Today’s suggested topic for Armchair BEA (click on button at left to be taken to site) is writing about the best books of this year that we’ve read. However, since I’ve read only one book from 2011 this year, and to be honest, I’m not one of those book bloggers that reads books from that same year. So as I usually do when it comes to events like this, I am going to subvert the rules and write about my favorite books of the past few years since I’ve been blogging about books, starting with this year.
- 2011: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
- 2010: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
- 2009: The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
- 2008: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Others among my favorites that I’ve read in the last few years include:
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
- Memory by Donald E. Westlake
- Drowned Hopes by Donald E. Westlake
- Mercury Falls by Robert Kroese
- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
- Left To Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza with Steve Erwin
Not to be arrogant, but my reviews pretty much speak for themselves on why I loved the books, the ones that have links to them. Those that don’t have links to them? I will comment only on the lesser known of the three: Drowned Hopes by Donald E. Westlake. The book is the seventh in Westlake’s series about John Dortmunder, the hapless burglar, and I think his best, even though I haven’t finished all of the series. It does help to have read the other in the series, but even on its own, it is a formidable work of art — mainly because of the way the plot is structured.
To learn more about Donald E. Westlake, check out my previous post written about him for last year’s Book Blogger Appreciation Week.
To learn more about me, check out yesterday’s post where I introduced myself to the Armchair BEA community.
Peace out, y’all. Holla.
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You’re adding tons of books to my tbr list. It’s ridiculous that I haven’t read Unbroken or Neverwhere yet.
That is crazy that you haven’t read at least one of them…you act like you’re busy or something.
Thanks a lot for adding to my growing pile of to-reads. #sarcasm
Kidding. The only person I’ve read on your list is Alexie. He reminds me of the times I lived on the Reservation. He was at the Decatur Book Festival a few years ago and I got one of his books and an autograph, of course.
Can’t wait to see who is at this awesome festival this year.
Westlake sounds good. I’ll have to give him a try.
Hashtags are for Twitter, not for blogs. What the hey?!? #sarcasm
If you like Alexie, then you definitely should read the one I mentioned, if you haven’t. Great, great book.
Unbroken was an excellent book. I’m currently reading “Japan’s Postwar History” as a result. I wanted to know how Japan could go from treating prisoners of war the way they did in the 40s to becoming an economic giant and ally of the U.S.
I’m sure that is fascinating to learn why that happened.
Neverwhere is among my favorite books. In 2009 I decided to step away reviewing for publishers and publicists. I felt like I was losing my focus and drifting from my mission statement of sharing the joys of reading. Call it taking a librarian’s approach to blogging. Come see what I mean.
I’ve actually been to your blog before, Sarah, but I’ve lost track of you for some reason. But I’m glad to rediscover you here.
Holla Back!
Whaaa? Did you read the post?
lol!
Love Neverwhere, love Harry Potter, love The Year of Living Biblically! Memory was a DNF, but I won’t hold it against you.
We can’t always like the same things and that’s all right. But the things we both like, we can revel in them. I admit I read Memory after reading other Westlake, so maybe you have to have a feel for his writing.
i read A.J. Jacobs The Know-It-All and have been meaning to pick up The Year of Living Biblically. his writing is just too much fun.
and i’ve been meaning to read Cutting for Stone since before it even came out. i’m such a slacker.
Eh. It’s not a slacker. It’s that there are too many good books out there. We can’t get to all of them…although we certainly can try.
I really should read more from Gaiman. He’s very entertaining.
Gaiman for me is hit and miss. Loved his book with Terry Pratchett: Good Omens, but didn’t care much for Stardust and American Gods was pretty good, but I didn’t think as good as Neverwhere. However, I’d like to read more by him, because just based on those few I’ve read, I like his work overall.
I liked your ’09 selection, too!
Sadly, I don’t read very much any more.
I think I remember you talking about reading it before.
Anyone else I’d probably castigate them for not reading. But you? I know how busy you are…with family and work. I completely understand…or sympathize anyway.
I have to say, there are very few books on this list that I’ve heard of. But, you’re broadening my horizons, so I thank you for that :]
You’re welcome. I try not to stay up on the latest trends…instead, for the most part, I go back to trends that might have been popular (or not) at least five years ago.
I think Harry Potter is the only one I’ve read off your list….
My Best of 2011 List
Yeah, a lot of the others aren’t “mainstream” enough with maybe a few exceptions.
I have been meaning to read The year of living biblically. I am glad you liked it as I will now move it to the top of my list.
Hope you like it…but if you don’t…er, don’t blame me. We all have different tastes.