Best Books of 2011
I wish I’d kept a better list of books I’ve read this past year; I only blog about some of them, and not always the best ones. I’m having trouble coming up with even a handful of books to put on my “best of” list, and I think that’s only partially due to my poor memory. Here are the ones that come to mind:
The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear
Patrick Rothfuss
Fantasy series featuring an arrogant, yet surprisingly likable, magician.
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation
M.T. Anderson
Young adult historical fiction set during the Revolutionary War era, exploring racial eugenics.
Cutting for Stone
Abraham Verghese
Dramatic and engaging story of twin brothers who grow up and become surgeons, like the father who abandoned them, as revolution threatens their Ethiopian homeland.
When You Reach Me
Rebecca Stead
Part mystery, part science fiction middle grade Newbery Medal winner.
Wizard’s First Rule
Terry Goodkind
First book in the (long) Sword of Truth series. I’m hesitant to recommend this one, though I can’t deny that I got caught up in it and had trouble putting it — and then the second book (Stone of Tears) — and now the third (Blood of the Fold) — down. But I only recommend it/them for fantasy lovers.
Well, that’s all I can think of. A little shabby, I admit. What’s on your best books of 2011 list?
My year in pictures
national conference
spring break visit to future brother- and sister-in-law
grad school graduation
Italy
lazy summer
lovely fall
engagement
thesis chapter published
Here’s to a great 2012: some big changes up ahead, including a (probable) move, (hopeful) new job, and (possible) wedding. A little nervous, and a lot excited!
Five Things Breaking Dawn Got Right
There is plenty to complain about with the Breaking Dawn movie, but let’s focus on the positive this time, shall we? Five things Breaking Dawn got right:
1. Bella’s appearance while pregnant. It’s one thing to read about Bella slowly starving to death, her spine breaking, and all of the other lovely effects of her pregnancy, but it’s another thing to see it. While the movie could have downplayed these effects (like it did with Bella’s honeymoon bruises – something not done well), it makes a point of showing Bella as gaunt, skeleton-like, with protruding bones and sickly skin and highlighting her near-death state. She looks terrible. Just as she should. Hopefully young women will see this side of the story and realize, hey, that’s not so romantic after all.
(c) bellasugar.com
(c) thestir.cafemom.com
2. Jacob’s reaction to the name Renesemee. I don’t remember exactly what he said, and I don’t have a photo, but it went something like this:
(c) hottestkpopbg.tumblr.com
3. Jacob’s vision of future Renesmee. By allowing Jacob to have a vision of Renesemee as a young women (not what happens in the book), the movie makes his imprinting slightly less disturbing. Slightly.
Love at first sight:
(c) gunsjy.blogspot.com
vs.
(c) boomtron.com
4. The Wedding. Just look at these decorations. The ceremony and reception at the Cullen’s mansion was gorgeous and fitting, given the Cullen’s wealth and Alice’s style expertise.
- (c) breakingdawnmovie.org
5. The final shot. Even though possessing supernatural beauty apparently means having thick eyeshadow… and even though I knew this is what the final shot would be… that last image of Bella waking up from the dead was perfect.
Are there others I missed?
Breaking Dawn comes out on Friday! Get your snark on…
In honor of the Breaking Dawn release, links to my two favorite Twilight critics:
Alex Reads Twilight – British guy summarizes Twilight, chapter by chapter. Get ready to laugh out loud.
Reasoning with Vampires – Awesome editor picks Twilight apart, page by page. Get ready to be amused and to improve your understanding of writing.
(c) Reasoning with Vampires
Venturing into new book territory…
A whole summer gone by, and nary a blog post! Please forgive me. I’ve been busy with new reading material…
What I Read This Summer
Getting Things Done
David Allen
(Nonfiction)
I’m always trying to be more organized, and I would recommend this book, even though it’s old (2002, I think) and a lot of it is common sense. But there are some good tricks and tips that I’m taking away from it, and that’s worth it to me.
Freedom
Jonathan Franzen
(Fiction)
Not nearly as good as I expected. Almost tedious to get through at times. And I hate the cover.
Revolution
Jennifer Connolly
(YA Historical Fiction / Fantasy)
Also not as good as I’d expected, from all the buzz I’d heard about it. Good, if you have it lying around. Maybe not worth going out and getting.
When You Reach Me
Rebecca Stead
(Children’s)
Wonderful, surprising story. 2010 Newbery Medal winner. Great for upper elementary / middle school readers, but I really liked it, too. Draws on Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time — pair these two for young readers.
Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back
Todd Burpo
(Nonfiction / Inspirational)
Just couldn’t quite swallow it. I’m sure the author fully believes his son’s story and has entirely good intentions. But he’s a pastor, so he also has an agenda.
The Name of the Wind
Patrick Rothfuss
(Fantasy)
Going into this without high expectations, I really enjoyed it. I’ve requested the second book in the trilogy through the library.
The Night Watch
Sarah Waters
(Historical fiction)
Liked it, didn’t love it. Shortlisted for the 2006 Man Booker. GLBT relationships.
Fingersmith
Sarah Waters
(Gothic Fiction)
Liked this one better, though not as much as The Little Stranger, which many readers prefer. Some good twists, although almost too many — sometimes caught myself anticipating the twists rather than engaging in the story. GLBT.
Cutting for Stone
Abraham Verghese
(Fiction)
Heard great things about this book and was not disappointed. Recommend.
I’m going to be published!
Coming to you this fall (or maybe winter, but hopefully fall)…
So, what’s the big deal about this book? One of the chapters is my first masters thesis!
Yep, I’m going to be published!
Theorizing Twilight: Essays on What’s at Stake in a Post-Vampire World
Edited by Maggie Parke and Natalie Wilson
From McFarland’s site:
Since the publication of Twilight in 2005, Stephenie Meyer’s four-book saga about the tortured relationship between human heroine Bella Swan and her vampire love Edward Cullen has become a world-wide sensation, inciting screams of delight from loyal fans, sighs of derision from detractors, and fervent pronouncements about what “Team” one is on. Those looking deeper into its pages and on screen can find intriguing subtexts about everything from gender, race, sexuality, and religion. These accessible essays examine the texts, the films, and the fandom, exploring the series’ cultural reach and impact. Aimed at both the casual fan and the careful academic, this thought-provoking collection offers one of the first thorough analyses of the saga, compelling readers to examine more deeply their own reactions to the cultural phenomenon that is Twilight.
My essay is about Bella and some of the other main women in her life–Emily, Esme, Alice, and Rosalie. I look at how the saga denies agency to its female characters, creates a pattern of violence against women, and upholds rape culture myths. I submitted my abstract more than a year ago but I didn’t want to say anything about the book and my essay until it was for sure, for sure going to happen. I was absolutely thrilled that my essay was accepted, and the revisions have been a great process with some wonderful editors. I don’t know much about the other essays, but Maggie and Natalie both do fantastic work and I can’t wait to see the finished product. I’ll let you know when we have a set publication date.
Now, back to work on another Secret Project… which I’ll tell you about when it’s for sure, for sure. Oh yeah, and I’m back from Italy… more on that later 🙂
Traveling with (e)Books
My sister and I are off to Italy today!
We’re bringing some books for the long plane and train rides, and venturing into new reading territory… ebooks. I bought a Kindle and filled it with free classics I’ve never read, and we also downloaded some books to read on my mom’s iPad, which we’re borrowing. We’re bringing one paperback and some audiobooks as well. With my new Kindle I get two free books from Audible, so I downloaded this:
My uncle, who travels often and was in Venice this past year, recommended The City of Falling Angels, a nonfiction account of Venice.
I’ll try to send a few picture updates while we’re gone, and when we get back, expect a reading on the road report. How do you read when you travel?
20 (or so) Books for Your Summer Reading List
Looking for something to read this summer? Here are some of my go-to recommendations and some others I read this year and really enjoyed. I recommend them all, so don’t judge them by their order in this list, their covers, or their movie tie-ins. Just read them and let me know what you think, or if you have others to recommend!
Little Bee
Chris Cleave
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The Help
Kathryn Stockett
The Little Stranger
Sarah Waters
Affinity
Sarah Waters
Her Fearful Symmetry
Audrey Niffenegger
The Golden Compass (young adult high fantasy)
Phillip Pullman
Ender’s Game (middle grade/young adult science fiction)
Orson Scott Card
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Stieg Larsson
The House of the Spirits (magical realism)
Isabelle Allende
The Things They Carried
Tim O’Brien
The Road
Cormac McCarthy
Water for Elephants
Sara Gruen
Atonement
Ian McEwan
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Audrey Niffenegger
A Prayer for Owen Meany
John Irving
Peace Like a River
Leif Enger
Gilead (maybe my favorite book ever)
Marilynne Robinson
I’m building my own summer list – what do you recommend?
Happy Children’s Book Week!
Since 1919, Children’s Book Week has been celebrated countrywide with author & illustrator appearances, parties, storytelling, and other book-related events in schools, libraries, bookstores, clubs — anywhere where kids and books connect. www.bookweekonline.com
Thinking about some of my favorite books growing up, these three come to mind:
These are all books that my fifth-grade teacher read out loud to our class. Reading out loud to and with children is so important for literacy and for establishing a community of readers and book lovers. Though I was a crazy reader a long time before fifth grade, I’ll always be thankful to Mr. Johnson for the importance he placed on reading and for showing us his love of reading as well.
I’ve come a long way since then, but I’m still reading children’s books! Right now I’m looking at 20th-century retellings of the 15th-century romance, The Weddyng of Syr Gawen and Dame Ragnell. Here are two of the books I’m using at:
Why do we continue to tell this medieval story? What parts of the original do the retellings keep or change, and how do those choices reflect contemporary culture? We shall see…
Lyndale Press 
