(Just a taste of putrid degradation to get you in the mood)
(I think this clip says more than I was probably going to say if I were to really write about Black Friday... and my reaction:
Did I just embed a video clip within a parenthetical tangent? You bet your ass I just did! I even just threw in an aside right here to get fancy! I got game, y'all!)
So, anyway, here is my initial flushing-out for the big reveal at the end. Again, I realize that many books of quality may not rank as high as some may feel they should. But, this is a list of the books I enjoyed this particular year. This first draft of my ranking (and top 5) included some tough decisions. But, what I went with was how I felt after reading the books.... and, by all accounts, "Winter is Coming."
A few ground rules: 1) I am not going to re-rate books I have already read, meaning Ben Franklin is not eligible for my 2012 list, but he remains No. 1 all-time; 2) I won't rate the Fellowship of the Ring until I finish the series (probably 2013); and 3) as always, I may alter the top five if a book I read in December earns a spot. I WILL rate the Song of Ice and Fire Series because it is not yet complete and because it's my post.
I will mark a preliminary top 5 with a * .
OUT OF LEFT FIELD
(Books I never thought I'd read)
What's so Amazing about Grace, by Phillip Yancey - A collection of stories about Grace and its power in our world. It included some inspirational stories and explored the notion of Grace in our lives.
The Reason for God, by Timothy Keller - A logical look at faith that made me think deeply. A really interesting exercise that I think brought a lot of balance to me.
Hiroshima, by John Hersey - Dated.
42 Fallacies, by Michael LeBossier - An impulse kindle purchase, but an interesting refresher on the finer points of logic.
Belle De Jour, by Dr. Brooke Magnanti - The blog of former British prostitute turned into a book. It was an interesting look at the sex-trade industry where it is legal, and, let's be honest, it had some pretty cool stories as well.
How to Make Love Like a Porn Star, by Jenna Jameson - My annual train wreck read for the year. It was really a compelling argument against the abuse of meth. And... more of those pretty cool stories. That said, it wasn't as cool as, again, exploring the dangers of poor decision-making.
What is Every Body Saying, by Joe Navarro - The art of reading people through body language. I'll be honest, it's somewhat interesting, but I would warn anyone against using its teaching as if this is science. There may be "comfort tells," but treating this as science would be a mistake. More like astrology than astronomy, if you get my meaning.
COMEDY
Let's Pretend This Never Happened, by Jenny Lawson - Meh. It wasn't that funny.
America Again! by Stephen Colbert - I laughed so hard... so hard. Colbert Nation!
I Suck at Girls, by Justin Halpern - It was OK, but I owed it to Halpern after his first book made me laugh to tears.
ANGRY BOOKS / POLITICAL
Better Off Without 'em, by Chuck Thompson - I covered this in my post. The South is mad right now, so I have taken a more appreciative look at the sunsets of late. But, I still don't want secession.
As Goes Texas, by Susan Collins - Texas bullies its way to influence, and I think we all knew that. This was a rant by someone on my "side" who really just frustrated me. It was useful for information, but the ranting was as hyperbolic as all these stupid political books.
Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72, by Hunter S. Thompson - Now THIS is a political book. Covered in my post, but you have got to love HST.
SPORTS
The Dream Team, by Jack McCallum - A pretty interesting look at the Dream Team from 1992, but it wasn't well written. More informative than enjoyable, but even much of the information just confirmed things we had heard before and added context. Still, this was a memory trip for me.
Richer Than God, by David Conn - Manchester is Blue, ladies and gentlemen! But, this book is really more about how money is ruining the Premier League, a history of Manchester, England, and the story of a fan who grew up to find disillusionment. But STILL! We won a title! Woo Hoo!
A Few Seconds of Panic, by Stefan Fatsis - An interesting read if you think the view of a football team from a kicker's eyes is relevant. More to the point, I always knew Bradlee Van Pelt sucked, and now I have empirical proof! He's also a jerk! In your face CSU!
True Believers, by Joe Queenan - This book was recommended to me to tickle my Schadenfreude fancy, but it really wasn't that funny. I thought of so many Cubs jokes he left hanging that it felt like he just didn't try in this book. Much like the Cubs.
Don't Put Me In, Coach, by Mark Titus - There is no way to describe what Mark Titus did to Greg Oden with a suction-cup gun in this blog in a way I can feel comfortable writing it. Just know it was really funny. Bench-warmers have all the best stories.
The Nightmare Season, by Arnold Mandell - My dad read this book way back in the early 80s. It was really just a weird attempt to rationalize poor decisions by a team doctor and made me angry that he didn't actually tell me more than basics about a season that featured Johnny U passing the baton to Dan Fouts.
FICTION
(I see way too many books here)
The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break, by Steven Sherrill - I really liked this book, and I like it more as time goes. It was originally a 3.0, but I keep thinking back on it and liking its memory more.
* The Last Kind Words, by Tom Piccirilli - I LOVED this book. The story is well done and the mystery is compelling. I enjoyed his descriptions of mundane details. Tom is just a really fun author to read. The Rand family is so well developed that their dysfunction seems normal. I have met Tom several times and he is great to chat with. His writing blew me away. I really never knew how good he is at his craft until I read this book. I knew, but I guess I didn't really KNOW. I eagerly await the sequel to this one!
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald - I liked it. An interesting period piece, but not the tour-de-force it is made out to be.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon - I really loved this book for about 75% of it. It took a weird turn that I now know is a Chabon style. It is amazingly written and compelling, but I am not sure how books of this kind can end and be satisfying. The trip is definitely better than the destination on this one.
Room by Emma Donoghue - Interesting idea, but I am still not sure how I felt about this one. Good at times and just weird at times.
Sabbath's Theater, by Phillip Roth - One of the best written books I've read in a long time. Also one of the most explicit. A real exploration of a single character.
* The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes - I loved this book for its pearls of wisdom, its point-of-view focus and its effective use of a mundane ending. I loved how so many things from the past were revealed by the perspectives of other people. It was also very well written.
The Gambler, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - I always love Dostoyevsky. This is a short novel that tackles the mind of a person who cannot stop gambling. It illustrates the descent into addiction as only the master can. It is short and to the point.
As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner - One of the darkest most morbid, yet hilarious, books I have ever read. We all know people like this even if we don't want to admit it. The things these people do make my logic-center throb with deep pain.
SCI-FI / FANTASY
(A banner year for me in this area thanks to two authors with "R.R." in their names)
Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein - I didn't really "get" this book.
The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien - Withholding my rating until I get the series finished. I will say that I was surprised at how little the movie left out. And, don't go all "Tom Bombadil" on me. That guy was creepy.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling - My favorite of the series. Jacob really liked it.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling - Also very good.
The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury - I love Ray Bradbury's writing, and these were enjoyable stories. They seemed a bit dated to me, but he managed to make that fact irrelevant by making the stories interesting.
A song of Fire and Ice Series:
* Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin - The original drew me in for good. It really showed me that I was in for the kind of ride I have never before experienced. There is nothing conventional about this story and I think it would fit into so many different categories beyond sci-fi or fantasy. I don't generally read either and these books sucked me in completely.
* Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin - My favorite of the bunch even though it did not have nearly as many "Oh My God!" moments as the others. Tyrion and his cunning won me over and his maneuvering against Cersei was like watching a master chess game. I loved this one for the movement of the chess pieces into position. If you like to think a few moves ahead, this is the book for you. What political intrigue! My favorite of the series so far.
* A Storm of Swords, by George R.R. Martin - Easily the most jolting of the three. I think it is more overtly-packed with twists and turns than Clash, and it managed to stun me at least four or five different times. As thrilling as that was, I still liked the subtleties of Clash better. I just about dropped the book in the last chapter of this one. I cannot wait to start book 4.
NON FICTION
(lowest portion I have ever had... what an outrage!)
I Want My MTV, by Craig Marks - Stories of rock stars. Eh. I read this? What? Really? I guess I did.
The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg - Nice and useful.
SEAL Target Geronimo, by Chuck Pfarrer - I'm not sure this is even the official story anymore.
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, by Bill Bryson - A whimsical story of growing up in the 50s. Fun.
The Swerve, by Stephen Greenblatt - A really great look at how Lucretious' "On the Nature of Things" was preserved and its influence. The subtitle (how we became modern) was not a good one because that isn't really what the book was about. Still, it was really interesting.
The overall winner:
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