Happy 2008! And Happy reading to all. I am going to stick to trying to read 50 books this year (75 if I can). Last year I came close so I have to step it up.

1) The Archivist by Martha Cooley - This was definitely a different book from the one I thought it would be and one I'm not sure how to feel about. It has many layers dealing with numerous sets of relationships spanning decades: an archivist and a grad student interested in reading Emily Hale's letters to the poet T.S. Eliot; Emily Hale and her intimate and ultimately failed relationship with T.S. Elliot; T.S. Elliott and his relationship with his wife who winds up in a mental institution; the archivist and his relationship with his wife who has a breakdown; the grad student and her relationship with her parents who lied to her about their heritage. Running through it all are issues of religious conversion and ultimately atonement for the sins committed by ourselves and our families. In many ways it's a beautiful book but very heavy and quite depressing. Not the most lighthearted way to start off 2008 but at least thoughtprovoking.

2) Players and Gentlemen by Joanne Harris - (audiobook) - I was really pleasantly surprised by this one. Great story. Narrative switches between Roy Straightly, a classics professor at the elite boy's school St. Oswalds, who is on the verge of retiring, and Snyde, an infiltrator who is bent on destroying the school from the inside out. From pretty early on I figured out who Snyde truly was but it was great fun watching the story unravel. And the audio narrator did an amazing job bringing both characters to life. Devious and fun.

3) The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler - (audiobook) - This book was recommended to me by a friend and numerous book sites but it left me feeling kind of...eh. Like Austen's writing herself, the story is peopled with many characters who weave in and out of the book. And unfortunately just like Austen's writing, it left me feeling a bit cold. I know I should love her writing and therefore this book but I just feel...eh.

4) The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox - This weighty book is an homage to the classic adventure/gothic novels of the past. You have everything you could want. A dark family secret, a sprawling house, doublecrossing servants, murderous novelists, and passionate unrequited love. As a fan of all of the above I found the book kept my attention and was entertaining. However I did find some of the scenarios a bit farfetched and unbelievable to the character. Also, the author used the tried & true method of seperate character voices through the use of lenghtly letters and journals. Oddly though all of the characters seemed to write and talk exactly alike. At the end of it I admire the book for its dramatic plot even though the delivery was not pitch perfect.

5) The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier - (audiobook) - The story of the making of medieval French tapestries told in multiple voices. There were some interesting historical elements but it came off as pretty pretentious. Maybe it was just the way the readers voiced the book....that's the problem with audiobooks...sigh.

6) Talk to the Hand: the utter bloody rudeness of the world today, or six good reasons to stay home and bolt the door by Lynne Truss - The world is slipping into one giant ill humored rude mass and at least one author is pissed off enough to talk about it. This part satirical and part sociological book looks at why people seem to get ruder all the time. Does new technology and a larger sense of "personal space" create an atmosphere for rudeness? Maybe. If nothing else, you'll identify with the situations described in the book and nod along as the author rants.

I've been really bad lately. UGH!

7) Solos by Kitty Burns Florey - Cute, sorta chick lit with a clever twist. Easy read.

8) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell - Since I'm only one step away from BEING Sarah Vowell I, of course, loved this book. History nerds rule!!!

9)The Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami - Like all of the other Murakami books I've read, I really liked this one even though so many parts were almost mythical and unexplainable. There is a lyric quality about his writing that always sucks me in.

10 One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - I have to say I did not particularly like this book much even though it is supposed to be one of the best books of the modern age. I found it a little impersonal with the storyline flowing so quickly from one family member to another. Just not my cup of tea.

I completely agree with you about One Hundred Years of Solitude. I figured I would finally check it out after all the hype, but it really did nothing for me.

Thanks Heather! I was kind of scared to say I didn't like it since it is so beloved by many. Guess we all have our own preferences.

11) The Keep by Jennifer Egan - Interesting book. Multilayerd plot that meshes the story of a troubled man who visits Europe to help his cousin rennovate a mysterious castle with that of a convict who attempts to woo the English teacher through writing stories. It touches on lots of different metaphysical elements like how we can create entire worlds using only our imagination. It doesn't go too far into it to be really effective in that respect but gives you just enough to be thought provoking. Enjoyable quick read.

12) The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper - A classic young adult fantasy book ala The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Young Will discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones and is destined to help defeat the Dark. Along the way, he must find six magical signs and avoid being caught by evil forces. Though geared towards a young adult audience, adults will find this one enjoyable as well. Lots of adventure along with small doses of religion and philosophy.

13) Don't Look Down by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer - (audiobook) - This is supposed to be a combo chick lit and adventure book I guess in order to appeal to both men and women. Though I can't imagine any man wanting to read this book. It is very light and fluffy as you would expect from chick lit. I have to say the combo of action/romance got to be more than a bit cheesy at times as the lead characters go from lust to overly romantic endearments in about 10 seconds. I enjoy chick lit occasionally but I have to say this was not my favorite.

14) Translucent Tree by Nobuko Takagi - I snagged this one through the Early Reviewers offer. I have to say I really enjoyed this one. I've read a few Japanese modern love stories and have been very impressed with them so I was eager to get this book. Like the others I have read, Takagi manages to capture a really nice blend of true romanticism with a very adult view of sensuality and sexuality. In this case, the story revolves around Go and Chigiri -both in their mid to late 40's. They meet again after a brief encounter decades earlier. Though both feel an immediate romantic attraction to each other, their heistancyto show their hearts leads them to say and do things to complicate the true nature of their feelings. The book is very poignant and beautiful. It's a quick read but packs a silent punch.

15) Where Have All the Leaders Gone? by Lee Iacocca - Iacocca can get bogged down in name dropping a bit but this book was very thought provoking. He explores the principles that made him successful throughout his career as a businessman and questions those who currently are leaders both in business and politics. He raises some great points. Worth a quick read.

16) 13 Steps Down by Ruth Rendell - (audiobook) - Amusing murder/suspense novel about an Englishman with a fascination for a former serial killer who lived near his new flat. Will his obsession with not only the killer but a beautiful young model turn him into a killer? The story is clever because it looks at obsession through the eyes of numerous characters. The only odd part of the story is a quick plotline thrown in at the end that didn't seem to have anything to do with the other plots. Other than that, pretty enjoyable.

17) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I don't think I can find the right words to express how good this book is. "Wow!" just doesn't seem to cover it. Set in World War II, the story focuses on Liesel, a German girl living with foster parents in a rundown neighborhood. Liesel tries to make sense of the world around her by focusing on words and the impact they can have on people. The amazing thing about this book is the moments of sheer beauty in the tragedy that is war. There are moments that I cried because of the horrible events taking place but there were equally moments I cried because of the message of hope that came to the surface in sometimes unexpected ways. This is one story that makes a permanent impression on you. Go read it!!!

18) All Shook Up by Shelley Pearsall - Another great book from young adult author Pearsall. For this one, she goes contemprorary telling the story of Josh who is horrified to find out his father has become an Elvis Presley impersonator. There are a lot of great themes in this one including the pressures of being a child of divorced parents and the importance of accepting others (and yourself) for exactly who they are. Another recommendation from me.

19) Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto - This short novel is also paired up with the shorter story "Moonlight Shadow". Both stories are centered around young Japanese girls who are dealing with the death of a loved one. Quirky at times, mystical at others, the stories are simply and beautifully written.

20) New Moon by Stephanie Meyer - (audiobook) - Part 2 in the goth teen "Twilight" trilogy. Bella and Edward are back but their love is put to the test when it looks like her involvement with the Cullens could put Bella in danger. I enjoyed the first half of the story and particularly liked the Jacob character but started losing interest around the second half. It started getting a bit too "Interview with a Vampire" for me. But this is a must read for any interested in modern teen lit. Especially since Twilight the movie comes out in December...get ready for mass market appeal to get bigger!

21) Everything is Miscellaneous by David Weinberger - As a librarian, I approached this book with some dread. The book discusses how we are moving away from professional authority control to group authority control...think wikipedia, social tagging networks, etc. Though I am thrilled that authority control has become a cultural phenomenon I disagree that it can be ultimately reliable. Anyone who has searched wikipedia knows that you can not trust all of the content. I enjoyed this book because it brought up some good points however for the most part I found myself yelling at it. Which says more about me then I probably should admit....

22) The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara - Great Civil War novel about the battle of Gettysburg. I visited Gettysburg several years ago which brought the story that much more to life. It's an amazing chapter in our country's history. Both horrifying and inspiring. Must read for history lovers.

23) Phantoms by Dean Koontz - (audio) - Koontz's classic about a town where all the residents have gone missing. Jenny and her sister Lisa stumble upon the eerie town and must discover the truth along with a small group of local law enforcement agents. The answer is darker then they could ever imagine. The story is complex in scope darting between numerous storylines that all wrap up in the end. It's spooky and entertaining. A touch of profound along with all the fun of pop lit.

24) Apathy and Other Small Victories by Paul Neilan - A quirky comic story of a young man very unmotivated by life who finds himself surrounded by an odd collection of people including a deaf dental assistant who likes to sing karaoke, a neighbor with an odd hamster fetish, and a sadistic corporate climber who thinks she is his girlfriend. Somehow along the way he gets fingered for a murder he didn't commit and must try to shake off his apathy to save himself. There were some truly funny bits in this book but some were so over the top I was shaking my head. It's a quick fun read though.

Well, I've finally hit the half way mark. Better get cracking!

25) Edgar Cayce : The Sleeping Prophet by Jess Stearn - I picked this up because I was interested to find out more about the "prophet" Cayce. During his career, he did countless psychic readings skimming on everything from past lives to cures for diseases to the end of the world scenarios. This book largely focuses on individual cases which is interesting though sometimes monotonous. Written in 1967, the author was plainly excited about Cayce's predictions of the future which involved massive earth changes to occur before the year 2000. Though one could say global warming and some modern natural disasters could be signs of some of Cayce's predictions, for the most part they remain unfulfilled. Still an interesting read. And you just never know what may happen in the future....

26) The Taking by Dean Koontz - Is it the end of the world? Molly & Neil wake up to find an alien rain washing over the world bringing with it new forms of life that threaten humanity. Can the survivors rally together to protect human life? The story was fast paced and typical Koontz. It had some religious overtones with references to Noah's flood. If you like Koontz, you'll like this book. Otherwise I'd say it's kind of forgettable.

27) A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah - Really engaging memoir about a young boy who loses his family when a rebel army attacks his village in Sierra Leone. Forced to flee, he is drafed into the army at the age of 12 where he becomes a fighter in order to survive. This true life story often leaves you shocked and appalled. It's hard to believe that these events actually have taken place within our lifetime...and continue to take place. This story isn't always easy to read but is an important look at a part of the world that often goes overlooked.

28) The Bridge by Iain Banks - I was really excited about this book in the beginning. Can't say much about it without giving it away but it caught my attention with it's imagination and amazing writing. Sadly it lost steam about 2/3 into the book and wound up with a predictable ending. I still thought it was a great read and now look forward to picking up some more Banks books.

29) Boomtown by Greg Williams - Story of a series of young up and coming New Yorkers at the start of 2000. This book seemed to be particularly relevant seeing as so much attention has been on Wall Street and the glamorous life of some of their players. Quick read.

30) Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris - Amusing stories told by funny man Sedaris. This was my first go at reading Sedaris and I was delighted by many of the sweet and quirky tales of life ranging from his childhood as a stutterer to an "ex-pat" living in Paris. I have to say, my favorite was the title story about the evil Parisian French teacher who takes pleasure in harassing her students. I could just picture the international students cowering in the corner as he quotes them saying "Sometime me cry alone at night." After having seen his sister Amy at a booktalk last year I am now convinced something is not quite right with this family - but in a good way.

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31) Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh - Written in the mid 1940's, Waugh's book is rich with descriptions of the aristocratic life of a great English family who own the luxurious Brideshead estate. Charles Ryder becomes caught up in the family first through his relationship with his schoolmate Sebastian and then with Sebastians's sister Julia. I enjoyed the novel because of it's decadent story which can be fun to fall into for a change. The characters and the places are not truly lovable however I don't think Waugh intended them to be. Instead, the story plays out with understated drama that was nicely portrayed in the Masterpiece Theater production. Anyone seen the new Emma Thompson version yet? Must put it on my list of things to do...

Message edited by its author, Sep 24, 2008, 10:39pm.

32) Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - It has been a very long while since I've read this book. As an adult, I appreciate so much more the clever phrases and conversations Alice has with the odd characters she meets. It is nice to lose yourself once in a while in an altogether fantastical world.

33) The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho - Another very mythical story from Coelho. I much preferred The Alchemist but I thought this was another inspiring read. It focuses on a young woman named Athena who attempts to find the true nature of herself through mystical experiences. In so doing, she manages to both inspire and frighten those around her. The story is told through multicharacter narrative. The book at times was a little too New-Agey for me but I liked how it stressed the importance of fighting to be yourself even when you don't know what that is.

34) The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria - Really interesting book from Newsweek & now CNN's Zakaria. He takes an indepth look at "the rise of the rest" - countries such as China, India, and Russia. As the US faces problems politically and economically we must start realizing that everything is being played out on a much more global scale. Other countries are becoming viable and therefore competitive to the US's power. This book will help you get a better grasp on the overall picture of the world today.

35) A Week in October by Elizabeth Subercaseaux - This one is thanks to Early Reviewers which is always greatly appreciated! On the surface this seems like a simple story but it is actually very emotionally complex. Clara, married and in her late 40's, has discovered she has breast cancer. Her husband of many years prompts her to write down her feelings. Later, he discovers a notebook of Clara's writings that describe intimate details of her life including her disappointment with her marriage, her knowledge of her husband's mistress, and her own supposed brief affair. However there are elements clearly of fiction within her writing which leaves him (and the readers) wondering what exactly did take place. Did Clara really have an affair or is fiction helping her come to terms with her imminent death? In the end, this is a story of mortality and what it means to come to terms with life and all of the emotions that are both on the surface and hidden within ourselves that make us human.

36) No god but God by Reza Aslan - This one took me a while to get through but I'm glad I did. Aslan attempts to summarize the history of Islam into a 260 page book. Needless to say, every page packs a good deal of information. Despite the academic nature of the book, it is easily readable and recounts many beautiful stories and myths that break up the intensity of the history. This book helped me to better understand the nature of Islam and its many factions. Even Aslan would admit that this barely skims the surface of the religion however it's a great place to start.

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37) Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte - A swashbuckling international bestseller from Perez-Reverete. This is the first in the Capatain Alatriste series focusing on the fictitious Captain's adventures in 17th century Spain. I liked the historical elements of the story but I found the plot somewhat hard to follow. It just felt like there were more characters then there needed to be. It was an alright read but I'd grab The Three Musketeers over this any time.

38) The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti - This fast paced adventure focuses on Ren, a one-handed orphan with few prospects of adoption whose life turns around with the help of a thief named Benjamin Nab. Is Nab really a long lost brother or is he only using Ren to assist him with his scams and petty thievery? Along the way, Tinti peppers the book with many eccentric but endearing characters. This story has a classic "Dickensian" feel to it that will sweep you up. Here's hoping a sequel is in the works!

39) Cows, Pigs, Wars, and Witches : The Riddles of Culture by Marvin Harris - Written by anthropologist Harris in 1974, this book attempts to show that even the odder aspects of human society throughout the years exist for logical reasons. Topics touch on why Hindus revere cows, why Jews & Muslims refuse to eat pork, and why witch hunts once ravaged Europe. I found it amusing to read the chapter tieing together witches with the 70's counterculture movement. Apparently Harris saw hippies as a rebirth of the old school witch! Fun stuff.

40) Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer - Who hasn't jumped on this bandwagon. I have to say this was my favorite so far of the Twilight series. I enjoy the Jacob Black character and was glad he played a starring role in this one. Though overly dramatic and at times cheesy, you can't help but be sucked in to these books. I'd recommend it but you all probably know about it already :-)

41) Lapham Rising by Roger Rosenblatt - Harry March is a curmudgeonly writer who has isolated himself on his island in the Hamptons along with his dog Hector (who happens to talk). However when millionaire Lapham decides to build a huge mansion across from Harry's island war is declared. Not just on the house but on Hampton society and capitalism itself. This is a fast and amusing read.

42) Snakes and Earrings by Hitomi Kanehara - If you need a break from sugary sweet Christmas cheer this is the book for you. This Japanese award winner revels in the dark side of life. Lui, a 19 year old "Barbie doll", finds herself enamored with two young men who bring her into a world of piercings, tattoos, and dangerous sex. The book read like there would be a final "revelation" at the end however it seems to be a book without any moral. Which somehow seems apporpriate for the subject matter. Not for the faint of heart but worth reading if you want to walk on the the literary dark side.

Hi #28, theresak! You'll be even more convinced after reading Naked. It's worth buying the book just to read the first chapter about his obsessive compulsiveness (needing to LICK everything!) and his mother's reaction to his teacher--but you won't want to stop there! The whole book is so LOL hilarious even when it gets a little raunchy for my "old lady" sensibilities.

43) The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers - Collection of short stories by McCullers. The main theme seems to be about loneliness. Many of the characters seem to lead solitary lives though the meanings are never really explored. The main story "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe" features a set of interesting characters inhabiting a remote Southern town which is really the embodiment of lonliness itself.

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44) The Age of the Conglomerates by Thomas Nevins - This was an Early Reviewer selection and all I have to say is...um...well...it was really really bad. I wanted to like it, I did. The premise is alright. It is set in the near future where a Big Brother type government controls the country (the world?). Older people (Coots) are sent to the Southwest into forced retirement communities while rebellious or unwanted people (Dyscards) are rounded up and thrown into the bowels of the city. The reason this book doesn't work is a) the writing is not very good, b) the characters are not very fleshed out, c) the story is rushed when it shouldn't be and slow when it doesn't matter, and d) I'm still not really sure WHAT the point of the story was. I do know that they really wanted to save a dozen babies. But why these dozen babies were worth risking the lives of pretty much everyone in the city I'm not sure. I've had some great Early Reviewer books. This one is not among them. Hopefully they had time to make some corrections before it went to final print. (I feel so catty!!)

45) Cosmopolis by Don DeLillo - It's hard to describe this one. Outwardly this is the story of a day in the life of Eric Packer, a young multi-millionaire mogul whose life has been threatened. Packer lives his life mobile and spends his day in his stretch limo conducting business and attempting to get a hair cut. Along the way he runs into a mass demonstration, a presidential motorcade, and a rappers funeral. He also meets up with the man who has made it his mission to destroy Packer. This one day becomes "epic", however it is the undertone of the story that is appealing. DeLillo was clearly using Packer to demostrate how capitalism and greed can make us into cold creatures always searching for something more. It's an unsettling book but it makes an impact.

M by Jon J Muth - A graphic novel based on the classic movie M. Muth enhanced photographic shots by using silverpointing as well as charcoal and oil paints. The majority is black and white with the occasional splash of color. The story revolves around a serial killer who is stalkig the children of the neighborhood. Both the police and the underworld are interested in catching the killer. Who will get to him first? The dark shots enhance the dark nature of the plot. Great collaboration of art and story.

47) The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton - Set in 1870's New York, this period piece is really a character study of the elite society of the time. Newland Archer, a member of the young elite, has decided to settle down with the beautiful May Welland, the perfect model of the old family system. But when May's cousin, Countess Olenska, arrives from overseas after a disastrous marriage, Archer is confronted by new feelings about love, propriety, and social order. Many of the scenes are amusing, some are dark, but in the end it really is those things that are unsaid that drive the story. I enjoyed it.

48) A Brief History of the Future by Oona Strathern - This is one I picked up at work and have been reading on and off for a few months. It looks back over the history of "futurists" including some great thinkers (DaVinci), great writers (Orwell) and some mythic figures (Delphic oracles). Humans have always been interested in predicting the future through science, philosophy, and literature...some have just been better at looking at trends and society to make better guesses as to the actual future. Somewhere in the book there was a quote that technology is changing so quickly that we are being run over by our future and I can see why they would say that. We don't seem to have time to adjust before the newest trend hits us. I'm sure there are better books about this topic but it's an interesting overview nonetheless.

49) The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad - Really interesting book about the lives of an Afghani family. Seierstad was able to stay with the family and therefore get an inside look at the inter-realtionships and day to day life of one family (Sultan - the titled bookseller). You don't really understand how different our cultures are until you see it up close. I was particularly amazed at how subservient the women still are in the Afghani culture. And how much the Taliban still influences culture even though it is not in control. I would recommend this for anyone wanting to get a glimpse into the real life of what to us Westerners seems like a confusing culture.

Okay...I technically finished this in 2009 but I'm counting it for 2008. Which means I just did it. Woohoo!!

50) Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre - Wow. Where to begin with this one. This is defnitely what I would call dark comedy. This character driven novel is based around Vernon, a little boy who has been accused of helping a friend kill many of his classmates during a shooting spree. One would think this would be hands off material but DBC Pierre digs right in and isn't afraid to go into the places that make us uncomfortable. Though I myself was at times uncomfortalbe I give the author props for really building a world I truly believed.

Congrats on reading 50 books!
--BJ

I'm going to save your list. It sounds like a lot of good reads--almost all of which I haven't read yet. Vernon God Little was a "Booker" right?

Thanks for the congrats. I need it going into the 2009 challenge! Vernon God Little was a surpirse winner of the Booker. It's worth reading though I'm still a bit on the fence about it. The townspeople made me think of some of the worse stereotypes portrayed on Reno 911. So...if you enjoy that you'd enjoy this. Happy reading in 2009!

lol! I hate to admit I'm laughing because that would indicate that I know what you're talking about! :)