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I'm a Minnesota Girl, living in the south. I tell my friends I try not to talk and think like a Yankee, but sometimes I slip up!

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Top Books of 2012



It took me awhile to piece together this list.  I couldn't figure out why.... my reading consumption this year was about the same as the prior two years; in terms of quantity.  I didn't want to admit to myself what the problem is:  $$$$.  Got a Kindle last Christmas, and, in terms of maximizing my savings this year, I almost bought no hardcovers; just Kindle downloads and free books I got thru the Amazon Vine program.  I took an early dislike to to the spike in Kindle prices....from $9.99, which was common in 2011, to $12.99 and $14.99 from 2012.  So, I focused on older books and bargain books. 

Thus, I find that I didn't read enough good books in 2012 to comprise a 10 item list.  But here is what I settled for:


1.   BRINGING UP THE BODIES - Hilary Mantel       Mantel's sequel to her tour de force of "Wolf   Hall"...which made a prior year's list.  So well researched!  Historical fiction at its best. 

2.  GONE GIRL - Gillian Flynn...      I've enjoyed her prior books, but none so much as this effort  with all its twists and turns.  Superb fiction. 

3.  TEAM OF RIVALS - Doris Kearns Goodwin        I have never put an "old" book on my list
            before; essentially, my lists are about what was written in 20xx, that I read.  But this 2006 account of Lincoln, revisited in the superb "Lincoln" by Spielberg was a must read and greatly satisfying before I saw the film.

4.  THE ROUND HOUSE - Louise Erdrich     Possibly her greatest book, recognition from the
            National Book Prize.   Evokes, "To Kill A Mockingbird"; and I can never resist books
            set in North Dakota or Minnesota

5.  LIVE BY NIGHT - Dennis Lehane      Dennis Lehane (!), AND he moves his locale from Boston to Tampa.  Couldn't be better.

6.  AFTERWARDS - Rosalind Lupton     Free from Amazon Vine and superb.  An emotional rollercoaster

7. STEVE JOBS  - Walter Isaacson          An extremely fat biography given to me for XMas last year -   a fascinating account

8.  12 TRIBES OF HATTIE - Ayana Mathis     I usually try to stay away from Oprah's picks, but couldn't resist this well-written novel. 

That's it.  8.  Sigh.  I'll be more discerning in 2013. 


From Prior Years: 


http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3858636945560489201#editor/target=post;postID=7815291527772493979


http://livingimperfectly.blogspot.com/2011/01/best-books-of-2010.html

 

http://livingimperfectly.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-best-books-of-2009.html

 


 


5 comments:

Kelly said...

I read "Gone Girl" this month and really enjoyed it! I bought Lupton's "Sister" with some of my Christmas money, but haven't gotten to it yet. Someday I'll get to the Mantel books.

I find that I'm often reading things that were on folks' "top 10" lists from several years ago. I usually don't splurge on new releases unless it's an author or series I feel I must read immediately.

Anonymous said...

Quid,
A very interesting and varied list.
And I am interested in your #1,3,
4,6 and 7. Even though I do not
comment much I continue to
follow your posts. Raven

Hal Johnson said...

Thanks for this, Quid. It's always interesting to learn what friends have been reading.

Serena said...

I've read only one on your list, "Gone Girl," which I really liked.

Debby said...

Well, it looks like I'll have to look up 'Gone Girl'.