So as I said in my last post, 2012 was the year of the Complete and Total Lack of Focus. As such, it was one of the leanest reading years I've had I think since college. I only read 29.5 Books. Embarrassing. Some of them were actually even re-reads, which I hesitate to even count. But I did get something new out of each of them, so I suppose they count. I almost NEVER reread. It just seems like such a waste of time when there are so many things on my ever-growing wish-to-read list. So anyway. Here's the 2012 list (in chronological order) with some short explanations:
- Snuff
---- If you know me, you know my passion for Terry Pratchett - Metatropolis ---- A collection of related dystopianish short stories. I really liked them.
- Bel Canto ---- Read on the insistence of my friend Michael. It was just ok. Michael is still awesome, though.
- The Book Thief ---- omg loved. Cried.
- Interpreter of Maladies ---- I have a love/hate relationship with Pulitzer Prize books. This is one I get. It's actually a collection of short stories which I'll probably revisit in paper. I listened to audio, and I think there are some parts I could have lingered over longer.
- We Need to Talk About Kevin ---- omg people are freaking crazy. I don't have the potentially heartbreaking responsibility of raising another person. Thank God some people are willing to take that risk or the human race would quickly become extinct.
- The Sense of an Ending --- I personally did not have the sense of an ending. I had a sense of "what the hell was all the hype about??" The "twist"? Yeah. Not that twisted. I'm not a fan.
- The Virgin Suicides --- Yes I know, old news. But I never read it, and I can't believe I missed this one. Loved it. Potential eventual reread.
- The Art of Racing in the Rain ---- A book from the prospective of a dog. LOVED :) Thanks Aunt Billie!
- Memoirs of a Geisha ---- I was convinced this was non-fiction until I decided to check 1/2 way through. SO disappointed.
- Gone Girl --- it's ok, and no I didn't see all the twists. It was fun, but I don't think it deserved all the hype. It's on like every best of 2012 list. I say meh.
- The Tiger's Wife ---- I liked it. Very Ann Patchett-y. But I think the author is actually like 16 or something ridiculous like that.
- Saturday
---- Pretty good. I mean Ian McEwen is ALWAYS good, but this was not my favorite of his books. - Defending Jacob ---- See comments for #6
- A Clockwork Orange ---- Jason started watching all these documentaries about North Korea and making me watch them. They were actually fascinating and SCARY, and they made me think about 1984 and A Clockwork Orange, neither of which I had read since college and I honestly couldn't remember anything about. So I read them both again.
- Solomon's Gold ---- Neal Stephenson - the Baroque Cycle. I'm obsessed. These are rereads because I love them so much. Well technically not rereads, because I first read them in paper, and now I'm listening to them on audio.
- Little Bee ---- Lots of hype. It's pretty good. Didn't see the end coming.
- Waiter Rant ---- Fun! Made me want to tip more, and I'm a pretty good tipper to begin with.
- Silas Marner ---- I had never read it, and I am trying to catch up on all the "literature" I should have read a long time ago. This one made me sad!!
- Feed ---- Zombies! FUN!! This is part of a series, and I can't wait to read the next ones.
- 1984 ---- See comments for # 15
- Light in August ---- The Books on the Nightstand podcast people had one of their annual Booktopia weekends in Oxford in 2012, and consequently talked a lot about Faulkner. I remember LOVING Faulkner in high school, but honestly couldn't remember a thing I had read. So I listened to this one on audio and it all rushed back. I loved his writing all over again.
- Three Cups of Tea ---- Crazy guy goes to Afghanistan, ends up building schools. Pretty good memoir. Didn't really tell me as much about Afghan culture as I thought it would. I mean it told me some, but I wanted more.
- Neuromancer ---- first winner of the science-fiction "triple crown" — the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Hugo Award. I thought it was fun until about 1/2 way through, then I was BORED with it.
- Let's Pretend this Never Happened ---- Bwwahahahahahah!! Thebloggess.com
- Bonanza ---- See Comments for #16
- Crooked Letter Crooked Letter ---- Friendship and betrayal. It was sad to me :(
- The Juncto ---- See Comments for #16
- Weird Sisters ---- The Virgin Suicides "light", and with the opposite ending.
So that's the summary for 2012. Kinda sad. HOWEVER, now that my head is clearer, I have been BLAZING through books! It's SO exciting. I feel like I'm making up for lost time. I am feeling more and more like myself. Happy :)
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