Looking Back - The Year In Review

So I set a reading goal for myself last year - 100 books - I didn't quite get there. I had a lot going on this year with my father being sick and then losing him in August. Since I don't exactly read light weight stuff, I guess I won't beat myself up too bad.

2009 was a good year for reading material. I enjoyed most of what I read and feel like the books I choose enriched my life. Here are the top 10 of 2009.

10. The Scarlet Pimpernel - this book is pure enjoyment! It was one of the first of this genre - the hero who hides behind a buffoon of an alter ego while his wife loves the hero and appears oblivious to her husband's true nature. For anyone who loves adventure, spy stories and romance, this one is a must.

9. Mercy by Jodi Picoult. This is a story about a man who is being tried for murdering his wife. It certainly raises a lot of questions and really makes you think what you might do if that were your situation. Can you ever love someone TOO much?

8. Elsewhere - what an original YA work. I loved the authors approach to death and what comes after. It was very holistic and that is appealing, though hard for me to grasp initially as her view is very different than my own. Still, it was WELL worth the read.

7 The 19th Wife - for all my Big Love fans out there - this one is excellent. There is a lot about the history of the Firsts - the sect of Mormons who still adhere to the practice of polygamy. This book was very different with an intriguing mystery mixed it. I found it to be very enjoyable and I learned a lot about Bringham Young and the history of his church when I read it.

6. Cancer Ward - Solzhenitsyn is a genius! There is just no other way to say it. This is an amazing story, based on Solzhenitsyn's own experiences in post World War II Russia. Just hearing how these patients were treated then, the process and how long they had to wait, it was heart- wrenching. I am looking forward to reading the Gulag Archipelago.

5. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. This book was a real treat. If you haven't read it yet, do yourself a favor, step away from the computer, go to the bookstore or library and get yourself a copy. This is an amazing work about a very interesting time in history. The approach is completely unique occurring totally in letters written between the various characters. I can't recommend this one highly enough - hard to get into at first, but so worth the effort!

4. City of Thieves - what a great story! I loved it from start to finish, it was totally compelling. I loved both the characters of Lev and Kolya. They were so different and yet, there was much to love about each of them. They are real. This book was sad, funny, compelling... it just has it all.

Has anyone else noticed that the books just keep getting better?

3. A Lion Among Men. I am a big Maguire fan, and I love his Wicked series, but he definitely saved the best for last. This work is about Brrr... otherwise known to most of us as the Cowardly Lion. It's an interesting look at the circumstances that mold us all and whether we can rise about our circumstances and our nature. This is a book about Redemption. I loved it. You really do need to read the other books in the series though to completely understand it.

2. Child 44 - Another Russian story. I just never saw this one coming. It is very powerful, especially about the concepts of crime and human nature. If you like detective or crime stories, this one is definitely worth reading. I am very much looking forward to reading The Secret Speech, which is the follow up to this book in 2010.

And the best book I read in 2009? It was also the first book I read in 2009
1. The Shack. It is life altering. Truly life altering. It completely changed my outlook on so many things. It is one of those books that will stay with me forever. If you love books that challenge the way you think, your core beliefs, give this one a try.

The Christmas Sweater

So I just finished reading The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck yesterday. It is a touching novel about one boys Christmas and his realization of what the greatest gift of all is.
My knowledge of Glenn Beck is limited to his radio/ television political talk show. My father was a fan, so in honor of him, I thought I would give this book a try. I didn't go into the book with very high expectations but was quickly surprised. I guess it just goes to show that just because I don't agree with Beck politically I should not have underestimated his ability as a story teller.
Since my father passed 4 months ago, in many ways it was a difficult novel to read as it is about a young boy who has also lost his father. So often those of us who live a charmed life, as I believe that I in many ways do, take for granted that everyone experiences the holidays in the same way that we do. This book is a poignant reminder of those who focus on the true meaning of the holiday rather than just the presents under the tree.
For anyone who likes to read heartwarming books about the meaning of the season, and about the greatest Gift of all - Redemption - I recommend The Christmas Sweater.

The Beginning

I started this blog because I love to read. I am passionate about books. The characters of many that I have read have become my friends and life long companions. Every year I set a reading goal for myself, but often lose track of just how many books I have actually read. This blog is to help me keep track and to help like minded others by offering thoughts and commentary on those that I have finished.

To give you an idea of who I am, at least in regards to my literary tastes and preferences, I want to share my top ten list. Of course the list is constantly changing and morphing, but as of this moment it is as follows:

My Top Ten Favorite Books of All Time
1. Atlas Shrugged - it just has to be here.
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy - because for me, these books started the magic.
3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - quite possibly one of the best written and most uplifting novels that I have ever read, which is saying something.
4. 1984 because it makes me question everything...
5.Gone With the Wind - because my father used to always say that I am Scarlett.
6. Wuthering Heights - possibly the greatest love story of all time.
7.A Thousand Splendid Suns - I thought I couldn't possibly like a book as much as Kite Runner and then I read this and it was, literally, a thousand times better.
8. We the Living - because I find it fascinating and it in many ways in autobiographical.
9. Night. This simply must be on everyone's reading list. It just must...
10. Harry Potter - all of them. While this may be listed last, it is certainly not least. I love all things Harry!

Well, that's a little about me. Soon I will start my books reviews here. If you are reading this and have a suggestion for a good book to share, please leave me a comment. I am always looking for something to read!