This Week in the Mercury
Monday, January 5, 2009
Books Is It Too Late for a Best-of List?
Posted by Alison Hallett on Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 5:05 PM
It might be. I wasn't going to do one, but then I realized that in not posting a list, I'd be depriving you internet folk of the opportunity to weigh in. And it's really about all you. So here, in no particular order and with very little forethought, are some books that I liked in 2008.
Lush Life by Richard Price
Price's masterful cop drama drew inevitable comparisons to The Wire, and justly so.
The Flying Troutmans by Mirian Toews
Toews is a frank and likable writer, and her empathetic rendering of the road-tripping, dysfunctional Troutman family made me want to read every book she's written. (That impulse led me to A Complicated Kindness, which is even better than Troutmans, and highly recommended.)
Netherland by Joseph O'Neill
A stodgy, tightly controlled novel about a stodgy, tightly controlled Dutch man. Also, 9/11, cricket, and grown-up love affairs.
Paper Towns by John Green
I am aware that this book was written for 12-year-olds, but I found Green's account of a young man coming to terms with the basic humanity of the girl he loves to be hilarious and insightful. Perhaps that reflects poorly on me.
Northline by Willy Vlautin
If you haven't yet read local author—and Richmond Fontaine frontman—Willy Vlautin, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.
Dangerous Laughter by Stephen Milhauser
Dense and hilarious; handily the best short story collection I read all year. (Though to be fair I am still working on The Boat.)
"Alas" by Brian K Vaughan
While it was hard to see Vaughan's Y: The Last Man series end, this issue was a fitting conclusion. Erik says it good here.
How Fiction Works by James Wood
Better titled How James Wood Reads—and I felt like a better, more attentive reader after finishing it.
Resolutions for the New Year: Read more nonfiction. Read more poetry.
OK, your turn.
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Neal Stephenson's Anathem is simply awesome. I wish more people would read it so that when I say things like "Oh shit, she planed your ass!" I am understood.
Wait, James Woods? THE James Woods?
Lush Life, pretty easily. Though I'd also like to throw in Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba's The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite and Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.
I feel like I missed something re: Umbrella Academy. Apocalypse Suite really didn't make much of an impression on me. Maybe I'll give it another shot.
And no. Not THE James Woods.
Yes -- I loved "Lush Life" (and the lush life). Finally got around to reading "Atonement" this year, and put it high on my list. I'm just reading Vlautin's "Motel Life" now, and already looking forward to "Northline."
extra co sign on Lush Life, The Flying Troutmans & Northline. & from someone who did not like Motel Life for some reason. Blasphemy I know.
Also, Way overrated but still enjoyed: Tree Of Smoke by Denis Johnson.
Best fiction by up until recently non-fiction writer: Downtown Owl - Klosterman.
Best musician bio for someone who doesn't usually enjoy musician bios: Philip Norman's John Lennon.
And coffee table book: the Freedarko presents... The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac.
Looking forward to Dangerous Laughter. Thanks for the heads up.
extra co sign on Lush Life, The Flying Troutmans & Northline. & from someone who did not like Motel Life for some reason. Blasphemy I know.
Also, Way overrated but still enjoyed: Tree Of Smoke by Denis Johnson.
Best fiction by up until recently non-fiction writer: Downtown Owl - Klosterman.
Best musician bio for someone who doesn't usually enjoy musician bios: Philip Norman's John Lennon.
And coffee table book: the Freedarko presents... The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac.
Looking forward to Dangerous Laughter. Thanks for the heads up.
It was really written, for, like seventeen-year-olds.
And I think your enjoyment of it reflects _magnificently_ on you. Thanks for reading it, and thanks for taking it seriously.
-John Green
John Green, author, get your commas straight!
ROM, you are missing the point, which is the total awesomeness of John Green commenting on my blog post. I wish I could scrapbook this somehow.
It was my jealously typing. I'm going to go read his book now...
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