2010 Wrapup and Book List

Alrighty then! 2010 saw me write 95 blogs, among which were a half dozen short stories. Next year fewer blogs, more stories.

I also read the 60 books listed below. That is quite a few more than I usually read in a year which tells me that I got out less than usual. Not to worry. I don't mind. I am The Last of the Great Indoorsmen after all.

2010 Book List


1. True North - Jim Harrison A stroll through one man’s complicated life and family. The book encompasses every aspect of the human condition.

2. So Brave, Young, and Handsome - Leif Enger A terrific turn-of-the-century western. I can’t think of a decent summary so I will just add, read this book!

3. Missing Joseph - Elizabeth George Sex, Murder and mayhem in a remote British village. What more could you ask for?

4. Hell - Robert Olen Butler A story told from Hell. Simplistic plot, but often funny. Butler’s prose is always engaging.

5. Spooner - Pete Dexter. Well told tale of an unusual person’s journey through life. Interesting throughout.

6. How I Became a Famous Novelist - Steve Hely A simultaneously funny and serious book. A very good read.

7. The Beast God Forgot To Invent - Jim Harrison Three more excellent novellas. It’s a privilege to read Jim Harrison.

8. Quietly In Their Sleep - Donna Leon Inspector Brunetti and company take on Opus Dei and other troublesome Catholic problems.

9. 1491 Charles C. Mann - Riveting account of what the “New World” was like before Columbus. It was far different than what we were taught.

10. Had a Good Time - Robert Olen Butler Most excellent short stories gleaned from messages on turn of the century (20th) postcards.

11. South of Broad - Pat Conroy Loved this book. But then, I love all of Conroy’s books. They speak to me.

12. Devil May Care - Sebastian Faulks (author of “Birdsong”, a book I liked immensely) writing as Ian Fleming. Loved Fleming’s James Bond books, but then, I was very young when I read them. Not so crazy about Faulk’s Bond, but then, I am now very old.

13. Bridge of Sighs - Richard Russo Like being a voyeur, watching other people’s lives. Brilliant.

14. Out Stealing Horses - Per Petterson Much ballyhooed, prize winning novel from Norway. Pretty prose, but otherwise, I suppose, over my head.

15. 200 pages of El Amor En Los Tiempo Del Colera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (In Spanish.) I’m putting this down to read something in simpler Spanish. I spend too much time in the dictionary looking up Spanish words I will seldom, if ever, use.

16. What the Dog Saw - Malcolm Gladwell Articles by Malcolm culled from the pages of The New Yorker, every one a little gem.

17. And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks - Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs The two most famous Beat Generation writers collaborate to tell a fictionalized version of an actual murder that took place among their group. This was an early effort by the two and wasn’t great, but it demonstrated their promise as writers.

18. The Fire Gospel - Michel Faber A kind of “what if?” story about finding a fifth gospel that portrays Jesus as far more human. The book never really grabbed me.

19. Senor Vivo and the Coca Lord - Louis De Bernieres Fabulous magical realism. Louie is a great writer, great story teller.

20. Bananas – How the United Fruit Company Shaped The World - Peter Chapman
Everything we suspected about UFC and more. Big Biz in the tropics. Good read.

21. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ - Phillip Pullman How the Big Story could have become the Big Story without celestial intervention. An interesting read.

22. As God Commands - Niccolo Ammaniti I like everything about this book except the title. Unlovable characters doing unlovable things. Not a hero in the bunch, but all are compelling to follow.

23. Shattered - Dick Francis Old Dick always delivers the goods. Another satisfying mystery.

24. Ultimatum - Matthew Glass A terrific political thriller. A fast, fun, informative
read.

25. The Path To Better Golf - Peter Croker Yup, this is it. No doubt. I’ll never shoot over par again. Hahahahaha.

26. UFO’s - Leslie Kean To deny that they are here is ridiculous is the thrust of this book. Overwhelming evidence exists. We don’t know what they are or where they are from but they are certainly here.

27. The Blasphemer - Nigel Farndale A good read for no special reason other than it is a good read.

28. Last Night In Twisted River - John Irving A smooth read. Irving’s characters are always interesting.

29. Think of a Number - John Verdon Excellent mystery/thriller. Keeps you guessing and going.

30. That Old Cape Magic - Richard Russo Family complications resolved and not so much. A story of personalities.

31. The Anodyne Necklace - Martha Grimes A satisfying murder mystery.

32. Ritual - Mo Hayder Horror/thriller that I found a good read up to, but not including the end. Unsatisfactory conclusion.

33. This Body of Death - Elizabeth George Her latest and a very good mystery. Complex plot and characters.

34. The Black Cat - Martha Grimes An excellent mystery, lighter in tone than most.

35. The Best a Man Can Get - John O’Farrell Fearlessly funny book. Fearless because its humor rings so true.

36. About Face - Donna Leon Moves along not doing much of anything – one thinks – and then flies to the ending for a wrap-up. Nicely done, although the reader is left with a few assumptions he has to make on his own.

37. The Old Contemptibles - Martha Grimes Complex mystery with satisfying conclusion. Aside: You have to love a writer whose books are often named after British Pubs!

38. I Am The Only Running Footman - Martha Grimes Average, which is to say, for Martha, good.

39. Matterhorn - Karl Marlantes Terrific War novel set in Viet Nam. Gruesome, horrific…but fun to read.

40. Trial Run - Dick Francis Vintage. Which is to say, terrific.

41. Blink - Malcolm Gladwell Old Malc makes tricky concepts easy to understand. Here he takes on “thin slicing,” “the power of thinking without thinking.” Great read.

42. Huck - Janet Elder Nice little heart warming story about a lost puppy. Should have been shorter by about half.

43. Freedom - Jonathan Franzen Beautifully written, close up look at a group of flawed, but interesting people as they journey through life.

44. Baked - Mark Haskell Smith Big FUN read. Off the wall. Entertaining. Fast.

45. The Tipping Point - Malcomb Gladwell Why and how things seem to happen out-of-the-blue. Gladwell researches and relates in an easy to read fashion.

46. The Blue Last - Martha Grimes A nice read. The best I’ve read from Martha so far.

47. American Vampire Snyder – Albuquerque – King Graphic Novel. Star of a comic book series. Big Fun. Very well done.

48. The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson Best thriller, best heroine, most entertaining book in years. My highest recommendation.

49. Diving Rod - Michael Knight A nice little novel about an affair with a bad ending. Interesting characters.

50. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larsson The start of the trilogy. (see #48)
Slower paced than “…Played With Fire” but densely plotted and patiently executed.

51. Ancestor - Scott Sigler Horror story Transplantation goes awry. Can’t wait for the movie.

52. The California Roll - John Vorhaus Fast paced, entertaining tale of grifters doing their thing. A Big Fun read.

53. The Grave Maurice - Martha Grimes This book picks up where The Blue Last left off. More good stuff from Martha.

54. Dust - Martha Grimes Trying to get caught up with Martha’s mysteries. She wrote a bunch, all good. Got another one going as I speak.

55. Zengolf - Dr. Joseph Parent. Yup, it’s all about your head…life and golf. Best golf instruction book ever. I will read this through again and again.

56. The Old Silent - Martha Grimes Martha Martha Martha. What can I say? She’s terrific!

57. Vida - Patricia Engel Tight little first novel with a Latina American heroine.

58. B is For Beer - Tom Robbins Robbins is always a treat. Everything you ever wanted to know about beer…and fairies.

59. How Right You Are, Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse My favorite book of the year comes at the end of the year! I uncovered a stash of Wodehouse’s in a dusty back room of our local used book store. Christmas arrives early for me!

60. The Downhill Lie - Carl Hiaasen Good stuff, funny stuff as Carl returns to the links in his fifties after having given up the game in his twenties.