The Book Thief- Markus Zusak
A Long Way Down- Nick Hornby 50 pages-ish (impressively written, but too much crud for me)
Brave New World- Aldous Huxley
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey-Trenton Lee Stewart
The Chocolate War- Robert Cormier
Going Bovine- Libba Bray 129pgs (can't believe I even gave it that long before I quit)
Watership Down- Richard Adams all but about the last 75 pages (anyone agree with me that book is really cool, but could have been half the size?!?)
A Town Like Alice-Nevil Shute
From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler-E L Konigsberg
The Help - Kathryn Stockett
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall- Anne Bronte
The Westing Game-Ellen Raskin
The Professor and the Madman- Simon Winchester
Maniac McGee- Jerry Spinelli
Jane Eyre-Charlotte Bronte
A Little Princess- Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Invention of Morel-Aldolfo Bioy Casares
King Lear-William Shakespeare
The Chosen- Chaim Potok
Mockingjay-Suzanne Collins
A Wrinkle in Time- Madeleine L'Engle
Ella Enchanted- Gail Carson Levine
Animal Farm - George Orwell
A Girl of the Limberlost - Gene Stratton Porter
Farenheit 451- Ray Bradbury
The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen- Syrie James
Theodore Boone- Kid Lawyer - John Grisham
The Goose Girl - Shannon Hale
The Prince and the Pauper- Mark Twain
The Amish of Illinois Heartland- Rebecca Mabry
Middlemarch- George Elliot
My favorite read of the year goes to: A Little Princess. I can't tell you how touched I was by this sweet little book. Sara Crewe walks through life pretending to be a princess. She takes this fancy quite seriously and it affects her every thought and action. Although it seems merely imaginative and silly as the book opens, when life changes for Sara she teaches us what it truly means to walk with an inner nobility despite life circumstances. It may be easy to be benevolent, tolerant, generous and good willed when you have the world at your disposal... it may be easy to have confidence and self assurance when all around you admire and dote on you... but what happens if it is harshly and suddenly all taken away? Would you act that way still? Sara finds a way to do it, and it taught me so very much. After all, am I not the daughter of a king? Shouldn't I also let that thought influence my every thought and action?
Honorable Mentions go to: The Help, The Chosen, A Girl of the Limberlost, and Maniac McGee
A Word on the Dystopias: I quite liked some of them, but can't really choose them as favorites. I think there is much to be learned from them, and some of them were really compelling and well written, but they always leave me feeling a bit... blue. If I were to choose a top pick out of them it would be Animal Farm, (I thought about that book for a loooooong time) followed closely by Farenheit 451.
Did I hate any books this year? Why, yes I did: The Chocolate War. I can totally understand why it's a banned book (not that I am a proponent of banning literature). I found the message down-right-disturbing. If the author truly believes what he wrote is a good representation of how life actually is then I feel sorry for him. Truly. The only good thing I can say about it is that it makes for great discussion and debate. It's been a long time since I have wanted to argue against something so badly. Optimists and believers of change unite! This book is just so very wrong! (Are you wondering why I read it? Well... let's just say you don't know how bad it is until the end. Totally didn't see it comin'.)
I also hated: Middlemarch. I wanted to like it... and part of me admits I never allowed myself to be truly invested in it (I finished like 9 other books while I was reading it)... but I just couldn't get into the story. Boring. Really, really boring. I consider it an absolute triumph that I finished such an insanely long and drawn out book. Don't get me wrong... I love me a crazy long book... if it's good. (David Copperfield, Little Women etc. etc.) Wow. Well now I can say I read it. There's that at least.
This year, as always, I read more than I should but nearly as much as I wanted.
Here's to Great Reading in 2011!
7 comments:
we need at least a week in Ouray to discuss the books and the great ones you read and the ones that you will read in the future cause they will change your life. Name of the Wind get a copy ASAP. I loved the Long Walk (true story and amazing) love aunt deedee
Wow. Your list puts mine to shame. And by the way....I remember LOVING Mixed Up Files, and A Wrinkle in Time....I've been meaning to reread Wrinkle for some time now.
Is it dorky that I used to daydream about hiding out in places to get locked in after closing after reading Mixed Up Files?
So what's up next for you to read? I always have a hard time picking something new.... :(
Maybe I'm too cynical, but I'm amazed at how well some of the authors in the dystopia genre were able to predict the issues we would face in our society.
In a Brave new world for example, the clueless, pleasure seeking, substance abusing society is so similar to our own on so many levels.
Orwellian doublespeak manifests itself daily in this nation where we conquer and occupy other nations to "preserve peace" and abort babies to preserve a woman's freedom to live as she wishes. War is Peace and Murder is Life.
Sure, dystopias express viewpoints that are extreme in nature, but that is what makes them so effective and compelling. This extreme method of delivering the novel's message erases the shades of gray surrounding the issues dealt with in the novel and allows us to see them clearly in black and white.
They disturb us, not because they are unrealistic, but because we are able to detect something of our own reality within the vivid descriptions of dystopian horrors.
I love the dystopias!
Good rundown! I didn't know your read The Chosen. The ending of that book is one of the best endings I've read. Really interesting stuff! I can't wait for school to be out so I can read a few from this list! :-)
I love that you made your review short so I could read it in one sitting, but now I want to call you and ask you about all of the books not mentioned in detail!!!! (which by the way I did get your message about a phone call, and it is definitely in order. What about tomorrow? I don't work and it's a holiday! I'm free all day if that works for you!)
I want to know your thoughts on Girl of the Limberlost. That was my favorite favorite favorite book growing up. I haven't read it since I was a teenager, but I read it about 10 times between the ages of 12 and 18. I've never read Mixed Up Files, or Maniac McGee, and I don't remember much about Wrinkle in Time. Love the Book Thief always, and I must read Fahrenheit 451 (sp?) and Animal Farm (I read that in 5th grade at Challenger, and I'm pretty sure I don't remember anything except what the cover looked like)
I love that your list is so heavy... this last year, I had to read pretty light or it wouldn't happen at all. Sorry Middlemarch didn't reward you better for all your hard work and time investment to get through it!
I love to see what you've been reading!
How was the Amish of Illinois one, btw?
I wish I read as much as you!
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