Bookworms 2011

Hard to believe I have read over 200 books in the last four years.  Last year I listed my top 10, and with 50 new novels to choose from, only changed one; nonetheless, here is the updated list of what I have loved since starting this project in 2008:


Stars In My Pocket Like Grains of Sand by Samuel R. Delany

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami 

Lunar Park by Brett Easton Ellis


Embassytown by China Mieville

The Keep by Jennifer Egan

The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo

The Murderer Vine by Shepard Rifkin

Happy reading!

Fave Reads of 2011

I met my challenge of reading 50 books again this year, and for those interested wanted to take a second to list my top ten favorite reads of 2011.

Embassytown by China Mieville

The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo


Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason


Robbie's Wife by Russell Hill

The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer

The Painter of Battles by Arturo Perez-Reverte

Nobody's Angel by Jack Clark


Up in the Air by Walter Kirn

Nineteen Seventy-Four by David Peace
 
Bossypants by Tina Fey


And five honorable mentions:

Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan

Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell

The Lake by Banana Yoshimoto

Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt


Our Kind of Traitor by John LeCarre


This list is fairly heavy on crime, mystery, and thriller, and I admit to feeling a bit of ennui when making this out.  I'm getting an itching in my mind to read a little better, or at least smarter, for a while.  We shall see how it goes, but based on what I bought with my Amazon gift cards, I am going to try.

I have also now mastered this challenge for, unbelievably, four years in a row.  Here are my lists of favorite reads from 2010, 2009,  and the first go-round in 2008.  To maybe spice it up in 2012, I will be taking suggestions from readers.  Let me know what you think is good and I will try to mix a few new ideas.

Cracking IQ 84 by Haruki Murakami tonight!

Turn Left at Icewind Dale

My son and my brother in our traditional holiday gaming day.  Legend of Drizzt board game and Lord of the Rings soundtrack on Pandora.  Another day in nerd's paradise.

Thy Colors True of Red and White Shall E'er Exalted Be

Three generations of Ball State University grads, with seven college degrees and 36 years of service to the university between my dad, my wife, me, and my daughter.

Guitar Santa

Christmas 1987 we were newly married and broke like the Ten Commandments; that first year we bought all of our ornaments from a drugstore that was going out of business and I think we spent about 50 cents each on them. Still my favorite ornament from that time though the kids are sick of hearing this story.