Sunday, February 20, 2011

Book Review, 2010

I read 24 books this year.

10 biographical
6 fiction/brain candy
4 spiritual/religious
4 educational

Biographies still lead my list, I guess there is no denying that I am interested in people and what makes them who they are.

For my least favorite book of the year, I'm going to have to go with Mean Mothers. I was disappointed that on a topic as complicated and emotional as the relationship between mothers and daughters, in my opinion it spent too much time talking about why what mothers do or don't do effects their daughters (umm...duh?), and very little time on how to learn to grow and thrive even if that relationship wasn't ideal. Ultimately, it wasn't a hopeful book...which maybe wasn't even what the author was trying to write, but I had bought it with the intentions of giving it to someone, and after reading it decided it wouldn't be helpful.

As for my favorite...this is hard. I read several books this year that I really enjoyed. But strictly from a reader's perspective (as in, really well written and engrossing to read) I am going to go with Still Alice by Lisa Genova. When I asked for suggestions for what to read after last year's book review, a friend suggested it and I am SO glad that I listened to her. When I think back on the book I still have a hard time remembering that Alice Howland isn't real, and to me that is the mark of a well written character and story. It manages to be painfully real about what Alzheimer's can look and feel like, and yet I finished the book with a tender, hopeful feeling.


Other books from 2010 that I would recommend:
Every Patient Tells A Story, Marriage and Other Acts of Charity, Mistaken Identity, Burying Our Swords

So, what should I read this year?

4 comments:

Catherine said...

Do you have copies of any of these I could borrow?

talitha said...

I have Mistaken Identity, Marriage and Other Acts of Charity, and Burying Our Swords. I checked out Every Patient and Still Alice from the library.

Feel free to come over and borrow. I LOVE to share books. :)

Mean Mommy said...

Three Cups of Tea reads kind of like an autobiography by a man who builds schools in Pakistan.

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is highly readable with a dash of WWII history and a hopeful feel.

Mary, Martha, and Me by Camille Fronk Olsen is one of my current favorite religious books.

Oh - have you ever read Till We Have Faces by CS Lewis? I love that one. I can think of several others that have been around for awhile if you were interested.

My brain is drawing a blank on what else I've read recently. Although fantasy is my top genre, which doesn't seem to be your thing.

talitha said...

I've read Three Cups (it was my favorite last year), and Mary, Martha. LOVED.

I am totally putting the other 2 on my list. You picked probably the only C.S. Lewis I haven't read, so that makes me interested!