These are the books I read in the past twelve months. Many titles were suggested to me by the peerless Kassie Rose, WOSU's book critic and my cohort for All Sides Weekend/Books on 89-7 WOSU FM
Ed Hoffman, book antiquarian supreme introduced me to the stories of J.F. Powers and Edwin O'Connor. Kevin Griffith at Capital University kept me on the best literary paths. I digressed with bios of Artie Lange, Debbie Reynolds, Whitey Bulger and Jodi Arias. Shirley MacLaine's daughter wrote a "Mommy Dearest" Read some fun historical fiction by Philippa Gregory
This was also the year I tried and failed to crack William Faulkner.
I DID read, finish and love Ulysees. Did I get it? Dunno. Had a great time reading it. Much of it sounded like the conversations in my grandmother's kitchen fifty years ago.
At my age I try not to re-read. But recently I need ed a Hemingway fix, and went ahead and indulged. Also I don't even try to reisit Wally Lamb or Lionel Shriver.
These are my favorites for 2013:
Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon
An incredible study of persons dealing with everything from autism and savants to chronic illness and delinquency. Solomon gives humanity to people and those who care for them
The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin
The mother of Jesus presents herself as a mother scorned and kept at the edge of her son's life and death. A new voice and a real voice for he most revered woman in Christianity
The Childhood of Jesus by J.M. Coetze
NOT what you'd expect
The End of Life Book Club by Will Schawlbe
The author formed a book club with his mother as she underwent treatment for cancer. You are welcomed into Mrs. Schwalbe's rich life and you are welcome at her death, surrounded by family and books.
We Are Water by Wally Lamb
He's done it again.
Thank You for Your Service by David Finckel
Vets broken by service in the middle east and what more needs to be one for them and heir families
Patriarch: Joseph P. Kennedy by David Nasaw
A reexamination of a formidable crook on Wall St. and an appeaser during WWII-and the father of a president
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Everyone loves this novel and I did too. A boy survives a n explosion that kills his mother. A small paining is his only legacy.
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout
A hate crime in Maine resonates
Wilson by A Scott Berg
A complicated man in a ciomplicated time with debilitating illnesses and a randy love life
Zealot by Reza Aslam
A biography of Christ with an eye toward historical facts and away from dogma
Here's the rest from 2013. *= recommended
*Far From the Tree Andrew Solomon
One More Thing Before I Go Johnathan Tropper
The Redgraves Donald Spoto
*Stella Adler on the American Playwright
John Quincy Adams Harlow Unger
Outlaw George Higgins
Queen Unseen Peter Hince
*NW Zaide Smith
The Last Runaway Tracey Chevalier
Tropic of Cancer Henry Miller
Ride a Cock horse Raymond Kennedy
*The Leftovers Tom Perotta (interview with Tom Perotta on this blog)
Mrs. Queen Takes the Train William Kuhn
A City of Dark Secrets Michael Douglas
Beautiful Ruins Jess Walter
Casual Vacancy J.K. Rowling
*Moscow Rehearsal Norris Houghton
The Middlesteins Jami Attenberg
First and Lasting Impressions Julius Rudel
Redeeming Features Nicholas Haslam
Crappalachia Scott McLanahan
Lucky Me Sachi Parker
*Going Clear Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison Lawrence Wright
Cranberry Sidewalks Rodney Crouch
The Law Given Herman Woulk
*The Testament of Mary Colm Toibin
Sacred Hunger Barry Unsworth
The Antagonist Lynn Coady
Ulysees James Joyce
Vatican Diaries John Thavis
Invisible Cities Italo Calvino
*The End of Like Book Club Will Schwalbe
*Until I Say Goodbye Susan Spencer-Wendel
The Swimming Pool Library Alan Holinghurst
Whitey Bulger Kevin Cullen and Shelly Murphy
Civil War Dynasty, The Ewings of Ohio Kenneth J. Heineman
Gods Like Us : On Movie Stardom and Modern Fame Ty Burr
Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning T.V. Brian Stelter
Wheat that Springeth Green J.F. Powers
Silver Lining Playbook Matthew Quick
Karajan Richard Osborne
*Libra Don DeLillo
Carrie and Me Carol Burnett
*Frank O'Connor Stories
*J.F. Powers Stories
The Line of Beauty Alan Holighurst
Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church Lauren Drain
A Thousand Pardons Jonathan Dee
Blood Doctor Barbara Vine
CivilWarLand in Bad Decline (stories) George Saunders
In Persuasion Nation George Saunders
Unsinkable Debbie Reynolds
You Came Back Christopher Coake
The Other Queen Phillippa Gregory
The Woman Upstairs Claire Messud
*The Burgess Boys Elizabeth Stout
A Killing in the Hills Julia Keller
Harvard Square Andre Anciman
*Too Much Happiness (stories) Alice Munro
Priestly Sins Andrew M. Greeley
Sight Reading Daphne Kolaty
The Way of the Dog Sam Savage (interview with Sam Savage on this blog)
*Big Brother Lionel Shriver
I Know This Much is True Wally Lamb (interview with Wally Lamb on this blog)
The Collective Don Lee
Deadly Audit David Selcer (interview with David Selcer on this blog)
*The Son Phillip Meyer
*The Execution of Noa P. Singleton Elizabeth L. Silver
Dispatches from the Edge Anderson Cooper
Rose for Mary: The Search for the Real Boston Strangler Casey Sherman
Light in the Ruins Chris Bohjalian
*An American Tragedy Theodore Dreiser
The Butler Will Haygood
A Study in Revenge Kieran Shields
The House Ann Leary
Mary, Ted, Lou and Rhoda
As I Lay Dying William Faulkner
All That Is James Salter
Everything That Rises Must Converge Flannery O'Connor
*Patriarch: Joseph P. Kennedy David Nasaw
Mothers and Sons Colm Toibin
Rose Kennedy: The Life and Times of a Political Matriarch Barbara A. Perry
The Litigator John Grisham
The Girl Who Loved Camellias
Manuscript From Accra Paolo Coehlo
Salinger David Shields
Raise the Beem J. D. Salinger
Sanctuary William Faulkner
Inferno Dan Brown
*Five Days at Memorial Sheri Fink
*The Childhood of Jesus J.M. Coetze
*Dissident Gardens Jonathan Lethem
*Sparta Roxandra Robinson
Helen Taft: Musical First Lady Louis Gould
The Empty Family Colm Toibin
Ear to the Heart Mother Dolores Hart
*Thank You for Your Service David Finckel
*The Aftermath Rihdian Brook
The Silent Wife A.S.A. Harrison
*Drama High Michael Sokolove
Pray for us Sinners Patrick Taylor
Crash and Burn Artie Lange
*Zealot Reza Aslam
Adam Henri Nouwen
*The Orphan Master's Son Adam Johnson
The Salinger Contract Adam Langer
Queen Anne Anne Somerset
Basketball Diaries Jim Carroll
*The Way We Live Now Anthony Trollope
Nine Inches Tom Perrotta
Wotan's Daughter: The Life of Marjorie Lawrence Richard Davis
Bobby Orr: My Story Bobby Orr
*Empty Mansions Huguette Clark
*Wilson A. Scott Berg
*Brewster Mark Sloucha
Americans in Paris: Americans During the Nazi Occupation
Johnny Carson Henry Bushkin
*Reinventing Bach Paul Elie
The Best Short Storeis of 2013 ed. Elizabeth Strout
*The Color of Water Wally Lamb
The Sun Also Rises Ernest Hemingway
Tony C. (Conigliaro) David Cataneo
A Farewell to arms Ernest Hemingway
*The Goldfinch Donna Tarrtt
Exposed: Jodi Arias Jane Velez-Mitchell
*The Death of Santini Pat Conroy
Ed Hoffman, book antiquarian supreme introduced me to the stories of J.F. Powers and Edwin O'Connor. Kevin Griffith at Capital University kept me on the best literary paths. I digressed with bios of Artie Lange, Debbie Reynolds, Whitey Bulger and Jodi Arias. Shirley MacLaine's daughter wrote a "Mommy Dearest" Read some fun historical fiction by Philippa Gregory
This was also the year I tried and failed to crack William Faulkner.
I DID read, finish and love Ulysees. Did I get it? Dunno. Had a great time reading it. Much of it sounded like the conversations in my grandmother's kitchen fifty years ago.
At my age I try not to re-read. But recently I need ed a Hemingway fix, and went ahead and indulged. Also I don't even try to reisit Wally Lamb or Lionel Shriver.
These are my favorites for 2013:
Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon
An incredible study of persons dealing with everything from autism and savants to chronic illness and delinquency. Solomon gives humanity to people and those who care for them
The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin
The mother of Jesus presents herself as a mother scorned and kept at the edge of her son's life and death. A new voice and a real voice for he most revered woman in Christianity
The Childhood of Jesus by J.M. Coetze
NOT what you'd expect
The End of Life Book Club by Will Schawlbe
The author formed a book club with his mother as she underwent treatment for cancer. You are welcomed into Mrs. Schwalbe's rich life and you are welcome at her death, surrounded by family and books.
We Are Water by Wally Lamb
He's done it again.
Thank You for Your Service by David Finckel
Vets broken by service in the middle east and what more needs to be one for them and heir families
Patriarch: Joseph P. Kennedy by David Nasaw
A reexamination of a formidable crook on Wall St. and an appeaser during WWII-and the father of a president
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Everyone loves this novel and I did too. A boy survives a n explosion that kills his mother. A small paining is his only legacy.
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout
A hate crime in Maine resonates
Wilson by A Scott Berg
A complicated man in a ciomplicated time with debilitating illnesses and a randy love life
Zealot by Reza Aslam
A biography of Christ with an eye toward historical facts and away from dogma
Here's the rest from 2013. *= recommended
*Far From the Tree Andrew Solomon
One More Thing Before I Go Johnathan Tropper
The Redgraves Donald Spoto
*Stella Adler on the American Playwright
John Quincy Adams Harlow Unger
Outlaw George Higgins
Queen Unseen Peter Hince
*NW Zaide Smith
The Last Runaway Tracey Chevalier
Tropic of Cancer Henry Miller
Ride a Cock horse Raymond Kennedy
*The Leftovers Tom Perotta (interview with Tom Perotta on this blog)
Mrs. Queen Takes the Train William Kuhn
A City of Dark Secrets Michael Douglas
Beautiful Ruins Jess Walter
Casual Vacancy J.K. Rowling
*Moscow Rehearsal Norris Houghton
The Middlesteins Jami Attenberg
First and Lasting Impressions Julius Rudel
Redeeming Features Nicholas Haslam
Crappalachia Scott McLanahan
Lucky Me Sachi Parker
*Going Clear Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison Lawrence Wright
Cranberry Sidewalks Rodney Crouch
The Law Given Herman Woulk
*The Testament of Mary Colm Toibin
Sacred Hunger Barry Unsworth
The Antagonist Lynn Coady
Ulysees James Joyce
Vatican Diaries John Thavis
Invisible Cities Italo Calvino
*The End of Like Book Club Will Schwalbe
*Until I Say Goodbye Susan Spencer-Wendel
The Swimming Pool Library Alan Holinghurst
Whitey Bulger Kevin Cullen and Shelly Murphy
Civil War Dynasty, The Ewings of Ohio Kenneth J. Heineman
Gods Like Us : On Movie Stardom and Modern Fame Ty Burr
Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning T.V. Brian Stelter
Wheat that Springeth Green J.F. Powers
Silver Lining Playbook Matthew Quick
Karajan Richard Osborne
*Libra Don DeLillo
Carrie and Me Carol Burnett
*Frank O'Connor Stories
*J.F. Powers Stories
The Line of Beauty Alan Holighurst
Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church Lauren Drain
A Thousand Pardons Jonathan Dee
Blood Doctor Barbara Vine
CivilWarLand in Bad Decline (stories) George Saunders
In Persuasion Nation George Saunders
Unsinkable Debbie Reynolds
You Came Back Christopher Coake
The Other Queen Phillippa Gregory
The Woman Upstairs Claire Messud
*The Burgess Boys Elizabeth Stout
A Killing in the Hills Julia Keller
Harvard Square Andre Anciman
*Too Much Happiness (stories) Alice Munro
Priestly Sins Andrew M. Greeley
Sight Reading Daphne Kolaty
The Way of the Dog Sam Savage (interview with Sam Savage on this blog)
*Big Brother Lionel Shriver
I Know This Much is True Wally Lamb (interview with Wally Lamb on this blog)
The Collective Don Lee
Deadly Audit David Selcer (interview with David Selcer on this blog)
*The Son Phillip Meyer
*The Execution of Noa P. Singleton Elizabeth L. Silver
Dispatches from the Edge Anderson Cooper
Rose for Mary: The Search for the Real Boston Strangler Casey Sherman
Light in the Ruins Chris Bohjalian
*An American Tragedy Theodore Dreiser
The Butler Will Haygood
A Study in Revenge Kieran Shields
The House Ann Leary
Mary, Ted, Lou and Rhoda
As I Lay Dying William Faulkner
All That Is James Salter
Everything That Rises Must Converge Flannery O'Connor
*Patriarch: Joseph P. Kennedy David Nasaw
Mothers and Sons Colm Toibin
Rose Kennedy: The Life and Times of a Political Matriarch Barbara A. Perry
The Litigator John Grisham
The Girl Who Loved Camellias
Manuscript From Accra Paolo Coehlo
Salinger David Shields
Raise the Beem J. D. Salinger
Sanctuary William Faulkner
Inferno Dan Brown
*Five Days at Memorial Sheri Fink
*The Childhood of Jesus J.M. Coetze
*Dissident Gardens Jonathan Lethem
*Sparta Roxandra Robinson
Helen Taft: Musical First Lady Louis Gould
The Empty Family Colm Toibin
Ear to the Heart Mother Dolores Hart
*Thank You for Your Service David Finckel
*The Aftermath Rihdian Brook
The Silent Wife A.S.A. Harrison
*Drama High Michael Sokolove
Pray for us Sinners Patrick Taylor
Crash and Burn Artie Lange
*Zealot Reza Aslam
Adam Henri Nouwen
*The Orphan Master's Son Adam Johnson
The Salinger Contract Adam Langer
Queen Anne Anne Somerset
Basketball Diaries Jim Carroll
*The Way We Live Now Anthony Trollope
Nine Inches Tom Perrotta
Wotan's Daughter: The Life of Marjorie Lawrence Richard Davis
Bobby Orr: My Story Bobby Orr
*Empty Mansions Huguette Clark
*Wilson A. Scott Berg
*Brewster Mark Sloucha
Americans in Paris: Americans During the Nazi Occupation
Johnny Carson Henry Bushkin
*Reinventing Bach Paul Elie
The Best Short Storeis of 2013 ed. Elizabeth Strout
*The Color of Water Wally Lamb
The Sun Also Rises Ernest Hemingway
Tony C. (Conigliaro) David Cataneo
A Farewell to arms Ernest Hemingway
*The Goldfinch Donna Tarrtt
Exposed: Jodi Arias Jane Velez-Mitchell
*The Death of Santini Pat Conroy
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