Dear Thomas:
I loved "Change Me Into Zeus's
Daughter" as much as Cheryl-- I even
brought Cheryl a write-up of the author, Barbara Robinette Moss, that I
found in People magazine. I read Wayne Greenhaw's new book, "Beyond the
Night" in 2000, although it came out in 1999-- right toward the end of the
year. My mother-in-law, who lives in Mobile and does not know Wayne, maybe
is not even aware that he is an Alabamian, was even more enchanted by the
book than I, and she has loaned the copy I gave her for Christmas to
everyone in her Sewing Club (which was featured on the front page of the
Wall Street Journal in October). It would be on her list of the best books
of 2000, as well as on my own list. "This One and Magic Life" by Anne
George, although a September 1999 book, did not make it to my bedside table
for reading until 2000. It's on my list of favorite books for any year. I
also read "The Orchid Thief" (from 1998) this past year, and found it
fascinating. Add "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and my 2000
list is
complete except for, of course, that wonderful new book by Kaye
Mary Elizabeth Johnson that came out in October of 2000, "Quilt Inspirations
from
I bet you get a lot of mail on this subject-- everyone loves
giving
their opinion. 'Specially if they've had a book published during the past
year!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, my favorite book so far, this year, was "Winter Solstice" by
Rosamund
Pilcher. It was a great read, she is so descriptive, and since my
ancestry
goes back to Scotland, I really enjoyed this book! I love Christmas, and
her description of the holiday in this book was wonderful!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is one of yours and I am in your debt for calling it to my attention.
Arturo Perez-Reverte's The Seville Communion now has a permanent place in my
library ... along with his other three. Perez-Reverte is analogous,
perhaps, to Eve's first taste of the apple...?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three books:
Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates by Tom Robbins
Fans of Tom Robbins will enjoy this book. It's about Switters, a
soon-to-be ex-CIA agent who is asked by his grandmother to return her
parrot to the Amazon. There begins a trip that spans four continents and
takes some unpredictable turns. As usual, Robbins vivid and rich-language
and prose makes for a great read.
The Red Tent by (Anita Diamond -- check that spelling)
Historical fiction about Dinah, the daughter of Leah and Jacob (from the
Old Testament). It is a beautiful and compelling narrative of the work
and lifestyle of women living in Biblical times.
Evensong by Gail Godwin
This is a sequel to Father Melancholoy's Daughter (although one does not
need to read the first book to enjoy the sequel). Set in North Carolina
in a town resembling Ashville, it tells the story of two Episcopal
priests and their interaction with townfolk and parishioners (The wife is
the rector of the parish church and the husband is the interim headmaster
at a private school nearby).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Color of Silver: William Spratling, His Life and Art, by Taylor
Littleton, LSU. Elegantly written and meticulously researched, this quiet
biography reveals the background and early artistic influences of one of
Auburn's most interesting alumni. In his New Orleans period, Spratling was
pal to William Faulkner and Sherwood Anderson. After he moved to Mexico, he
became a world-renowned advocate of indigenous Mexican art and an important
artisan and designer in his own right. He single-handedly created the
important artist community at Taxco, Mexico
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Thomas,
I believe The Long Home, by William Gay to be one of the best books of last
year, ( I happened to read it last year. I realize it was published in 1999)
and when I recently read Provinces of Night, by the same author, my opinion
was validated. William Gay is a writer to be watched, a man whose works
deserve great anticipation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The Wildwood Boys" James Carlos Blake
"The Rum Diary" Hunter S. Thompson
"Hammerhead Motel" (is the entire name?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kent Haruf's Plainsong is a rare, engaging novel of a contemporary
small town community told with restraint and without nostalgia through
its teachers,farmers and children. A good, low tech,community embracing
read.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here are my picks for this year....
1. Harry Potter numbers 3 and 4
2. The Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger
3. This One and Magic Life by Anne Carroll George
I'm not sure these last two books qualify for your list, because they were
published in 1998 and 1999 respectively. However, they make my list for
the
best books read during 2000
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Val McDermid, A Place of Execution (St. Martin's)
Very well-written fictional-ish account of the Moors murders in England in
the early Sixties. Fast-paced, class-conscious, and socially horrific in
ways only the English can invent!
Bill Bryson, Editor, The Best American Travel Writing (Houghton Mifflin)
American (mostly) writers share their explorations of the world. Humorous,
sad, culturally intrusive, yet still compelling reading.
Doris Lessing, Ben, In the World (Harper Collins)
In her very weird sequel to her very weird The Fifth Child, Lessing
charts
the adventures of a grown Ben (part naturally gifted, yet clearly disturbed
man-child, and part allegorically and demonically possessed everyman ) as he
falls pray to mad doctors, drug dealers, and hookers with hearts of gold.
Not to be read on an empty stomach nor an empty brain!
Harold Bloom, How to Read and Why (Scribner)
Sheer brilliance. With precise language, mixed with equal parts charm, wit,
and exuberance, the Western world's leading literary critic answers both
questions clearly and with copious examples. Should be required reading for
serious lovers of literature, and for all the current crop of academic
literary critics who have forgotten the primacy, beauty, and importance of
literature, and replaced it with their own poorly-reasoned and absurdly
presented deconstructive meanderings on books they clearly have not read.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Thomas and Cheryl,
My favorite books of 2000 are:
-The Lamorna Wink by Martha Grimes
Wonderful mystery set in England and Scotland
-Sweet Georgia by Ruth Birmingham
Female detective solves case in Atlanta
-Murder of a Small-Town Honey by Denise Swanson
A delightful mystery with humor and jaunty twists
-And Then She Was Gone by Susan McBride
Gripping mystery based on a true story
I also have to include all of Anne George's books, even though not all are
this year's. She is an absolute joy to read!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edmond White's, The Married Man. This is definitely not a book for those
who grasp their Bible and start quoting Leviticus at the mention of the word
gay, but I thought the book was exquisite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My favorite book of 2000 was a so-called children's book, The Golden
Compass, a fantasy by Philip Pullman. It was the first book in years to make me
cry
(and this happened because of a totally startling event in the novel), yet
the story is doggedly unsentimental and moves at a rapid-fire pace. I am
anxious to read the sequel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I loved "Another Florida Roadkill". It made me laugh
out loud with its "Pulp Fiction" brand of humor.
Good luck on your undertaking and I'll be reading the
paper to get other suggestions for good reads.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My favorite book of 2000 was THE HUNGRY OCEAN by Linda Greenlaw. She was
first introduced to us by Sebastian Junger in THE PERFECT STORM as the lady
captain of the swordfish boat, the Hannah Boden. In her book, Greenlaw
gives the details and "editorials," if you will, of an ordinary
fishing trip
to the Grand Banks and beyond. Very conversational and quite funny at
times.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi,
One of the best and most surprising books I've read this year is "Swing
Shift" by Sherrie Tucker, about the all-girl bands of the 1940s. In
reading
articles and books as background for Eine kleine Frauenmusik, (the radio
broadcast I produce and host for Southeastern Public Radio on Sunday nights
at 8:00 P.M.,) I usually read a lot of wonderful biographies, mostly of
Classical composers such as Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Amy Beach, Ruth
Crawford Seeger and Lili Boulanger.
"Swing Shift" is an eye-opening book about the women jazz musicians
who were
finally allowed to play for clubs and dances during WWII, but were expected
to go back to the kitchen after the war.
Besides being meticulously researched and a really good read, it raises
important questions about race, gender, class and sexuality as they relate
to musicianship and jazz performance, then and now. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
You ordered it for me. Duke University Press, 2000.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One of my very favorite books this year (copyright 1999 so it might not
count) has been The Best American Short Stories of the Century, edited by
John Updike and Katrina Kenison. This collection is organized
chronologically and, not surprising, the quality of writing is simply
superb. The most fascinating aspect of the book, to me, is observing how
the writing style in general changes as the century advances.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Thomas, Cheryl, and Eleanor,
I think the MOST IMPORTANT book I read this year was "Reinventing the
Wheel: A Buddhist Response to the Information Age" by Peter Hershock
(SUNY Press, 1999). Not an easy read, this is a work of philosophy which
will cause thoughtful persons to carefully reconsider the alleged
benefits of our mass-mediated culture in light of the "colonization of
consciousness" which information technology inevitably produces. Is
your
mind really your own? Read the book and find out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Human Stain by Philip Roth. Classics professor Coleman "Silky"
Silk is
falsely accused of racism and forced to retire from Athena College after 30
plus years. The false accusation leads Silk to reveal a 50 year secret he
held from his wife, children, colleagues, and friends.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Darkness Peering" grabbed me from the first few pages and didn't let
go
until the end. Great suspense
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S. from Sunshine: A "must-have" book for all of yuppie age and
younger is
"A Short Guide to a Happy Life" by Anna Quindlen. We're all just
entering
the phase of life that is accompanied by the kinds of situations she's
encountered, and it's a comfort to know that one can survive such
situations, yea, even flourish later
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The best book for the year 2000 must be awarded to Julia Alvarez's 'In The
Name Of Salome.' The richness of characters and the intricate plot
combine
to create a most extraordinary novel. 'Salome' captivates until the end.
)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Frederick Exley was the author of "A Fan's Notes" now published by
The
Modern Library. This year I read his biography "Misfit" written by
Jonathan
Yardley. Exley was essentially a "one book" author who led a strange
and
troubled life. Even his closest friends were astonished that he found the
time away from booze and sports to write a book. Exley was, as we say in the
South, "a mess."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Though the best book I read this year was published in 1995 I didn't know of
its existence until I happened to hear the author on an NPR show. Sorry
if
it doesn't meet the criteria for inclusion in the newspaper...but Jeff
Greenwald's "The Size of the World" was definitely a great read.
My favorite of the non-bestsellers, and one that definitely didn't slip by
you because you recommended it, was Mike Stewart's Sins of the Brother.
This book has everything you want in a good mystery: a good plot,
interesting characters, suspense, and if that isn't enough, it is set in
south Alabama. The perfect novel for a southern mystery lover! Stewart is
better than Grisham, so if your readers usually read J.G.'s books, they'll
love this one
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The best novel I have read this year is "Ahab's Wife," by Sena Jeter
Naslund. Although I admire and respect many writers, this book's scope,
treatment of American history and literature, and its organic character
development surpass all I've read in a very long time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think the best book our book club read during 2000 was AHAB'S WIFE --
really outstanding, beautifully written, historically interesting, good
story, very impressive !! We don't always agree on books, but I think this
was an exception....However, you asked for non bestseller books. I read in
December "The Russian Album" by Michael Ignatieff. I LOVED it
!!! It was
non-fiction, but read as though it could have been fiction. It had to do
with the lives of a White Russian prominent family, and their
demise, and
present place of habitation --
Alexandra" -- terrible, romantic, and unbelievable that it all took
place
so recently.....For what it is worth,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My votes go to Harry Potter #4, #3, #2, and #1. . .again
and again. I have reread each this year, and for the sheer
joy of reading, they are so wonderful -- stunningly
imaginative, disarmingly witty, a wild array of characters
with strengths and foibles, and a deep affirmation of the
values of caring and courage
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin--complex, mix of genres, yet simple.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, Thomas and Cheryl. Here are a few nominations from me.
Take the Cannoli, by Sarah Vowell. Witty, ironic essays about living in
public radio program, This American Life. The book's title comes from a
line in The Godfather. After bumping off the guy who has been driving
them
on errands all over NYC, the mafia wise guys abandon the body and the car,
with the capo giving the final order: "Leave the gun. Take the
cannoli."
Annals of the Former World, by John McPhee. Road cuts, those points in a
highway where roadbuilders blasted through a hill or mountain, will never
look the same after reading this book. It is an absorbing description of
the latest geologic theories about continents, mountains, oceans, fault
lines, and, in general, those incomprehensibly powerful forces that make
our landscapes look as they do. The book is for laypeople, and showcases
a
writer who knows how to tell a story. Also includes profiles of America's
leading geologists.
Yeshua: The Gospel of St. Thomas, by Alan Decker McNair. A
fictional
autobiography of the Apostle Thomas, known to us as Doubting
Thomas. The
story is faithful to the Biblical narrative and to what historians know of
the lives of the disciples. But the novel really dwells in the times and
places before and between the events related in the New Testament. As a
result, a very old, very familiar story becomes fresh, rich, and,
ultimately, surprising.
Kilo Class, by Patrick Robinson. A military thriller. I've never
enjoyed
the books in this genre before, because I think Tom Clancy and most other
writers who occupy this realm write like high school sophomores. What
sets
Robinson's books apart is that we are, at last, in the hands of a skillful
craftsman.
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