My friend Jessie suggested a couple years ago that we post what we've read throughout the year. I love seeing what other people are reading and am always looking for suggestions, so add your favorites to the comments section!
Side note: In the 2nd grade, my grandmother gave me a sweatshirt with patches sewn on that read, "Reading is cool" and "Books Belong". I wore it once, was made fun of, and never wore it again. If I still had that sweatshirt (and it still fit), I would wear it proudly.
Books I read in 2011
1. The memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
2. Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian
3. The Living Great Lakes: searching for the heart of the inland seas by Jerry Dennis (I read this book for book club and really loved it. I learned a lot about the history of the Great Lakes.)
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
6. Night by Elie Wiesel
7. Squirrel seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
8. Full Dark, no Stars by Stephen King
9. Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
10. Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
11. Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
12. Matched by Ally Condie
13. Bossypants by Tina Fey (Such a fun read. I think we can all relate a little bit to her childhood)
14. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
15. Sarah's Key by Tatiano DeRosnay (Heartbreaking. I thought they did a good job with the movie adaptation)
16. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
17. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
19. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway
20. Palo Alto Stories by James Franco
21. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audry Niffeneggar (NOT as good as the Time Traveler's Wife)
22. The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
23. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress bny Rhoda Janzen (Ugh)
24. Under the Dome by Stephen King (Believe it or not, this was my favorite of all the books I read this year. The character study and intense plot line made the 1,000 pages fly by. It was also cool to get all the Maine references. I just bought his new one 11/23/63 to read in 2012)
25. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
26. Before you Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian
27. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
28. Admissions by Jennifer Sowle
29. Is Everyone Hanging out Without me? by Mindy Kaling - My second favorite book of the year. She is totally relatable, I laughed out loud several times and I want to be her friend.
30. Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah
31. Heat Wave by Richard Castle (I know, I know. But somebody took the time to write the actual book, so I took the time to read it. And it was free on my Kindle)
32. Fall of Giants by Ken Follett (Jessie Jones lent me this book in July and it took me almost 6 months to finish. Not as quick of a read as Pillars of the Earth, but a great historical fiction account of WWI told from the point of view of several characters in different parts of the world. I can't wait for the next book in the trilogy)
33. Ape House by Sara Gruen
34. The Leftovers by Tom Perrota (I loved Election and Little Children and this new one from him was really cool)
Happy New Year everyone and here's to great reading in 2012!
