank book under no specific month. I know a few are missing, as well; however, I cannot remember exactly which books are missing and what their plots were.
If you'd like more information about a specific title, my thoughts on a book, or would like to chat about something you've read from the list or something you think I should read in 2009, feel free to comment or e-mail. Though I aspire to Kristy's level of humility, I do feel somewhat proud that I surpassed the American average of less than two books read in a single year. Without further ado, Books I Read: 2008.
January
Walk On, Bright Boy (Charles Davis)
A Hatred for Tulips (Richard Lourie)
Up High in the Trees (Kiara Brinkman)
Every Past Thing (Pamela Thompson)
The Vine of Desire (Chiata Banerjee Divakaruni)
February
8 ball chicks (Gini Sikes)
Life on the Outside (Jennifer Gonnerman)
A World Apart: Women, Prison and Life Behind Bars (Cristina Rathbone)
March
Mozart's Sister (Rita Charbonnier)
Tomboy (Nina Bouraoui, translation)
April
Dragonfly Stories: Stories Celebrating The LGBT Community (J. Cascio, Ed)
Hers: Brilliant New Fiction by Lesbian Writers (Terry Wolverton, Ed)
May
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbrosky)
Durable Goods (Elizabeth Berg)
June
The Story of Forgetting (Stefan Merrill Block)
Mercy (Lara Santoro)
Sarah's Key (Tatiana de Rosnay)
Mississippi Sissy (Kevin Sessums)
July
light fell (Evan Fallenberg)
The Beautiful Struggle (Ta-Nehisi Coates)
Girls on the Verge (Vendela Vida)
Map of Ireland (Stephanie Grant)
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (Christopher Moore)
The Air Between Us (Deborah Johnson)
August
The Unexpected Child (Patricia Grossman)
Rose of No Man's Land (Michelle Tea)
Tea (Stacey D'erasmo)
A Seahorse Year (Stacey D'erasmo)
September
love poem to androgyny (stacey waite)
Bitches, Bimbos, & Ball Breakers: The Guerrilla Girls' Illustrated Guide to Female Stereotypes
Son for Night (Chris Abani)
The Passion of Alice (Stephanie Grant)
October/November
Night (Elie Wiesel)
The Stolen Child (Keith Donohue)
December
Falling Man (Don DeLillo)
a mercy (Toni Morrison)
Unknown Month
The Red Tent (Anita Diamont) (Summer?)
The Birth of Venus (Sarah Dunant) (Late winter?)
Pilate's Wife (Antoinette May) (Late spring/early summer?)
My Year of Meats (Ruth L. Ozeki) (Late winter?)
Monday, January 12, 2009
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5 comments:
What did you think of Toni Morrison's new book? This is a great idea. I think I'm going to start keeping better track of the books I read.
What did you think of Toni Morrison's new book? This is a great idea. I think I'm going to start keeping better track of the books I read.
I should also try to have more patience with slow internet connections. sorry for the double post.
Jacket - I really enjoyed a mercy. It definitely rings of Beloved, almost as a similar story that came before in 17th century American colonies. The very beginning of the book is a little dense, and it takes a second to figure out what's going on (though this is not surprising for Toni Morrison, I suppose). What I think is most interesting about the book is how the stories mostly revolves around how a variety of women (slave and "free") are bound to one another and dependent on one another as family, but those relationships fall apart in the end- mostly NOT because of men/love. It's not a happy ending by any means, but it is a very thoughtful ending giving pause to how women, though bound by familial connections, must ultimately create their own selves outside of the bonds of Other women.
Been reading any good fiction yourself lately?
how was "perks of being a wallflower"? i remember wanting to read it, but still haven't gotten around to it.
hm. i'll post a list of books (fiction) i read last semester and this one ...
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