Don’t ask me where the month of November went.  Somewhere between dishing out the Halloween candy; creating a book group blog for The Mercer Island Patch;  attending my first ever ACBL bridge convention over Thanksgiving weekend;  finalizing the refinancing of our home; celebrating my mom’s 96th birthday and creating a family photo Christmas calendar… the days simply have melted away.  So here it is, December 9th and way past time to get my nose back to the blogging grindstone, so to speak.

As the year winds down, the best of 2011 lists are slowly coming out.  What I like to pay attention to is  ’the best book club lists’ since those are the type of books I like to read and there are less of them to pour over and become over whelmed by. So far, only Ann Patchett’s State of Wonder (a personal favorite), Julie Otsuka’s The Buddha in the Attic and Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 appear on two lists each.  However, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the suggested titles.  I will keep adding when and if other lists pop up. Let me know if you run across a good list yourself.  Have a great holiday season and

Happy Reading and Book Giving to All!

The Washington Post’s Best Books of 2011 would all make excellent book club choices.

NPR’s Conversation Starters: 2011′s Top Five Book Club Picks

Book Group Buzz recommends The Kansas City Star’s top ten list because they combine fiction, non fiction, YA and children’s for “a Best of the Best list.  All of the nonfiction selections would be great titles for books groups.”

The Women’s National Book Association lists 20 titles on this year’s 2011 Great Group Reads.

Library Journal came out with their first ever top ten list last year stating,  ”Librarians—and booksellers—should feel confident in recommending them to their readers, suggesting them to book groups, and promoting them through a variety of venues.”  Here is the 2011 list.

Photo: John Rawlings   Vogue Summer Fiction

“Holy Moly”,  I never realized that an innocent search for Best 2011 Beach Reads could turn into a Googling nightmare.  Two hours into my online search, I’m still finding sites like Geeky Beach Reads, Equestrian Beach Reads, Sci-fi Beach Reads, Boozy Beach Reads, Classic Beach Reads, Smart Summer Beach Reads, Best Summer Beach Read for Your Personality, Scientist Approved Beach Reading, Best Foodie Beach Reads (this list could go on and on).  What’s amazing is that there are very few repetitions of titles.  When one book does appear not one or two but three plus times, my fellow readers, I take notice.  So here you go.

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Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

This from Good Housekeeping magazine’s 10 Summer Beach Reads.

“The queen of chick lit returns with a new novel about four women, bound by obligation and opportunity, who must struggle to become a family.”

Personal take: Even if the genre ‘chick lit’ is a turn off to you, give one of Weiner’s books a go.  One of my all time favorite books which was turned into a movie is Weiner’s In Her Shoes.

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State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

This from Rachel Syme  NPR’s Summer High Fliers

“Patchett has crafted a story that is both an adventure tale and a deep psychological study, complete with mosquitoes, poison arrows and, of course, a tribe of cannibals. If you’re looking for an escape that doesn’t abandon literary elegance, this is it.”

Personal take: My book club attended this author’s reading during her book tour stop in Seattle.  When the author recapped the plot: Dr. Marina Singh, a research scientist travels to the Amazon to track down her former mentor…discovers an indigenous tribe where the women give birth into old age… which makes it a bit of a horror story), I was sold.  This book is #1 on my summer reading list.

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Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

Janet Maslin of The New York Times’ Books to Bury Yourself In writes:

“The summer’s single most suspenseful plot belongs to Before I Go to Sleep, by another debut author, S. J. Watson. Its heroine, the middle-aged Christine, is the spookiest amnesiac in a season that’s full of them.”

Personal take: I’ve been hearing about this book for several months.  My 28 year old daughter just read the galley and emailed me “it was AMAZING! SO GOOD.  #2 on my summer reading list.

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If You Were Here: A Novel by Jen Lancaster

Lancaster worked for a technology company before being laid off and blogging about how she coped which then turned into six books.  This from Jet Set Girls blog (but I’m thinking any of her previous books would be fun in the sun too).

“The author of the hilarious Bitter is the New Black and My Fair Lazy tries her hand at fiction in a story that will delight any Gen Xers’ heart. The narrator, Mia and her husband, Mac, move from downtown Chicago to suburb Abington Cambs, the setting of many John Hughes’ films. The couple settles in Jake Ryan’s house from Sixteen Candles, with hilarious results.

Personal take: Definitely books my daughter and her friends would like.  This author’s books appeared over and over again on many of the ‘beach read’ lists, so even if it might not be for me, I had to share.

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Bossypants by Tina Fey

This quote comes from Desert Living Today’s Summer Reading List For Adults.

“Get this for a laugh out loud beach read and some perfectly worded jokes for your next night out (comedic timing not included).”  Ba dum tssshhh

Personal take: Definitely #3 on my summer list.

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The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

From Daily Candy Beach Reads

“Hemingway writes of his starter wife, Hadley Richardson, “I wished I had died before I ever loved anyone but her.” Paula McLain pens her historical novel in Richardson’s voice, spinning a gripping love story that tragically seduces us into rooting for the doomed romance. Best read with a pitcher of dry martinis.”

Personal take: Several of my book club friends are reading or have read.  A good selection if you want a head start to next year’s book club season.

1. (of a person) Utter a loud call or cry, typically as an expression of a strong emotion.

It’s not often you get to use the words librarian and shout in the same sentence, which is exactly why we all should be paying attention to the Shout ‘n’ Share that happened in the waning hours of this year’s BEA.  I’ve included a link to the entire 54 title, one hour panel presentation here if you are so inclined.  I chose to pick one book from each shouter (librarian) that definitely left me wanting to read more.

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Rin Tin Tin : The Life and Legend by Susan Orlean (October, Simon & Schuster)

This just sounds like a great big nostalgic read to me by a wonderful writer (The Orchid Thief). What boomer did not grow up watching The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin on Saturday mornings?  Barbara A. Genco, Collection Management, Library Journal  ”This is everything you would want to know about Rin Tin Tin and much much more….From his sweet beginnings as a puppy during WWI, to being rescued by a Doughboy and brought to America where he became a movie star…certainly an important part of my growing up in the 1950′s, children’s television, ‘Open the gates – Rinti needs to get in’.”

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Wunderkind: A Novel by Nikolai Grozni (September, Europa)

Set in Bulgaria,  a year in the life of a classical piano prodigy, Constantine, who must decide to stay in school and lose his soul or rebel and lose the music that he loves.  Barbara Hoffer, Editor of Library Journal’s “Pre Pub Alert”  ”this should be given to anyone that loves music, politics or coming of age stories”.

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Lightning Rods by Helen DeWitt (October, New Directions)

I’m thinking this novel is a tongue in cheek business book…but I’m not quite sure.  Due to technical difficulties with the video feed, just exactly what this book is all about was a bit garbled.  What I do know is  that Douglas Lord, Library Journal’s “Books for Dudes” needs his own late night comedy hour (19:35 into the Shout ‘n’ Share tape).  His hook as to why you need to read this book?  ”It’s like when you get a hair of somebody else’s in your mouth when you’re eating or drinking and you have to do something about it…. You can not NOT pay attention to this book.”  OK, enough said.

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The Burning by Jane Casey (August, Minotaur)

This says it all.  Robin Nesbitt, Technical Services, Columbus Metropolitan Library quote ” …SERIAL KILLERS…Why I’m grabbing this is, anyone read Tana French?  ”Into the Woods”.  Oh my God.”

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Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson (June, Harper)

This psychological thriller has been getting great press.   Basically it’s a story about memory loss and what a 47 year old married woman, suffering from amnesia, goes through trying to get her memory back. The hook comes from Nora Rawlinson, Co-Founder and Editor, EarlyWord.com “…there’s an undercurrent…she has this journal that she keeps going back to and the begining of the journal says ‘don’t trust Ben’(her husband)…very suspenseful.”

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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (September, Doubleday)

I’ve already posted abut the buzz that this book is creating.  It’s one thing to want to read it after listening to a book editor rave about it. Having a well read librarian the likes of Alene Moroni, King County Library, rave about it too is icing on the cake!

The ‘Best of 2010′ book lists are out in force and frankly, I find most of them more confusing than helpful.  Out of the hundreds posted online  (Large Hearted Boy – a music and literature blog keeps a running tally),  I’ve only found four lists  that apply specifically to book clubs  since those are the types of books I like to read.  One book, Emma Donoghue’s Room made three of the lists.  No one book appeared on all four.  If anyone else has seen a good ‘best of 2010′ book club list, let me know.  I would love to include it here.

Misha Stone for Book List’s Book Group Buzz top ten for book clubs

The Women’s National Book Association top ten list for reading groups

Library Journal’s first ever top ten

NPR’s Lynn Neary 2010 top picks;       ‘best of’ 2009 list for book clubs

It’s the King, of course — Stephen King, who landed six titles in the top 100. Lee Child comes next, with four winning books. And, at three titles each, Michael Crichton, Dennis Lehane and Stieg Larsson tie for third.

NPR’s Top 100 Thrillers

click here to vote

Voting ended July 28th

RESULTS

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3/23  “Caught” by Harlan  Cohen   A stand alone thriller about a missing teenage girl and the female reporter that tries to find her.  Book tour info.

 

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 3/30  “The Barbary Pirates” by William Dietrich  The fourth in this rollicking, fast paced historical action adventure series featuring American expatriate Ethan Gage.   Taking up where ”The Dakota Cipher” ended, Gage is enlisted by Napoleon Bonaparte to recover “an ancient super weapon that legend contends burned a Roman fleet.”  Book tour info.

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4/6  “Kissing the Mask”  by William T. Vollmann  Journalist and National Book Award winner examines the subject of beauty and femininity through the ancient tradition of Japanese Noh theater.  Book tour info.

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4/6  “Imperfect Birds” by Anne Lamott  The follow up to “Rosie” (my first and favorite Anne Lamott novel) and “Crooked Little Heart” finds Elizabeth Ferguson in her senior year of high school hiding the truth from her parents that besides being a straight A student,  she also sports a nice little drug habit.  Book tour info.

 
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4/13  “Beatrice and Virgil” by Yann Martel  Author of “Life of Pi” tells what one Amazon reviewer describes as his “Holocaust allegory.”  Book tour info.

 
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4/27  “Hannah’s List” by Debbie Macomber  A widower finds a letter from his late wife telling him to remarry and even giving him three candidates to consider.   Book tour info.

 
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4/27  “Island Beneath the Sea” by Isabel Allende  About a slave girl on the island of Saint-Domingue and the young plantation owner she is bound to.  Book tour info.

The Huffington Post reports that the general public is  reading more spirituality, more history, and fewer big brand new bestsellers this winter. 

Bookmovement, a site that keeps a running tally on what book clubs are reading, lists The Help, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Sarah’s Key, The Guernsey Literary Potatoe Peel Society and Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter Sweet as this week’s top five group reading picks.

This prompted me to take an informal poll of  twenty plus friends that I knew were readers.  The question posed, “What are you currently reading and is it for book club or pleasure?”  Turns out my friends are following the above mentioned reading trends.

THE RESULTS? 

Fiction is apparently king when it comes to book club picks and Bookmovement’s assessment was right on.  The Help, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and Sarah’s Key were mentioned the most.  Other tried and true book club favorites are still being read, Elegance of the Hedgehog, Hotel On The Corner of Bitter Sweet, The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Society, and The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.  Others mentioned were A Reliable Wife, Netherland, and The Latehomecomer (memoir)

The independent readers are choosing non fiction to read.  Comments about Lost On Planet China, Still Alice, Beautiful Boy, Where Men Find Glory, We Need To Talk About Kevin and Stubborn Twig were the most compelling and enthusiastic.  Others mentioned were Papillon, One Man’s Meat, The Big Burn, The Women, Excuses Be Gone and The House At Sugar Beach.

Thanks you everyone who participated.

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Oprah’s book club e-letter suggests reading  Breath, Eyes, Memoryby Edwidge Danticat. 

Set in the island’s impoverished villages and in New York’s Haitian community, this is the story of Sophie Caco, who was conceived in an act of violence, abandoned by her mother and then summoned to America. In New York, Sophie discovers that Haiti imposes harsh rules on its own.

Edwidge Daniticut, one of Haiti’s most acclaimed writers, put together a reading and listening list of her own for the  Wall Street Journal.  She includes this reminder:

In this time of tragedy for Haiti, it’s worth noting that the country’s culture is far deeper than the bleak reports currently blanketing the news. 

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Tracey Kidder’s marvelous book Mountains Beyond Mountains tops The Daily Beast’s  The Best Books On Haiti .  Kidder’s book has long been a favorite with book clubs.

Tracy Kidder’s profoundly moving and inspiring account, Mountains Beyond Mountains, of Farmer’s work in the country is necessary reading for anyone wanting to understand what the Haitians have already faced and what one brave man was doing there before the world was galvanized into action.

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Forbes Ten Best Books On Haiti  is a commentary by Amy Wielentz, journalism professor at UC Irvine.  She writes:

Books are what drew me to Haiti, along with the exile newspapers put out by the New York and Miami refugees from Papa Doc and Baby Doc’s regimes. In the old days you couldn’t arrive in Haiti with a copy of The Comedians in your bag; it would be confiscated and you would be interrogated. Papa Doc was known to have his thugs wield scissors and cut out articles that offended him. Words matter in Haiti.