This is the second year in a row that I made a goal on Goodreads to read 100 books. Of the 100 this year, here are my 10 favorites in order (Would love to hear what you think I missed): 1. Redeployment - Phil Klay - An amazing set of short stories about the Iraq War. Great writing. Interesting characters. An fascinating perspectives. I loved what he does with returning veterans. 2. Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel - A really fun book about a traveling band of Shakespearian actors after a flu outbreak wipes out most of the world population. The story was compelling and very readable. Goes back and forth in time, both before and after the outbreak and really unpacks a number of diverse characters. 3. The Narrow Road to the Deep North - Richard Flanagan – A love story mixed with the story of Japanese P.O.W.s. Really rich writing, almost lyrical. I loved the main character but I loved even more the other characters. His supporting cast was so creative and full. 4. We are Not Ourselves - Matthew Thomas – The story of one woman and her family and the struggles they go through. This is the most heartbreaking book on the list but is written so well that it never boarders on the sentimental or mawkish. Anyone interested in the challenges of aging and loving another in the face of sickness should read this book. 5. Everything I Never Told you - Celeste Ng – A great book about a girl who dies in the first pages and only at the end do we learn why. It’s the story of an Asian family growing a half century ago in small town America. Beautiful prose and interesting characters. 6. The UnAmericans - Molly Antopol – Amazing short stories that fit comfortably into the Jewish literature genre. Really original with interesting things to say about the Jewish experience both in America and abroad. 7. Dept. of Speculation - Jenny Offill – The most beautiful book on this list about a woman whose marriage is falling apart. She peppers it with philosophy and literary quotes. Very free verse. More like a poetic mediation than a novel. It’s short and worth the few hours. 8. The Marian - Andy Weir – An adventurous book about an astronaut trapped on Mars and how he survives. Like the movie “Gravity” but smarter and just as well paced. This is a great vacation read. 9. What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions - Randall Munroe – Answers questions like “What if everyone shined a laser pointer at the moon, would it change colors” or “how much is a mole of moles?” Super nerdy but also so fun. If you like science or math at all this is a great book! 10. The Book of Unknown Americans - Cristina Henriquez – Very beautiful book about the relationship between two families, one from Mexico with a daughter who is suffering from a traumatic brain injury after a fall, and one from Panama with a son who falls in love with her. I liked this one because it takes place is Delaware of all places, which makes its take on the immigrant experience so much more unique than if it took place in NY or TX. -- So what did I miss?
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:15:58 +0000
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