It’s
that time of year when I start to think about the books I’ve read over
the course of the year and which ones I liked
best. I am a natural list maker, and so lists of books . . .well, what
could be more fun and interesting? I have kept a list of every book I’ve
read for about 30 years now (since about my junior year of college).
Over the years it has changed from a pen and
paper list to a digital document, and since then has resided on various
computers in various formats (I started with a Word doc but recently
switched to a spreadsheet). Over all these years, I’ve only lost about
half a year’s worth. If you’re into the bottom
line, on average I read about 60 books a year (my partner reads about
100 books a year, and you can imagine how competitive that makes me
feel, but I’m just not a particularly fast reader), and I do include
audio books (unabridged ones, naturally).
But
the list I want to talk about here—a list of the best books I’ve read
in a particular year—began when I started working
at the bookstore. It’s a particular help during the holiday rush when
people ask me what book I’ve particularly loved. Being middle aged and
not having always taken care of all my brain cells, I am perfectly
capable of drawing a total blank when asked what
book I’m reading NOW let alone what I read last spring, so Lynn’s Top
10 of the Year list was born.
Also,
list making is fun, which is another reason why I don’t wait until Dec
31st for this. I actually began pondering
this a few weeks ago and will probably ponder a good bit more before my
2012 reading is done. At the moment, my 2012 candidates are:
Midsummer Night at the Workhouse by Diana Athill
Carry the One by Carol Anshaw
The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright
The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
When I Was a Child I Read Books by Marilynne Robinson
When Women Were Birds by Terry Tempest Williams
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
The Believers by Zoe Heller
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel JoyceCarry the One by Carol Anshaw
The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright
The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
When I Was a Child I Read Books by Marilynne Robinson
When Women Were Birds by Terry Tempest Williams
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
The Believers by Zoe Heller
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey
Toby’s Room by Pat Barker
These
are listed in the order I read them. I haven’t even begun to think
about the rankings yet. (OK, maybe a little.) And considering
that I work at a feminist bookstore, my rate of 10 female to 3 male
authors feels about right to me. Also, you may know that several of these
books were published before 2012; it’s just that I only got around to
reading them in 2012—although, I will admit I
did better this year than I usually do re: reading things promptly.
One thing you may notice right away is that there are more than
ten, and there are still
two months of reading time left. In the end, this list may or may not
actually be 10 books long. Sometimes it’s 10, but sometimes
it’s 11 or 12. Just because I like lists doesn’t mean I’m rigid about
them!
Do you make lists of books you’ve read, too? What are the best books you've read this year? Do any of mine make your list?
Lynn
Women & Children First
Chicago
Oh, do I ever make lists of books! I always feel a bit strange making lists of my top 10 books "of the year" because I read so many classics and books from past years and tend not to read new books right away (I have to sort through the bestseller backlash, my personal contempt for the overhyped books that everyone breathlessly tells me I must read...) But I definitely make lists of books to read and books read, and I also have my ongoing lifetime top ten. Whenever a new book cracks the top 10 it's a monumental occurrence.
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