So what was the best thing you Read in 2009? - Page 6

crutnacker · 12-30-2009, 11:34 AM

Some of my favorites (note, some released before 2009)

Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns -- John Green -- The first is good, the next two are great.

True Enough -- Farhad Manjoo -- Great examination of why so many people are willing to believe anything, especially in the internet age.

Gone Tomorrow -- Lee Child's book is far better than the horrible one it followed.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid -- All 4 are simply wonderful.

Brightsided -- Barbara Erenreich

Surviving the Applewhites

Gone Tomorrow

WT Sharpe · 12-30-2009, 12:07 PM

If I had to pick the one best book I've read in 2009, it would be The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein. It’s the story of how the I-got-mine-screw-the rest-of-the-world-crowd gets richer while the middle class shrinks and the poor get shafted. It's the most important book I've read this year.

Number two on the list is The Evolution of God by Robert Wright. In a world where the heirs of Abraham are apparently ready to cut each other's throats at a moment's notice, this book presents hope for the future, and explains why tolerance and cosmopolitanism is in God’s best long-term interest.

My entire 2009 reading list can be found here.

Jack Tingle · 12-30-2009, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

Since the thread title limits the past to books read in 2009. The past isn't that deep of a mine. So you read these books in 2009? I mean we wouldn't want to veer off track, would we?

Two of the four actually. None of them are very long.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

MickeyC · 12-30-2009, 05:37 PM

For me it was The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly

Stitchawl · 12-30-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassidym

For me it was The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly

Wow! I'm glad to hear that! It's next on my 'To Be Read' list!

Happy New Year, everyone! For me, New Year's Eve begins in 12 hours!

Stitchawl

markbot · 12-30-2009, 09:52 PM

I just finished "The Making of the Atomic Bomb". Fascinating book! This book, or a similar book, should be required reading at the high school level.

I believe they forced me to read "Hiroshima" which wasn't nearly as educational....as it loses much of the insight and intrigue in the making of The Bomb.

Oldtribe · 12-31-2009, 02:29 PM

I browsed through other people's recommendations to see if my 'best read of 2009' was mentioned - and it was. I second mtravellerh's choice of Perdido Street Station by China Miéville. I read many fine books this year, but this blew my mind away. There are images in this book that I would be glad to forget.

phonygal · 12-31-2009, 03:44 PM

"Last Night in Twisted River" by John Irving was my favorite read all year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

For me it was

John Irving's "Last Night in Twisted River"

followed closely by

E.L. Doctorow's "Homer and Langley"

kennyc · 12-31-2009, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phonygal

"Last Night in Twisted River" by John Irving was my favorite read all year.

.

FlorenceArt · 12-31-2009, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldtribe

I browsed through other people's recommendations to see if my 'best read of 2009' was mentioned - and it was. I second mtravellerh's choice of Perdido Street Station by China Miéville. I read many fine books this year, but this blew my mind away. There are images in this book that I would be glad to forget.

Quite. A very disturbing and beautiful book. I read it some years ago.

PennyPie · 12-31-2009, 06:24 PM

So, you did it again...Checked out the Irving book mentioned & it looks great!!! So now I'm off on an 'Irving Quest' ...to get some of his stories. (Always like to get a selection of an author's work) I keep tellin'ya...keep your great reads to yourself...I'm just a sucker (as my way-too-long TBR list shows!

Andanzas · 12-31-2009, 07:30 PM

Roberto Bolaño's 2666. When I was in the middle of the first chapter, I already knew it would be one of the best books I've read in a long time. When I was halfway through it, I was sure I was reading one of my all-time favorites. When I finished it, I had the strong impression that it would be considered one of the most important classics of Latinoamerican literature, along with the fiction of García Márquez, Borges, Cortázar, or Vargas Llosa. It is sometimes a nightmare of a book (it was inspired by the serial murders of Ciudad Juárez), and very baroque and complex, so I wouldn't recommend it to everybody. But anyone interested in ambitious and creative novels should check it out.

Unfortunately, Bolaño died before the publication of 2666. He was only 50.

Stitchawl · 12-31-2009, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbot

I just finished "The Making of the Atomic Bomb". Fascinating book! This book, or a similar book, should be required reading at the high school level.

I thought all high school kids already knew how to make an atomic bomb.

Stitchawl

lilac_jive · 12-31-2009, 08:04 PM

For those who liked "Last Night in Twisted River," can you tell me what you liked about it?

kennyc · 12-31-2009, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PennyPie

So, you did it again...Checked out the Irving book mentioned & it looks great!!! So now I'm off on an 'Irving Quest' ...to get some of his stories. (Always like to get a selection of an author's work) I keep tellin'ya...keep your great reads to yourself...I'm just a sucker (as my way-too-long TBR list shows!

Ha! John Irving on of my favorites and his latest is one of his best! I have a book of his short stories on the way, but have only read some of his novels.

12-30-2009, 09:52 PM	#81
markbot Guru Posts: 612 Karma: 7511929 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2	I just finished "The Making of the Atomic Bomb". Fascinating book! This book, or a similar book, should be required reading at the high school level. I believe they forced me to read "Hiroshima" which wasn't nearly as educational....as it loses much of the insight and intrigue in the making of The Bomb. Last edited by markbot; 12-30-2009 at 09:55 PM.

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12-30-2009, 11:34 AM	#76
crutnacker Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 850 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: None	Some of my favorites (note, some released before 2009) Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns -- John Green -- The first is good, the next two are great. True Enough -- Farhad Manjoo -- Great examination of why so many people are willing to believe anything, especially in the internet age. Gone Tomorrow -- Lee Child's book is far better than the horrible one it followed. Diary of a Wimpy Kid -- All 4 are simply wonderful. Brightsided -- Barbara Erenreich Surviving the Applewhites Gone Tomorrow

12-30-2009, 12:07 PM	#77
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	If I had to pick the one best book I've read in 2009, it would be *The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism* by Naomi Klein. It’s the story of how the I-got-mine-screw-the rest-of-the-world-crowd gets richer while the middle class shrinks and the poor get shafted. It's the most important book I've read this year. Number two on the list is *The Evolution of God* by Robert Wright. In a world where the heirs of Abraham are apparently ready to cut each other's throats at a moment's notice, this book presents hope for the future, and explains why tolerance and cosmopolitanism is in God’s best long-term interest. My entire 2009 reading list can be found here.

12-30-2009, 05:37 PM	#79
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	For me it was The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly

12-31-2009, 02:29 PM	#82
Oldtribe Member Posts: 17 Karma: 8004 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Oulu, Finland Device: CyBook Gen3	I browsed through other people's recommendations to see if my 'best read of 2009' was mentioned - and it was. I second mtravellerh's choice of Perdido Street Station by China Miéville. I read many fine books this year, but this blew my mind away. There are images in this book that I would be glad to forget.

12-31-2009, 06:24 PM	#86
PennyPie Cocoa & Toast...mmmmmm... Posts: 275 Karma: 1000 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ohio Device: Sony PRS-700, iPhone	So, you did it again...Checked out the Irving book mentioned & it looks great!!! So now I'm off on an 'Irving Quest' ...to get some of his stories. (Always like to get a selection of an author's work) I keep tellin'ya...keep your great reads to yourself...I'm just a sucker (as my way-too-long TBR list shows!

12-31-2009, 07:30 PM	#87
Andanzas Out of print Posts: 487 Karma: 1549538 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Sony PRS-500 (recycled), Pocketbook Inkpad X Pro	Roberto Bolaño's 2666. When I was in the middle of the first chapter, I already knew it would be one of the best books I've read in a long time. When I was halfway through it, I was sure I was reading one of my all-time favorites. When I finished it, I had the strong impression that it would be considered one of the most important classics of Latinoamerican literature, along with the fiction of García Márquez, Borges, Cortázar, or Vargas Llosa. It is sometimes a nightmare of a book (it was inspired by the serial murders of Ciudad Juárez), and very baroque and complex, so I wouldn't recommend it to everybody. But anyone interested in ambitious and creative novels should check it out. Unfortunately, Bolaño died before the publication of 2666. He was only 50.

12-31-2009, 08:04 PM	#89
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	For those who liked "Last Night in Twisted River," can you tell me what you liked about it?