Some recent reads:
Fiction
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon - A dark and twisty novel that has been compared to the first Harry Potter books, this is one of the most intriguing series debuts in a long while. Shannon has created a rich and horrifying world that is complex and deep. Her main character is a powerful young woman who drifts through the world, and in many cases more than one. To say more would be spoilerish, but the main issue with this novel is I struggled to see where it was going. There was a lot of world building without a lot of plot (at least until the propulsive ending). The rest of the Seven book series bears watching and reading.
Brilliance by Marcus Sakey - Ironically similar to the Shannon book, the main premise of Sakey's brilliant novel is that in the 1980's people began being born "brilliant" (or with intellect and the ability to see patterns far beyond that of normal human intelligence). Humanity, obviously, panics and begins "acadamies" to deal with the brilliant children. Nick Cooper is an agent of DAR, an organization which hunts down suspected Brilliant terrorists (led by a shadowy figure named John Smith) and then kills them. Sakey has created a frighteningly real world amidst the shadows of our own, and allegories that touch on everything from today's War on terror to the civil rights movement and the holocaust. The result is one of the best novels I have read this year - the only conceit: at the end, it seemed as if there were too many balls in the air. Then it ended and there was a preview for "Book 2". While the main plot was resolved, much of the world was left up in the air - and the reader is hungry for more.
Non-fiction
The System by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian - An amazing, insightful book into the world around college football, the authors have written an investigative report that shows all aspects of the sport. Fantastic, well written and completely immersive this is an important and landmark book that needs to be read to understand a complex game.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
Crime Spree
Summer is a great time to catch up on a number of books you may have missed over the years, and sometimes to discover an author who has been staring you in the face for a very long time. My reading is (obviously) eclectic but one genre has remained a pretty solid part of my rotation: mysteries / crime fiction. This year for some weird reason I had not read a lot of crime thus far; that has definitely changed this summer, here are some of the reads I have enjoyed this summer:
Michael Connelly - Previously to this summer, I had read 3 Connelly books; 1 Harry Bosch novel and 2 Lincoln Lawyer books. All of that changed when I picked up The Fifth Witness while on vacation. Since then, I grabbed and tore through the following novels: The Drop, The Black Box, The Black Echo, The Reversal, The Black Ice, Blood Work. So...I went back and read some of the earliest Harry Bosch books in addition to some of the first ones. The breakdown: Connelly is a good writer, in some books a very, very good writer. The best ones I read: Blood Work, The Drop and The Black Echo. All the books were enjoyable and well done overall. Connelly has a new convert and I am looking forward to making my way through his catalogue.
The Innocent Man by John Grisham / The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston - Two true crime books that for some reason I find inextricably linked and that somehow I missed before. I know why I skipped the Grisham novel as it came out right after I read Sebastian Junger's brilliant A Death in Belmont. The two seemed too similar so I avoided the Grisham book and should not have, as he tells a truly outrageous story of corruption and horrible miscarriages of justice. The Monster of Florence tells a rather bizarre story of a serial killer who operated in the scenic hills around the famous city. Another tale of bad investigating and terrible miscarriages of justice, this one is interesting because of the author inserting himself into the story. Still it is worth a read. Both books were interesting and well written.
Whitey Bulger: America's Most Wanted Gangster and the Manhunt that Brought Him to Justice by Kevin Cullen and Shelley Murphy - I have read about Bulger before, but this is the first account that covers his entire life and criminal career. He is a fascinating character who has never really had a full measure taken of his life, and it is a testament to the authors (who followed his career for more than 30 years) that he becomes a three dimensional person and not simply a cartoonish bad guy. The book is well written and a deep dive into an incredible story. Given the plethora of books on the topic (for an overall look at Irish criminal history check out TJ English's excellent Paddy Whacked ) it is important to make sure you reach for a good one, and this is definitely one of those.
Michael Connelly - Previously to this summer, I had read 3 Connelly books; 1 Harry Bosch novel and 2 Lincoln Lawyer books. All of that changed when I picked up The Fifth Witness while on vacation. Since then, I grabbed and tore through the following novels: The Drop, The Black Box, The Black Echo, The Reversal, The Black Ice, Blood Work. So...I went back and read some of the earliest Harry Bosch books in addition to some of the first ones. The breakdown: Connelly is a good writer, in some books a very, very good writer. The best ones I read: Blood Work, The Drop and The Black Echo. All the books were enjoyable and well done overall. Connelly has a new convert and I am looking forward to making my way through his catalogue.
The Innocent Man by John Grisham / The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston - Two true crime books that for some reason I find inextricably linked and that somehow I missed before. I know why I skipped the Grisham novel as it came out right after I read Sebastian Junger's brilliant A Death in Belmont. The two seemed too similar so I avoided the Grisham book and should not have, as he tells a truly outrageous story of corruption and horrible miscarriages of justice. The Monster of Florence tells a rather bizarre story of a serial killer who operated in the scenic hills around the famous city. Another tale of bad investigating and terrible miscarriages of justice, this one is interesting because of the author inserting himself into the story. Still it is worth a read. Both books were interesting and well written.
Whitey Bulger: America's Most Wanted Gangster and the Manhunt that Brought Him to Justice by Kevin Cullen and Shelley Murphy - I have read about Bulger before, but this is the first account that covers his entire life and criminal career. He is a fascinating character who has never really had a full measure taken of his life, and it is a testament to the authors (who followed his career for more than 30 years) that he becomes a three dimensional person and not simply a cartoonish bad guy. The book is well written and a deep dive into an incredible story. Given the plethora of books on the topic (for an overall look at Irish criminal history check out TJ English's excellent Paddy Whacked ) it is important to make sure you reach for a good one, and this is definitely one of those.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Holiday Reading
Reading while on Holiday is one of the best things ever - but you have to make a decision as to which direction you are going to go: easy, beach reads or, now that you have the time, more complex works?
During my recent vacation I decided to try and do a couple of both.
Firstly, in praise of classic Clive Cussler - the man, regardless of his later works wrote 12 good to great books. The writing is deep, the ideas are somewhat complex and he genuinely tackles social and global issues. They are action packed and somewhat unbelievable but they are very well done and he writes in such a way as to make the stories logical. The books become better and better when you consider the writers Cussler is unfairly lumped in with: Matthew Reilly, James Rollins, and of course, David Golemon. Cussler is a good writer (for 12 books or so) but the others ignore all the things that made the Dirk Pitt series so great: the writing and the social conscious. Compare two plots: Cussler's Treasure and Golemon's Ancients. In Cussler's story there is an international conspiracy of criminals; in Golemon's the same. In Cussler's there is a treasure hunt...in Golemon's not so much. The writing and plot is where Cussler excels - not even taking into account his characters, who, although somewhat stereotypical are at least interesting. Golemon's book was pure nonsense about the evil legacy of Julius Caesar. Not only that but Cussler genuinely tried to do different things stylistically, consider the following:
Raise the Titanic - A thrilling novel that is only a Dirk Pitt adventure on the surface and moreover a deep and resonant story of the Cold War.
Vixen 03 - Features a lengthy section about Apartheid South Africa, in addition to being one of the most sensual of the Dirk Pitt novels.
Night Probe - Has two different protagonists, and our hero, Pitt, loses the girl at the end (Spoiler Alert!) not to mention the fact that this is a spy novel in which there is no clear person to root for.
This is simply a smattering of the ways in which Cussler is infinitely better than the generation of thriller writers who came afterwards (as a final point: Cussler also wrote a way better novel simply on Atlantis than Golemon did. Atlantis Found is a much superior novel in every way, including the worldwide conspiracy actually making sense.)
In my opinion there is only one writer Cussler can accurately be put in the same category as, and that is Michael Crichton. Obviously the two wrote very different books but their ability to put forward a driving plot while also informing and engaging the reader. No one of this generation has been able to do so.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the fact that later Cussler (post Atlantis Found) has done exactly the opposite of his earlier works and essentially trashed his previous reputation. The new editions of his books have all gotten new covers / descriptions that cheapen them and the relative complexities within. These days he simply provides outlines and cashes cheques for novels which are beneath his earlier works and are mostly written by other people. A sad end to a legend, but at least us true fans have a twelve book stretch to revisit time and again.
The other side of holiday reading took on a much more complex form this year:
Close to Shore by Michael Capuzzo - A rollicking tale of shark attacks in New Jersey in 1916, this book is virtually impossible to put down. It tells the story of a rogue shark that killed multiple people during the summer of 1916 and transformed American understanding of the dangers of sharks. Before these attacks sharks were completely misunderstood, afterwards they were even more so. A great picture of a different time, this book is well worth a read.
Difficult Men by Brett Martin - The second book I have read about the "Golden Age of Television", this takes a very different approach than Alan Sepinwall's The Revolution was Televised because while Sepinwall focuses on the plots of the shows such as The Sopranos and The Wire, Martin choses to focus on how the shows got made and how they changed the world of television. It is a brilliant book, a complex one that examines the importance of television and the rise of the antihero. Well worth while and a perfect companion to the equally good Sepinwall book.
During my recent vacation I decided to try and do a couple of both.
Firstly, in praise of classic Clive Cussler - the man, regardless of his later works wrote 12 good to great books. The writing is deep, the ideas are somewhat complex and he genuinely tackles social and global issues. They are action packed and somewhat unbelievable but they are very well done and he writes in such a way as to make the stories logical. The books become better and better when you consider the writers Cussler is unfairly lumped in with: Matthew Reilly, James Rollins, and of course, David Golemon. Cussler is a good writer (for 12 books or so) but the others ignore all the things that made the Dirk Pitt series so great: the writing and the social conscious. Compare two plots: Cussler's Treasure and Golemon's Ancients. In Cussler's story there is an international conspiracy of criminals; in Golemon's the same. In Cussler's there is a treasure hunt...in Golemon's not so much. The writing and plot is where Cussler excels - not even taking into account his characters, who, although somewhat stereotypical are at least interesting. Golemon's book was pure nonsense about the evil legacy of Julius Caesar. Not only that but Cussler genuinely tried to do different things stylistically, consider the following:
Raise the Titanic - A thrilling novel that is only a Dirk Pitt adventure on the surface and moreover a deep and resonant story of the Cold War.
Vixen 03 - Features a lengthy section about Apartheid South Africa, in addition to being one of the most sensual of the Dirk Pitt novels.
Night Probe - Has two different protagonists, and our hero, Pitt, loses the girl at the end (Spoiler Alert!) not to mention the fact that this is a spy novel in which there is no clear person to root for.
This is simply a smattering of the ways in which Cussler is infinitely better than the generation of thriller writers who came afterwards (as a final point: Cussler also wrote a way better novel simply on Atlantis than Golemon did. Atlantis Found is a much superior novel in every way, including the worldwide conspiracy actually making sense.)
In my opinion there is only one writer Cussler can accurately be put in the same category as, and that is Michael Crichton. Obviously the two wrote very different books but their ability to put forward a driving plot while also informing and engaging the reader. No one of this generation has been able to do so.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the fact that later Cussler (post Atlantis Found) has done exactly the opposite of his earlier works and essentially trashed his previous reputation. The new editions of his books have all gotten new covers / descriptions that cheapen them and the relative complexities within. These days he simply provides outlines and cashes cheques for novels which are beneath his earlier works and are mostly written by other people. A sad end to a legend, but at least us true fans have a twelve book stretch to revisit time and again.
The other side of holiday reading took on a much more complex form this year:
Close to Shore by Michael Capuzzo - A rollicking tale of shark attacks in New Jersey in 1916, this book is virtually impossible to put down. It tells the story of a rogue shark that killed multiple people during the summer of 1916 and transformed American understanding of the dangers of sharks. Before these attacks sharks were completely misunderstood, afterwards they were even more so. A great picture of a different time, this book is well worth a read.
Difficult Men by Brett Martin - The second book I have read about the "Golden Age of Television", this takes a very different approach than Alan Sepinwall's The Revolution was Televised because while Sepinwall focuses on the plots of the shows such as The Sopranos and The Wire, Martin choses to focus on how the shows got made and how they changed the world of television. It is a brilliant book, a complex one that examines the importance of television and the rise of the antihero. Well worth while and a perfect companion to the equally good Sepinwall book.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
2013's Best Books of the Year - So Far
With 2013 half over and summer here tomorrow, it seems an appropriate time to look back at some of the best books I have read thus far this year. Once again, these are books I have read this year...not necessarily that have been published this year.
Non-Fiction
Area 51 by Annie Jacobson - Instead of delving into a huge amount of conspiracy theories, Jacobson instead chooses to focus on the facts and Area 51's history as a military base. What she digs up is almost better than any theory. Area 51 revolutionized the American Military and their testing. This book is well written, doggedly researched and excellently argued.
Ballad of the Whisky Robber by Julian Rubenstein - A madcap adventure through post-communism Eastern Europe, this book features semi-pro hockey, bank robbery, pelt smuggling and brutal alcoholism. Prepare to turn the pages faster than a Grisham novel.
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser - I tried to read this book a couple of times and was not successful because I simply was unable to get through the introduction. So, it sat, unread on my kindle for more than a year, and then suddenly I was struck by an urge to read it. Am I ever glad that I did: this was one of the better books I have read this year. Well written and an in depth look at how fast food changed America and ultimately the world. Disturbing, fascinating and at times completely horrifying (the slaughterhouse sections are among the most terrifying things I have ever read). If you only read one book about the food industry ever, make it this classic. One of the best books ever on the subject.
Sweetness by Jeff Pearlman - Sometimes it is important to get the full measure of someone, even when they have been deified by everyone around them. Jeff Pearlman does this in his biography of Walter Payton. Does he occasionally detail not so great aspects of the legendary running back? Yes, he does, and does he also detail the incredible and good things? Yes he does. This is a well measured, and overall compelling book about an ultimately tragic figure.
One Shot at Forever by Chris Ballard - Imagine a tiny school making the state championships in baseball thanks to a hippy coach who changed his small town forever. One of the most inspiring books I have ever read, this is an instant classic of David vs. Multiple Goliaths. Read and enjoy.
Fiction
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight - Imagine if Gone Girl and Gossip Girl had a baby, and now imagine this baby is the most taut and intense thriller of the year. I did not care for Gone Girl but this was one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. A stunning thriller that spins the reader in so many different directions and then actually has a logical ending. Not a happy book, but a truly deep and resonant one. The plot is twisty and engaging: a high priced lawyer gets a call from her daughter's private school. The daughter, Amelia, has been caught cheating. By the time her mother gets there her daughter is dead, the victim of an apparent suicide. However, a text from a mysterious source states: she didn't jump. Saying any more would spoil all the depth and incredible turns. Maybe the best book of the year so far.
A Man Without Breath by Philip Kerr - Once again Kerr releases a book and once again it is a stunning literary achievement. This one set deep in the second world war has antihero Bernie Gunther trying to figure out who is responsible for a mass grave in the Katyn Forest. If the Russians were the killers, Germany has a huge PR coup - but if the Germans are responsible it needs to be hushed up quickly. The most meditative of Kerr's works, this is a stunning book that is one of Kerr's better novels. Deeply thematic and full of action, twists and turns, you cannot help but cheer for Bernie even as he sinks as low of the Nazi's he utterly despises.
Non-Fiction
Area 51 by Annie Jacobson - Instead of delving into a huge amount of conspiracy theories, Jacobson instead chooses to focus on the facts and Area 51's history as a military base. What she digs up is almost better than any theory. Area 51 revolutionized the American Military and their testing. This book is well written, doggedly researched and excellently argued.
Ballad of the Whisky Robber by Julian Rubenstein - A madcap adventure through post-communism Eastern Europe, this book features semi-pro hockey, bank robbery, pelt smuggling and brutal alcoholism. Prepare to turn the pages faster than a Grisham novel.
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser - I tried to read this book a couple of times and was not successful because I simply was unable to get through the introduction. So, it sat, unread on my kindle for more than a year, and then suddenly I was struck by an urge to read it. Am I ever glad that I did: this was one of the better books I have read this year. Well written and an in depth look at how fast food changed America and ultimately the world. Disturbing, fascinating and at times completely horrifying (the slaughterhouse sections are among the most terrifying things I have ever read). If you only read one book about the food industry ever, make it this classic. One of the best books ever on the subject.
Sweetness by Jeff Pearlman - Sometimes it is important to get the full measure of someone, even when they have been deified by everyone around them. Jeff Pearlman does this in his biography of Walter Payton. Does he occasionally detail not so great aspects of the legendary running back? Yes, he does, and does he also detail the incredible and good things? Yes he does. This is a well measured, and overall compelling book about an ultimately tragic figure.
One Shot at Forever by Chris Ballard - Imagine a tiny school making the state championships in baseball thanks to a hippy coach who changed his small town forever. One of the most inspiring books I have ever read, this is an instant classic of David vs. Multiple Goliaths. Read and enjoy.
Fiction
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight - Imagine if Gone Girl and Gossip Girl had a baby, and now imagine this baby is the most taut and intense thriller of the year. I did not care for Gone Girl but this was one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. A stunning thriller that spins the reader in so many different directions and then actually has a logical ending. Not a happy book, but a truly deep and resonant one. The plot is twisty and engaging: a high priced lawyer gets a call from her daughter's private school. The daughter, Amelia, has been caught cheating. By the time her mother gets there her daughter is dead, the victim of an apparent suicide. However, a text from a mysterious source states: she didn't jump. Saying any more would spoil all the depth and incredible turns. Maybe the best book of the year so far.
A Man Without Breath by Philip Kerr - Once again Kerr releases a book and once again it is a stunning literary achievement. This one set deep in the second world war has antihero Bernie Gunther trying to figure out who is responsible for a mass grave in the Katyn Forest. If the Russians were the killers, Germany has a huge PR coup - but if the Germans are responsible it needs to be hushed up quickly. The most meditative of Kerr's works, this is a stunning book that is one of Kerr's better novels. Deeply thematic and full of action, twists and turns, you cannot help but cheer for Bernie even as he sinks as low of the Nazi's he utterly despises.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Best Books of April and May
Here are some of the books I have read and enjoyed in the past few months.
The Monstrumologist Series by Rick Yancey - YA and Teen books are often characterized by two things: the first being simple writing, the second being simple characterization. Yancey's incredible books feature neither. These are elegant tomes full of darkness, deep themes and very vivid character growth and development. The series also does something that very few authors (YA or otherwise) dare to do: be complex. Yancey presents the deep and twisty story and allows his reader to draw conclusions. Nothing is spoon fed and the answers are neither clear nor pretty. Each of the novels could be read as a standalone but work best as a series exploring the darkness within all of us. The first book The Monstrumologist serves as stark reminder that the real monsters are among us; The Curse of the Wendingo flits with the fantastical, and the nature of myth and reality (to this point the novel could be interpreted a couple of different ways, it might just be the Shutter Island of teen fiction); the final novel (so far, as #4 comes out in Fall 2013) is The Isle of Blood which again ties together the theme of monsters among us and the true horrors of the world being right in front of us. One of the more remarkable things about these novels is that at no point did I feel like I was reading a teen book. They are gruesome, haunting and resonate deeply. I am still thinking about them long after I finished reading. The characters are neither simple or one dimensional. They are real, flawed and strikingly complex. Read this series and enjoy it as quickly as possible.
The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubenstein - A madcap adventure featuring a backup hockey goalie in post- Soviet Hungry who becomes a bank robbing, whiskey swilling, pelt smuggling, Robin Hood-esque hero to the people. The man, from Romania (and more specificially from where Dracula made his bones) is a fascinating character whose experience serves as a microcosm for a truly bizarre time in the history of Eastern Europe.
Sweetness by Jeff Pearlman - So many biographies are straighforward and refuse to take into account the whole measure of a person. Pearlman's subject, the much beloved Walter Payton, has been deified for a very long time and this book does a wonderful job of humanizing him. There are no punches pulled - all of Payton's faults and dark moments are captured in this moving and well written account. One can see why Pearlman took a lot of heat about "slamming his subject" but that is simply not true. He has written a great, balanced and full measure of the man known always, and forever, as Sweetness.
The Monstrumologist Series by Rick Yancey - YA and Teen books are often characterized by two things: the first being simple writing, the second being simple characterization. Yancey's incredible books feature neither. These are elegant tomes full of darkness, deep themes and very vivid character growth and development. The series also does something that very few authors (YA or otherwise) dare to do: be complex. Yancey presents the deep and twisty story and allows his reader to draw conclusions. Nothing is spoon fed and the answers are neither clear nor pretty. Each of the novels could be read as a standalone but work best as a series exploring the darkness within all of us. The first book The Monstrumologist serves as stark reminder that the real monsters are among us; The Curse of the Wendingo flits with the fantastical, and the nature of myth and reality (to this point the novel could be interpreted a couple of different ways, it might just be the Shutter Island of teen fiction); the final novel (so far, as #4 comes out in Fall 2013) is The Isle of Blood which again ties together the theme of monsters among us and the true horrors of the world being right in front of us. One of the more remarkable things about these novels is that at no point did I feel like I was reading a teen book. They are gruesome, haunting and resonate deeply. I am still thinking about them long after I finished reading. The characters are neither simple or one dimensional. They are real, flawed and strikingly complex. Read this series and enjoy it as quickly as possible.
The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubenstein - A madcap adventure featuring a backup hockey goalie in post- Soviet Hungry who becomes a bank robbing, whiskey swilling, pelt smuggling, Robin Hood-esque hero to the people. The man, from Romania (and more specificially from where Dracula made his bones) is a fascinating character whose experience serves as a microcosm for a truly bizarre time in the history of Eastern Europe.
Sweetness by Jeff Pearlman - So many biographies are straighforward and refuse to take into account the whole measure of a person. Pearlman's subject, the much beloved Walter Payton, has been deified for a very long time and this book does a wonderful job of humanizing him. There are no punches pulled - all of Payton's faults and dark moments are captured in this moving and well written account. One can see why Pearlman took a lot of heat about "slamming his subject" but that is simply not true. He has written a great, balanced and full measure of the man known always, and forever, as Sweetness.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Best of Jan, Feb and March
There are a lot of books to read, and in the past few months I have read some good ones. Here are the most notable:
Area 51 by Anne Jacobson - Imagine a book that does not shy away from the mysteries of Area 51 but rather addressed them in a genuine and logical manner. This, my friends, is that book. For one of the first times an author pulls back the curtain on one of the most secretive locations in the entire world. Jacobson is a great writer and some of the secrets she divulges are shocking - but always truthful. She does not write about aliens and conspiracies (other than a whopper of one around Roswell 1947) but rather focuses on the military history of the installation. There is truth here, and Jacobson writes it fluidly. Believe her or not, this is a solid book.
Ashfall / Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin - In dystopian fiction there is often a very dark tone, and in many cases this is well deserved. There is dark and then there is what Mullin writes - these books are incredibly bleak. Set in a world where the Super Volcano underneath Yellowstone unexpectedly erupts throwing the entire United States into chaos, the struggle to survive is desperate and brutal. For the two main characters Darla and Alex, life becomes a dire prospect which grows dimmer with each passing day. As the two find love in a dying world, the importance of things we take for granted like water, food and vitamins take on an added dimension as unthinkable actions (like cannibalism etc) become commonplace. These are richly imagined books and the world Mullins destroys and then rebuilds is fascinatingly realistic. Truly an achievement leaving me eagerly anticipating the third volume.
Area 51 by Anne Jacobson - Imagine a book that does not shy away from the mysteries of Area 51 but rather addressed them in a genuine and logical manner. This, my friends, is that book. For one of the first times an author pulls back the curtain on one of the most secretive locations in the entire world. Jacobson is a great writer and some of the secrets she divulges are shocking - but always truthful. She does not write about aliens and conspiracies (other than a whopper of one around Roswell 1947) but rather focuses on the military history of the installation. There is truth here, and Jacobson writes it fluidly. Believe her or not, this is a solid book.
Ashfall / Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin - In dystopian fiction there is often a very dark tone, and in many cases this is well deserved. There is dark and then there is what Mullin writes - these books are incredibly bleak. Set in a world where the Super Volcano underneath Yellowstone unexpectedly erupts throwing the entire United States into chaos, the struggle to survive is desperate and brutal. For the two main characters Darla and Alex, life becomes a dire prospect which grows dimmer with each passing day. As the two find love in a dying world, the importance of things we take for granted like water, food and vitamins take on an added dimension as unthinkable actions (like cannibalism etc) become commonplace. These are richly imagined books and the world Mullins destroys and then rebuilds is fascinatingly realistic. Truly an achievement leaving me eagerly anticipating the third volume.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
The Best Books of the Year 2012
Another year has drawn to a close, and another year of reading continues to wind down. Amazon.com and various other publications have now released their own "Best of the Year" lists (albeit with books written in 2012 only). Once again please remember these are books I have read this year but they are not necessarily written in 2012 - though many are:
Clive Cussler Award (Best Page Turner)
Live by Night by Dennis Lehane - After a couple of stumbles (notably the "pulled punches" of his previous effort Moonlight Mile) Lehane returned to form with this fantastic sort of sequel to his historical novel The Given Day. Instead of focusing on the characters from the previous book, Lehane strikes out to create new terroritory with a Godfather-esque tale that slowly and subtly twists and turns. The novel is Lehane at his dark best and features a brutal sequence set in prison that shapes the remainder of the tale.
Three Nights in August by Buzz Bissinger - As the baseball season wound down I picked up this gem from the author of the classic Friday Night Lights and was not disappointed. Bissinger breaks down a three game series between the Chicago Cubs and Saint Louis Cardinals through the eyes of manager Tony La Russa. The book goes inside the world of baseball amd allows an unforgettable and intimate glimpse inside a world often viewed as simple or mundane.
James Patterson Award (Most Disappointing Books of the Year)
The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson - A horror classic and supposedly one of the scariest books of all time, this one actually read like a series of "and then...and then...and then..." and not one bit of it rang true in any way. Ultimately incredibly disappointing, especially in the way Anson writes - without any tension or sense of terror.
Snowblind by Robert Sabbag - Sabbag has to be complimented on one aspect of his book: it takes someone with great skill to make the story of a drug trafficker boring. Zachary Swan was a drug dealer in the 70's who realized money could be made on cocaine...and then virtually nothing else happens aside from Sabbag's failed attempts at stylish writing.
Harper Lee Award (Best YA / Female Authors)
Divergent / Insurgent by Veronica Roth - After finishing The Hunger Games one must turn to other dystopian YA series and Roth's is one of the best. Her books are fast paced, interesting and twisty.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - Dark, serious and powerful, this is a book that stays with you after you have read it. Unlike other dystopian thrillers, this one is set in a world we do not recognize and one undergoing a transition to a new era. Bardugo gets a lot of credit for literally manifesting the darkness in the world into a physical place ominously called "the fold".
Bill Simmons Award (Best Sports Books)
Richer than God by David Conn / Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby - Two sides of the same coin, Conn's book owes a great debt to Hornby's classic of the sport, and then becomes almost the sequel Hornby never wrote. Both authors wrote about their teams (Arsenal and Man City) and both covered their own, autobiographical rises in relation to their love of said team. Where they differ is Conn's attempt to understand the world of football beyond his own small sphere. He examines the oil sheik who bought the squad and the impact of money in the world of the game. Two incredible reads by any estimation.
The Dream Team by Jack McCallum - A whimsical and interesting look at the 1992 Olympic basketball team (with many parallels to the 2012 squad) this is a great, lighthearted read.
The Best of Down Goes Brown by Sean McIndoe - In what could have easily been a series of blog posts (and is) the author elevates his material by being absolutely hilarious. A quick and funny read for all those who miss the game we all love during this awful lockout.
David Simon Award (Smartest Books)
Supergods by Grant Morrison - A brilliant look at how superheroes reflect and shape our culture, Morrison's book is not an easy read. It is however a rewarding one: challenging, complex and utterly fascinating this is a worthwhile book to understanding just why superheroes have been around for such a long time.
The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Keen - Imagine sitting in Grade 9 Science class and having to learn about the periodic table. Now imagine learning it is completely awesome thanks to Keen's great book which is interesting and enlightening about the elements we absolutely need and do not really know.
The Best Books of the Year
(A Quick Note: this list does not include Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn simply because I absolutely could not decide on the book. Did I love it? Did I hate it? I simply cannot come to any final thoughts on it, but I did read it and acknowledge that it exists)
5. The Twelve by Justin Cronin - Like the first book The Passage this one is a post-apocalyptic story set after a virus radically changes twelve death row convicts (and one scientist). Just like the previous book, Cronin shapes and molds a world that has fallen apart in absolutely breathtaking style. In the hands of a less skilled writer this would have fallen apart completely but Cronin is such a great writer that the world he creates is beautiful and haunting. His book deepens and complicates the world he created before and is so heart wrenching and sad that it makes up for a challenging (and chaotic) ending.
4. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - A stunning book that evokes the best of Harper Lee, this novel (the first of a series) is a powerful book about being an outcast and fighting to fit in. Add a gothic setting and mystery and it all adds up to a wonderful novel. The love story at the center of the story manages to be so real and tragic that the book elevates and challenges the reader to put it down.
3. On Writing by Stephen King - A book about the ins and outs of writing that is actually good and readable? You had better believe it, especially when it is written by Stephen King. Absolutely fantastic.
2. Fever Pitch
And the best book of the year is:
1. The Last Policeman by Ben Winters - Many authors have tried their hand at post-apocalyptic tales that detail a world and civilzation jarred to a brutal end through some kind of devestating catastrophe. Many authors have written hard boiled noir so dark, complex and thrilling that it is virtually impossible to put down. Then there is Ben Winters who has written a flat out brilliant novel that sets a noir mystery against the backdrop of a pre-apocolayptic world slowly consuming itself and its citizens. What Winters does is create a world held together by duct tape, and a man struggling to do the same within himself. All his main protagonist has ever wanted is to be a policeman and now that he is getting his chance the world will be completely destroyed in six months. The book moves through one haunting scene of desperation, decadence and devestation to another and all along the policeman keeps plugging along, following his instincts to solve a crime where the outcome does not matter. Amidst all of this is a series of conspiracy theories and the frightening destruction of our society, piece by piece. The book sticks with you long after it has been read, and Winters writes with such an emotional and deadpan style that perfectly gibes with the world falling apart. One scene however sticks apart from all others: the policeman awakens one more to a vibrating rumble and believes the asteroid coming to Earth has arrived early. His heart wrenching panic and the complete disintegration of his carefully constructed composure falls apart completely as the true horror of his future washes over him completely. Then he realizes his phone is ringing. He pulls himself back together, but it is still simply by bits and pieces that are barely hanging on. What happens to the world when there is no hope, none at all. As Winter's elegantly notes: some fall apart while other struggle to hold some sense of order together, no matter what the cost.
Clive Cussler Award (Best Page Turner)
Live by Night by Dennis Lehane - After a couple of stumbles (notably the "pulled punches" of his previous effort Moonlight Mile) Lehane returned to form with this fantastic sort of sequel to his historical novel The Given Day. Instead of focusing on the characters from the previous book, Lehane strikes out to create new terroritory with a Godfather-esque tale that slowly and subtly twists and turns. The novel is Lehane at his dark best and features a brutal sequence set in prison that shapes the remainder of the tale.
Three Nights in August by Buzz Bissinger - As the baseball season wound down I picked up this gem from the author of the classic Friday Night Lights and was not disappointed. Bissinger breaks down a three game series between the Chicago Cubs and Saint Louis Cardinals through the eyes of manager Tony La Russa. The book goes inside the world of baseball amd allows an unforgettable and intimate glimpse inside a world often viewed as simple or mundane.
James Patterson Award (Most Disappointing Books of the Year)
The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson - A horror classic and supposedly one of the scariest books of all time, this one actually read like a series of "and then...and then...and then..." and not one bit of it rang true in any way. Ultimately incredibly disappointing, especially in the way Anson writes - without any tension or sense of terror.
Snowblind by Robert Sabbag - Sabbag has to be complimented on one aspect of his book: it takes someone with great skill to make the story of a drug trafficker boring. Zachary Swan was a drug dealer in the 70's who realized money could be made on cocaine...and then virtually nothing else happens aside from Sabbag's failed attempts at stylish writing.
Harper Lee Award (Best YA / Female Authors)
Divergent / Insurgent by Veronica Roth - After finishing The Hunger Games one must turn to other dystopian YA series and Roth's is one of the best. Her books are fast paced, interesting and twisty.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - Dark, serious and powerful, this is a book that stays with you after you have read it. Unlike other dystopian thrillers, this one is set in a world we do not recognize and one undergoing a transition to a new era. Bardugo gets a lot of credit for literally manifesting the darkness in the world into a physical place ominously called "the fold".
Bill Simmons Award (Best Sports Books)
Richer than God by David Conn / Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby - Two sides of the same coin, Conn's book owes a great debt to Hornby's classic of the sport, and then becomes almost the sequel Hornby never wrote. Both authors wrote about their teams (Arsenal and Man City) and both covered their own, autobiographical rises in relation to their love of said team. Where they differ is Conn's attempt to understand the world of football beyond his own small sphere. He examines the oil sheik who bought the squad and the impact of money in the world of the game. Two incredible reads by any estimation.
The Dream Team by Jack McCallum - A whimsical and interesting look at the 1992 Olympic basketball team (with many parallels to the 2012 squad) this is a great, lighthearted read.
The Best of Down Goes Brown by Sean McIndoe - In what could have easily been a series of blog posts (and is) the author elevates his material by being absolutely hilarious. A quick and funny read for all those who miss the game we all love during this awful lockout.
David Simon Award (Smartest Books)
Supergods by Grant Morrison - A brilliant look at how superheroes reflect and shape our culture, Morrison's book is not an easy read. It is however a rewarding one: challenging, complex and utterly fascinating this is a worthwhile book to understanding just why superheroes have been around for such a long time.
The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Keen - Imagine sitting in Grade 9 Science class and having to learn about the periodic table. Now imagine learning it is completely awesome thanks to Keen's great book which is interesting and enlightening about the elements we absolutely need and do not really know.
The Best Books of the Year
(A Quick Note: this list does not include Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn simply because I absolutely could not decide on the book. Did I love it? Did I hate it? I simply cannot come to any final thoughts on it, but I did read it and acknowledge that it exists)
5. The Twelve by Justin Cronin - Like the first book The Passage this one is a post-apocalyptic story set after a virus radically changes twelve death row convicts (and one scientist). Just like the previous book, Cronin shapes and molds a world that has fallen apart in absolutely breathtaking style. In the hands of a less skilled writer this would have fallen apart completely but Cronin is such a great writer that the world he creates is beautiful and haunting. His book deepens and complicates the world he created before and is so heart wrenching and sad that it makes up for a challenging (and chaotic) ending.
4. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - A stunning book that evokes the best of Harper Lee, this novel (the first of a series) is a powerful book about being an outcast and fighting to fit in. Add a gothic setting and mystery and it all adds up to a wonderful novel. The love story at the center of the story manages to be so real and tragic that the book elevates and challenges the reader to put it down.
3. On Writing by Stephen King - A book about the ins and outs of writing that is actually good and readable? You had better believe it, especially when it is written by Stephen King. Absolutely fantastic.
2. Fever Pitch
And the best book of the year is:
1. The Last Policeman by Ben Winters - Many authors have tried their hand at post-apocalyptic tales that detail a world and civilzation jarred to a brutal end through some kind of devestating catastrophe. Many authors have written hard boiled noir so dark, complex and thrilling that it is virtually impossible to put down. Then there is Ben Winters who has written a flat out brilliant novel that sets a noir mystery against the backdrop of a pre-apocolayptic world slowly consuming itself and its citizens. What Winters does is create a world held together by duct tape, and a man struggling to do the same within himself. All his main protagonist has ever wanted is to be a policeman and now that he is getting his chance the world will be completely destroyed in six months. The book moves through one haunting scene of desperation, decadence and devestation to another and all along the policeman keeps plugging along, following his instincts to solve a crime where the outcome does not matter. Amidst all of this is a series of conspiracy theories and the frightening destruction of our society, piece by piece. The book sticks with you long after it has been read, and Winters writes with such an emotional and deadpan style that perfectly gibes with the world falling apart. One scene however sticks apart from all others: the policeman awakens one more to a vibrating rumble and believes the asteroid coming to Earth has arrived early. His heart wrenching panic and the complete disintegration of his carefully constructed composure falls apart completely as the true horror of his future washes over him completely. Then he realizes his phone is ringing. He pulls himself back together, but it is still simply by bits and pieces that are barely hanging on. What happens to the world when there is no hope, none at all. As Winter's elegantly notes: some fall apart while other struggle to hold some sense of order together, no matter what the cost.
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