10. The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris: Much less graphic (in all senses) than the TV series, this is a campy, funny mystery series reminiscent of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Fun, fast reads.
9. Nine Lives by William Dalrymple: NPR did a profile on this book that sounded interesting-- the story of nine different religious sects in India. A fascinating profile of (an)other culture(s).
8. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson. Although this is a bit of a cliffhanger (something I'm generally opposed to), I enjoyed this second book in the series very much.
7. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson: A delightful tale of an elderly man in love. Quirky, touching, satisfying read.
6. The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly: I'd gone through a streak of so-so books when I picked this one up. It reminded me of how well Connelly writes-- he crafts the story with skill. In mysteries, the plots can all be reminiscent of each other but a good writer, like Connelly, elevates the narrative through descriptions and character development.
5. The Caliph's House and The Arabian Nights by Tahir Shah: The very funny description of Shah's renovation of his house in the first book is an intriguing view into Moroccan life as Shah battles the workers' fears of djinns while appreciating their fine craftsmanship. In the second, Shah's search for his grandfather is a blend of fairy tales and travelers' tales that is an interesting and compelling read.
4. The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall: Maybe because I wasn't expecting it, I was surprised by how good Udall's book is. In fact, I'll be on the watch for anything else by him. Golden Richard's life as a polygamist is funny, outrageous, sweet and very, very ordinary. The Shelfari description reads: "Beautifully written, keenly observed, and ultimately redemptive, The Lonely Polygamist is an unforgettable story of an American family—with its inevitable dysfunctionality, heartbreak, and comedy—pushed to its outer limits." I agree.
3. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein: after last year's favorite, the Story of Edgar Sawtelle, I didn't expect to find another story with dogs so soon that I'd be willing to read. This is a tender, sweet tale told from the dog's perspective. Enzo, the dog, is quite funny and very insightful. For dog lovers, this book will confirm what you already know about your companion's ability to read into your heart and know the truth.
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockton: An extraordinarily well-written novel that shows life in the south and race relations in a way that speaks to the contemporary reader. I was surprised to discover how young the writer is since the novel appears at times to be a remembrance of things past. Stockton is able to convey the feelings of the characters and the moeurs of the times in a light-handed (but not flippant) way that helps the reader to understand how things were different then such that small steps by today's standards were huge leaps in the past. Sensitively written, the novel is a beautifully written portrait of a difficult time. I hope the movie will do it justice.
1. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. See review from earlier this month.
The biggest disappointments:
- South of Broad by Pat Conroy
- Cleaving by Julie Powell
- The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
Two of my favorite authors (Conroy and Atwood) and a new author from whom I was expecting more (Powell wrote Julie & Julia, based on her blog of the same name). I couldn't finish any of them. Conroy's story feels like a "been there, done that" but not in a good way (because I love his other novels and would be very happy re-reading them). For Atwood, I gave up after about 50 pages. Dull. Powell's book was just painful. The story of her indiscretions juxtaposed by stories of meat getting hacked up... well, it was all kind of icky. I didn't want to know more.
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