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1I-_-I
A bit late for a year-end "best of," perhaps, but still.
Mine was The Gormenghast Trilogy - 3 books that i'm counting as one because my copy is a 3-in-1 monolith and i treated it as a single entity. It's dark and atmospheric, with incredibly original and well-developed characters (almost all of whom are grotesque in the extreme). Some people skip volume 3 because the author was by most accounts senile by then and the story radically departs from the preceding narrative, but i think it's totally brilliant.
Mine was The Gormenghast Trilogy - 3 books that i'm counting as one because my copy is a 3-in-1 monolith and i treated it as a single entity. It's dark and atmospheric, with incredibly original and well-developed characters (almost all of whom are grotesque in the extreme). Some people skip volume 3 because the author was by most accounts senile by then and the story radically departs from the preceding narrative, but i think it's totally brilliant.
2RidgewayGirl
Have you seen the BBC mini-series?
Mine were Wolf Hall, The Children's Book and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. Three, not one, but all historical novels by British authors.
Mine were Wolf Hall, The Children's Book and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. Three, not one, but all historical novels by British authors.
3readingwithtea
2: some serious reading there!
I'm going to put the first vote in for the Stieg Larsson trilogy! And Kate Atkinson's When Will There Be Good News.
I'm going to put the first vote in for the Stieg Larsson trilogy! And Kate Atkinson's When Will There Be Good News.
4DaynaRT
A Canticle for Leibowitz
Kristin Lavransdatter
The Road
Slaughterhouse-Five
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland
Mock Stars: Indie Comedy and the Dangerously Funny
For me, it's pretty impossible to pin Best of 2010 on just one book.
Kristin Lavransdatter
The Road
Slaughterhouse-Five
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland
Mock Stars: Indie Comedy and the Dangerously Funny
For me, it's pretty impossible to pin Best of 2010 on just one book.
5rxtheresa
I read some good ones but probably the best two were Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup and To Dance with the White Dog by Terry Kay.
6macsbrains
I discovered a lot wonderful books last year, but picking a favorite? Hmm..
Well, honestly the books that affected me most were The Hunger Games trilogy as a whole. I know I will reread those for years to come.
In 2010 I also enjoyed
The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan
A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham and
The Devil in the Dust (and the other 5 in the series) by Chaz Brenchley
I am now actively seeking other work by all these authors.
Well, honestly the books that affected me most were The Hunger Games trilogy as a whole. I know I will reread those for years to come.
In 2010 I also enjoyed
The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan
A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham and
The Devil in the Dust (and the other 5 in the series) by Chaz Brenchley
I am now actively seeking other work by all these authors.
7qforce
For me, it's Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell is a close second.
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell is a close second.
8thepict
My favourite read was Stieg Larssons Millenium trilogy, and Alan Sugar's what you see is what you get. He does The Apprentice in the Uk.
9wester
I actually read the Gormenghast trilogy (a looong time ago) because the Cure wrote a song about it.
The best fiction I read last year was probably the Time Traveler's Wife.
But I read some amazing nonfiction too:
The Mismeasure of Man, about how the attempts to measure intelligence in a scientific way were tainted by sexism and racism (and how we can't be sure we're not doing something similar now);
The Promise of Sleep about how vitally important and how underestimated sleep is;
Good Calories, Bad Calories about why everything you believe about what food is healthy is wrong, and how all the biases in nutrition science that made you believe it anyway, came along.
The best fiction I read last year was probably the Time Traveler's Wife.
But I read some amazing nonfiction too:
The Mismeasure of Man, about how the attempts to measure intelligence in a scientific way were tainted by sexism and racism (and how we can't be sure we're not doing something similar now);
The Promise of Sleep about how vitally important and how underestimated sleep is;
Good Calories, Bad Calories about why everything you believe about what food is healthy is wrong, and how all the biases in nutrition science that made you believe it anyway, came along.
10MrAndrew
first time i've looked back over the year... surprised by the number of good books.
Based on my ratings (excluding re-reads), which admittedly lack consistency, my top-rated book was:
We Have Always Lived in the Castle a.k.a. No Sugar For Me Thanks I'm On A Diet, by Shirley Jackson.
Followed in no particular order by:
Dirt Music by Tim Winton
Madame Bovary by some french guy
Far from the Madding Crowd... a happy ending from Hardy? Blasphemy!
Pale Fire Nabakov's books are like rare gems.
Spaceling by Doris Piserchia... a guilty pleasure.
A short history of tractors in Ukrainian funny
The Woodlanders By Thomas Hardy. Satisfyingly sad ending, suitably obscure rural practices, and the only screamingly funny Hardy riff i've come across. Priceless.
The Tall Man by Chloe Hooper. Only non-fiction in the list, and stupendously good telling of an appalling situation.
The Sea, The Sea by my new favourite author Iris Murdoch.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles What can i say i'm a Hardy tragic.
Under The Net by Iris Murdoch. Good but not as good as The Sea. Funny though.
Middlemarch by George Eliot... odd name for a chick.
Plus honorouble mentions go to:
Maskerade not a bad Pratchett
Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living Interesting
In Cold Blood Undeniably well-written
Anna Karenina The dog chapter was my favourite.
Kidnapped I assumed that this would be Treasure-islandy, surprised that it was located exclusively in Scotland.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass Nice to finally read this.
A Spot of Bother freaked me out, man!
Cold Comfort Farm not bad, mommet.
That Old Ace in the Hole Another favourite author
Good Omens good collaboration
Farewell To Lankhmar Always fun.
Based on my ratings (excluding re-reads), which admittedly lack consistency, my top-rated book was:
We Have Always Lived in the Castle a.k.a. No Sugar For Me Thanks I'm On A Diet, by Shirley Jackson.
Followed in no particular order by:
Dirt Music by Tim Winton
Madame Bovary by some french guy
Far from the Madding Crowd... a happy ending from Hardy? Blasphemy!
Pale Fire Nabakov's books are like rare gems.
Spaceling by Doris Piserchia... a guilty pleasure.
A short history of tractors in Ukrainian funny
The Woodlanders By Thomas Hardy. Satisfyingly sad ending, suitably obscure rural practices, and the only screamingly funny Hardy riff i've come across. Priceless.
The Tall Man by Chloe Hooper. Only non-fiction in the list, and stupendously good telling of an appalling situation.
The Sea, The Sea by my new favourite author Iris Murdoch.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles What can i say i'm a Hardy tragic.
Under The Net by Iris Murdoch. Good but not as good as The Sea. Funny though.
Middlemarch by George Eliot... odd name for a chick.
Plus honorouble mentions go to:
Maskerade not a bad Pratchett
Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living Interesting
In Cold Blood Undeniably well-written
Anna Karenina The dog chapter was my favourite.
Kidnapped I assumed that this would be Treasure-islandy, surprised that it was located exclusively in Scotland.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass Nice to finally read this.
A Spot of Bother freaked me out, man!
Cold Comfort Farm not bad, mommet.
That Old Ace in the Hole Another favourite author
Good Omens good collaboration
Farewell To Lankhmar Always fun.
11I-_-I
>2 RidgewayGirl: I saw the BBC mini-series about 5 years ago, and that's what made me want to read the books. I need to go back and re-watch the series.
>3 readingwithtea:, 8 I'm hesitant to try the Millennium trilogy because at 800 pages apiece, i'd essentially be forgoing 8-10 other books. But lots of people have told me i'm a fool for not reading them.
>6 macsbrains: I also really enjoyed the Hunger Games trilogy, and Mockingjay in particular.
>8 thepict: What's the Cure song about Gormenghast? Actually, i read The Stranger because of a Cure song. As a teen i told someone that i was confused about the song "Killing an Arab" ("staring at the beach, staring at the sand..."), and they told me it was a reference to the book by Camus. So i read it, and it was great.
If we're allowed to name more than one book as "Best of 2010," then i'm going to add The Blind Owl and House of Leaves, and since both could be described as nightmarish and morbid, i'll round out my Top 4 with John K Hodgman's More Information Than You Require, volume 2 of his Compendium of World Knowledge. It's an almanac composed entirely of made-up facts. It tells you about the 7 portals to the hollow earth, gives instructions on how to buy a computer from a street vendor, ponders the 10 accepted styles of deadpan, and lists 700 mole-man names, among other things. If that doesn't sound awesome, i didn't explain it right. If it does, start with volume 1 The Areas of My Expertise.
>3 readingwithtea:, 8 I'm hesitant to try the Millennium trilogy because at 800 pages apiece, i'd essentially be forgoing 8-10 other books. But lots of people have told me i'm a fool for not reading them.
>6 macsbrains: I also really enjoyed the Hunger Games trilogy, and Mockingjay in particular.
>8 thepict: What's the Cure song about Gormenghast? Actually, i read The Stranger because of a Cure song. As a teen i told someone that i was confused about the song "Killing an Arab" ("staring at the beach, staring at the sand..."), and they told me it was a reference to the book by Camus. So i read it, and it was great.
If we're allowed to name more than one book as "Best of 2010," then i'm going to add The Blind Owl and House of Leaves, and since both could be described as nightmarish and morbid, i'll round out my Top 4 with John K Hodgman's More Information Than You Require, volume 2 of his Compendium of World Knowledge. It's an almanac composed entirely of made-up facts. It tells you about the 7 portals to the hollow earth, gives instructions on how to buy a computer from a street vendor, ponders the 10 accepted styles of deadpan, and lists 700 mole-man names, among other things. If that doesn't sound awesome, i didn't explain it right. If it does, start with volume 1 The Areas of My Expertise.
12wester
#11:
Yeah, I read The Stranger as well because of the Cure.
The song is The Drowning Man, off Faith (I must be getting old...), and the lyrics are taken literally out of Gormenghast. I can't check which chapter as I've mooched away my copy of the book ;-)
Yeah, I read The Stranger as well because of the Cure.
The song is The Drowning Man, off Faith (I must be getting old...), and the lyrics are taken literally out of Gormenghast. I can't check which chapter as I've mooched away my copy of the book ;-)
13Jarandel
Books that scratched me in all the right spots this year.
The Fifth head of Cerberus by Gene Wolfe
Cyrion by Tanith Lee
Honorable mentions.
Chasm city by Alastair Reynolds
Red seas under red skies by Scott Lynch
The Fifth head of Cerberus by Gene Wolfe
Cyrion by Tanith Lee
Honorable mentions.
Chasm city by Alastair Reynolds
Red seas under red skies by Scott Lynch
15Belladonna1975
My top 10 of 2010:
The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Forgotten Garden – Kate Morton
The Forest of Hands and Teeth – Carrie Ryan
A Matter of Magic – Patricia C. Wrede
Elantris – Brandon Sanderson
The Girl Who Chased The Moon – Sarah Addison Allen
The Maze Runner – James Dashner
Wither – Lauren DeStephano
Extraordinary – Nancy Werlin
Born at Midnight – C.C. Hunter
The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Forgotten Garden – Kate Morton
The Forest of Hands and Teeth – Carrie Ryan
A Matter of Magic – Patricia C. Wrede
Elantris – Brandon Sanderson
The Girl Who Chased The Moon – Sarah Addison Allen
The Maze Runner – James Dashner
Wither – Lauren DeStephano
Extraordinary – Nancy Werlin
Born at Midnight – C.C. Hunter
17dawnlovesbooks
'freedom'
19mkboylan
So many enemies, so little time was one of my all time favorites - fascinating look into different thinking in a different culture. elinor burkett
Also VERY much enjoyed my first venture into tolstoy with anna karenina. Amazed at the timeliness of the issues e.g. women's rights, immigration.
Also VERY much enjoyed my first venture into tolstoy with anna karenina. Amazed at the timeliness of the issues e.g. women's rights, immigration.
20Moniica
Both are quite similar but my favourite would have to be Half the Sky and then Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time.
21ealaindraoi
My 5 stars for 2010:
Lonely Werewolf Girl Martin Millar
The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid Rick Riordan
White Cat (Curse Workers, Book 1) Holly Black
Keeper Kathi Appelt
Changes (Dresden Files, Book 12) Jim Butcher
Matched Ally Condie
Pegasus Robin McKinley
Moonlight Mile Dennis Lehane
Wither Lauren DeStefano
(Forest of Hands and Teeth was a 5 star too, but I read it in 2009, ditto Maze Runner, except I gave it 4.5 stars.)
I have both House of Leaves and Gormenghast in my TBR tower, and must get to them this year!
Lonely Werewolf Girl Martin Millar
The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid Rick Riordan
White Cat (Curse Workers, Book 1) Holly Black
Keeper Kathi Appelt
Changes (Dresden Files, Book 12) Jim Butcher
Matched Ally Condie
Pegasus Robin McKinley
Moonlight Mile Dennis Lehane
Wither Lauren DeStefano
(Forest of Hands and Teeth was a 5 star too, but I read it in 2009, ditto Maze Runner, except I gave it 4.5 stars.)
I have both House of Leaves and Gormenghast in my TBR tower, and must get to them this year!
23susiesharp
>#18- if you loved Still Alice you need to read her new book Left neglected it is excellent!
24bookel
I guess I can narrow it down to a few:
Ben Mikaelsen: Stranded (247 p.)
Ben Mikaelsen: Petey (280 p.)
Joan Seager: The Vengeance Of Wol (144 p.)
Ben Mikaelsen: Stranded (247 p.)
Ben Mikaelsen: Petey (280 p.)
Joan Seager: The Vengeance Of Wol (144 p.)
25Heather19
... Is it bad that one of my "best books" last year was basically porn? lol
Rode Hard, Put Away Wet is by far the best lesbian erotica collection I've EVER read.
My other favorites were probably The Tiger's Child by Torey Hayden, and Countess Dracula by Tony Thorne. I also read a few better-then-usual RL Stine books, like Blind Date and Haunted.
edit: And, according to my review-date for One Child, I also read that in 2010. The Tiger's Child is a sequel to One Child, and I actually think I liked One Child a bit more.
Rode Hard, Put Away Wet is by far the best lesbian erotica collection I've EVER read.
My other favorites were probably The Tiger's Child by Torey Hayden, and Countess Dracula by Tony Thorne. I also read a few better-then-usual RL Stine books, like Blind Date and Haunted.
edit: And, according to my review-date for One Child, I also read that in 2010. The Tiger's Child is a sequel to One Child, and I actually think I liked One Child a bit more.
26Gerri007
#23
Happy to hear Left Neglected is excellent.
I just bought a copy on Amazon & am looking forward to starting it.
Happy to hear Left Neglected is excellent.
I just bought a copy on Amazon & am looking forward to starting it.
27MyriadBooks
I'm pretty fuzzy about remembering when exactly I've read a book, but I'm reasonably sure I read The Terror in 2010. It's the first book by Simmons I've read, and I thought it was amazingly good -- to the extent that after I finished it, I flipped back to the beginning to start it over again, I immediately began tracking down a lovely hardcopy edition to keep for my collection, and I'm still foisting my old trade paperback upon my friends as a circulating copy.
The Terror even edged The Name of the Wind out of my top spot; it was another 2010 read for me.
(So far Last Call is leading for my favorite book of 2011.)
The Terror even edged The Name of the Wind out of my top spot; it was another 2010 read for me.
(So far Last Call is leading for my favorite book of 2011.)
29kmhyle
I can't keep to one, but my favorites of 2010 include:
Jeffrey Archer- False Impression
Caleb Carr- The Alienist
Diane Setterfield- The Thirteenth Tale
Kristen Britain- Green Rider
Kathryn Walker- A Stopover in Venice
Markus Zusak- The Book Thief
Jeffrey Archer- False Impression
Caleb Carr- The Alienist
Diane Setterfield- The Thirteenth Tale
Kristen Britain- Green Rider
Kathryn Walker- A Stopover in Venice
Markus Zusak- The Book Thief
30Belladonna1975
27> I have The Terror, Name of the Wind AND Last Call on my TBR pile for this year.
Tim Powers is one of my favorite authors. The Stress of Her Regard and Anubis Gates are my two favorites by him.
Tim Powers is one of my favorite authors. The Stress of Her Regard and Anubis Gates are my two favorites by him.
31MyriadBooks
>30 Belladonna1975:: As similar as our reading tastes are, I think you will really like them.
Last Call is the first of Powers' books that I've read. My goal in a few months' time is to see what other books of his I can find in the library. *shifty glance* I just need to beat back the current TBR books I have at hand first.
Last Call is the first of Powers' books that I've read. My goal in a few months' time is to see what other books of his I can find in the library. *shifty glance* I just need to beat back the current TBR books I have at hand first.
32poetontheone
My favorite reads in 2010 were Borges' Labyrinths and Toole's Confederacy of Dunces. The first is a challenge to the mind, because Borges' questions the nature of texts, men, and reality in his stories with some wild imaginations. The latter is riotously funny and absurd, with a cadre of outrageous folks populating its pages.
33Bcteagirl
4: The Day the World Came to Town just went on my wishlist! :)
My best reads?
The Book of Negroes and The Life of Pi both read as part of CBC reads.
House of Leaves for a creepy book, The Eyre Affair for alternate history wacky fun.
Windflower by Gabrielle Roy is a Northern book that I think is probably my top book of the year.
My best reads?
The Book of Negroes and The Life of Pi both read as part of CBC reads.
House of Leaves for a creepy book, The Eyre Affair for alternate history wacky fun.
Windflower by Gabrielle Roy is a Northern book that I think is probably my top book of the year.
