A Year in Reading 2009

[StarOpal]

Click here for the 2008 thread

So how did your books treat you last year? Anything stand out, any good stories? Did you read a lot? Discover a new author?

[StarOpal]

With a move and a new job, I only got up 29 books last year.

Continuing my recording system, I see I had a D grade book, that someone talked me into reading and am completely embarrassed that I did. I'll say it involves vampires that say things like "I'm outtie." even though they're supposed to be totally bad ass. But they didn't sparkle.

I also only found two A+s: Max Brooks' World War Z and Jasper Forde's The Big Over Easy. I pretty much just plain loved both.

And whittled down my reading 'To Do' list by finally reading George Orwell's 1984 (an A), and continuing to go through Neil Gaiman and Diana Wynne Jones' books.

Biggest disappointment (sort of) was the third 12 Kingdoms book. The story itself was good, but Tokyopop needs better editors. There were quite a few errors that just should not have slipped through. Oh well.

[TheOogieBoogieMan]

Heh, I was meaning to start this thread the first week of January, but was struck with The Lazy. It happens.

In 2008, I read an even 40 books. In 2009, the number went down to 38. This cannot stand, so I'm going to push myself to reach 50 this year. That'll make everything aaaaaaaaalright...yes...

I didn't give my books a letter grade this year (although I'm bringing that practice back this year...stay tuned in twelve months!), but looking over my list, I have two definite favourites: Roots by Alex Haley, and the Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. Roots was one of those books that I never wanted to end, and the Woman in White was one of the few Victorian works that I've actually enjoyed - not just admired, or appreciated, but enjoyed (with the exception of Dickens).

Biggest disappointment for me last year was, surprise surprise, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I've already said enough about that book on this forum. Next.

Authors discovered in 2009: Neal Stephenson, mainly. Snow Crash impressed me enough to add him to my "authors-to-read-more-of-in-the-future" list. Him and David Sedaris, but I already knew I liked his style before I sat down and read When You Are Engulfed In Flames, thanks to NPR podcasts.