THE BEST READS OF 2004
Every year we ask our customers to report their favorite
– and least favorite – reads of the year. Here are the reports we got for 2004.
If you want to contribute your own picks,
just email us. We’ll add yours to the list.
Without question, my favorite book of the year is Bel Canto
by Ann
Patchett. The book is superbly written with wonderful characters.
Truly
an exceptional book. I have since read all her other books, including
Truth & Beauty, which describes a close friendship and Patchett's own
journey as a writer. –Lee Eaton
Here are a few of
the books I enjoyed reading this year:
The Time Traveler’s
Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Secret Life of
Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Last Juror by
John Grisham
The Five People You
Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Myra Sims by Janis
Owens (Her first book is My Brother Michael)
The Schooling of
Claybird Catts by Janis Owens
Olive’s Ocean
(juvenile lit book I reviewed)
Because of Winn
Dixie (juvenile lit book I reviewed)
One Foot in
The Monk Downstairs
by Tim Farrington
The Queen of the
Big Time by Andriana Trigiani
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini was the book DH (dear
husband) and I discussed the most, and choose as our favorite for
2004. Definitely not for the faint of heart, this is a story of love and
hatred in modern
Fiction--Zafon's "Shadow of the Wind", far and
away. Sally would agree, though she'd also nominate "Shantaram"
by Gregory David Roberts. And Richard Price's
"Samaritan," new in
paperback. For nonfiction, it's a tie between Edward Conlon's "Blue
Blood" and Robert Kurson's "Shadow Divers." For kids,
"
I attended the book signing for Fannie Flagg on
Monday. I appreciate very much your getting the three books that I
requested. Even though I did not get to have my book signed in person, I
am excited that you made the extra effort to get the books and have her sign
them for me. It was great being caught up in the excitement that this
book signing created. Thank you for bringing such distinguished authors
to
I enjoy reading very much and set a goal for myself for this year to read five
books a month. I enjoy reading a variety of books from best sellers to
books by regional authors. One of my favorites was a very short book by Corky
Pugh, a fellow Monroe Countian, called "Friends and Family." It
is about his childhood -learning to hunt and fish - and the special people in
his life who taught him how to hunt and fish and enjoy the simple things in
life. How fitting that Corky is now the director of the Game and Fish
Commission for the state of Alabama. I am delighted that Corky has the
opportunity to work in an area that is so dear to his heart and that he shared
this love through this poignant book. I highly recommend it. –Gail McPherson
As 2004 began The DaVinci Code cast a wide net that continued drawing readers into exploring books with religious themes. With the release of The Passion of the Christ in late February, religious and spiritual topics became even more popular. In recognition of that phenomenon, here are the most outstanding books with religious themes that I read during this year:
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Annie Dillard
Abraham, a Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths Bruce Feiler
Mary called Magdalene Margaret George
Jesus in
Peace Like a River Leif Enger
History of God Karen Armstrong
The Life You Save May be Your Own Paul Elie
Walking a Literary Labyrinth Nancy Malone
Thanks for offering
readers this wonderful forum for exchanging reading lists. Sincerely, Mae
Mallory Krulak
Three best reads in 2004:
First, Mark Doty’s Still Life with Oysters and Lemon, several years old now,
but since I reread it often I’m including it here. This short work (or
long essay) is a study in beauty and its kin, particularly loss and
grief. Beginning with a careful examination of a 17th century Dutch still
life painting, Doty leads readers in considering what things are important and
how we recognize them as being valuable. From a discussion about the
chemistry of pigment through the shattering loss of people, Doty’s skill as a
poet (skill with language and with putting thought into it) makes me envious of
his encyclopaedic reading, his insatiable curiosity, and his ability to describe.
This one is perhaps the most important one book I’ve ever read and the
one I never want to be without.
Second, Tim Gautreaux’ The Clearing startled me: I’d never have picked it
up except for a recommendation by a learned friend. It is a novel set in
a
Third, Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner came to me at Cheryl’s urging.
Nice title, great cover, but I would never have read it, the first Afghan novel
written in English and beginning with children growing up in
Worst read of the year: Tom Wolfe’s I am Charlotte Simmons. If I make it
through the last dozen or so pages, it will be the first TW I’ve finished since
Bonfire of the Vanities. And likely the last I’ll begin. Think of
Wolfe at his worst: 2-dimensional characters, a largely absent plot, and a
sense of superiority in each of his caricatures/characters. Double that
and you get Charlotte Simmons. Useful as a doorstop or flower press, not
for reading. TW does, however, have on a nice tie in the dust
jacket photo. –Donnie Nobles
The best book I read last year was "The Nightingales" by I can't recall who.
Kate Goode,
I just realized you said "worst" as well and I have just finished "I am Charlotte Simmons" by my favorite Tom Wolfe and it is the worst, without a doubt. Which makes me sad. Merry Christmas anyway-- Kate
Hey y'all! Thanks for the newsletter! Of course,
I'D appreciate if you suggested THE SWEET POTATO QUEENS' FIELD GUIDE TO MEN to
your folks! I'm in bad need of some more plastic surgery! Hope
y'all have a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic '05--Be Particular -Jill Conner Browne, THE Sweet Potato Queen,
Hi; in your newsletter, you requested recommendations, so here's one. I read "Darkly Dreaming Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay, in three hours. I just couldn't put it down!! -Mimi
My favorites that I read in 2004 (probably the same as many other responders)!
Wild Swans by Jung Chang, Hell at the Breech by Tom Franklin, The Spirit Cacthes You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman, The Missing World by Margot Livesey, Three Junes by Julia Glass, Nickeled and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, The Weatherman by Clint McCown, The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross, Eva Moves the Furniture by Margot Livesey, 1000 White Women by Jim Fergus -Joyce Franz
My book of the year
is Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear. I'm attaching my review of
it, which you may use any way you like. I hope you are open the week
after Christmas, because I'll be in
CONSTANT READER By Martha D. Bone
Maisie Dobbs was nominated for both the Edgar and the Agatha—awards for mystery novels—in 2003, but it is much more than just a mystery. It is one of those rare things: a whopping good story.
Jacqueline
Winspear, writer of Maisie Dobbs, was born in
Not long ago, I pointed out to one of my daughters that Agatha Christie’s novels are full of widows and unmarried women. The reason, of course, is that almost an entire generation of Englishmen was killed in World War I. Christie was writing between the wars, and she was familiar with the scarcity of men. Maisie Dobbs is a wonderful source for learning about what the first “modern” war meant, and the learning is a pleasure because of the wonderful story.
Maisie Dobbs is age 13 in 1910. Her mother has just died, and her father is a costermonger, a man who sells fruits and vegetables from a barrow or cart. Maisie’s father is concerned about her because she is very smart, and he feels he cannot take proper care of her. He finds her a place as a maid in a house in the high-rent district, working for Lord and Lady Compton. Maisie is not just smart; she is brilliant. Lady Compton discovers her reading Latin in the library and finds her a tutor.
Maisie
succeeds at her studies and attends Girton College of Cambridge University,
where she can study but never get a diploma—she’s a woman, after all. Maisie Dobbs describes a world where
the classes are changing and moving, and the gender roles are changing
also. But Maisie takes some time off her
studies to train as a nurse. She is sent
to work near the front in
Maisie Dobbs is written in three parts. In Part I we find Maisie setting up her own detective agency in 1929. She is hired to find out if a man’s wife is cheating on him. Maisie discovers a farm called The Retreat, where badly injured men can go to avoid the world. Mysteries abound, and Maisie gets help from an old soldier in addition to her former tutor, Maurice, her father, and Lady Compton.
Part II is a flashback which describes Maisie’s life from age 13 until she works as a nurse and falls in love with a doctor during the war. Part II takes us back to the mystery of The Retreat. I have the Penguin paper edition of Maisie Dobbs. It has much interesting information about the book and the writer in a “Reader’s Guide.” The Guide states: “With astonishing subtlety and sympathy, the novel relives the heroic struggles and devastating losses of those who strove and suffered in the so-called War to End All Wars.”
Maisie Dobbs is simply wonderful. It is my discovery of the summer, perhaps of the year. Read it to discover why women working in munitions factories were called canaries and what happened to Clara Clark’s eye. Discover the other young women paired with Maisie, and find out how historic events affected their lives. Discover what happened to Maisie and her doctor, and find out what Maisie learns about herself while she finds the answer to the mysteries in Maisie Dobbs.
If you like a good story, run right out and buy a copy of Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear. The second novel about Maisie Dobbs, Birds of a Feather, is on my desk, and it’s as good as the first. As the New York Times Book Review said, “Be prepared to be astonished.”
My favorite reads:
I started off this year with The Five
People You Meet In Heaven. What a lovely book, filled with words
that emulate warmth, laughter, compassion, and hope. My other favorite
read of the year is The Other Boleyn
Girl. It is the story of Anne Boleyn's younger sister, Mary, and
her relationship with Henry VIII and his court (part fact, part fiction).
Fascinating. (Good thing I wasn't born in that century -- I
wouldn't have a head.) In nonfiction, I recommend the book Woe Is I; it is extremely helpful in
all things writing-related. -- Su Ofe
Am blank at this
moment... Bob loved the Ben Franklin
book (has his picture on the front - cannot recall the title) I liked The
Desert Queen - story or Gertrude Bell - explains about current war situation in
T/C/E,
Here is a short list of a few of my favorites for 2004:
The Tunnels of Cu Chi - excellent read that illustrates the
tenaciousness of the Viet Cong and the futility of our efforts to root
them out of a complex network of tunnels.
Personal Memoirs: Ulysses S. Grant - If you are a civil war buff this is
a must read.
Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson - a great biography
John Paul Jones by Ivan Thomas - a great biography
Failure is not an Option by Gene Kranz - Excellent account of the space
program by the man who was mission controller for the Mercury, Gemini
and Apollo programs.
Flags of our Fathers: Heroes of Iwo Jima - great story of this epic battle
Flyboys by James Bradley - great WWII story
Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of WWII Most Dramatic Mission
by Hampton Sides - Excellent story of the Battan Death Camp rescue
Night Fall by Nelson Demille - Fictionalized account of the events
surrounding the TWA Flight 800 crash
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown - Interesting and clever
Hell at the Breech by Tom Franklin - Great fiction, beautifully written
"Stiff: The Curious use of Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach ......very interesting and often funny account of how human cadavers have been used throughout history. Trust me - good book! Hope this helps.....keep up the great work. –Joe Panza
My favorite read of 2004 was an old read Pavilion of Women by Pearl S. Buck. The Birth of Venus, written by Sarah Dunant (newer, but maybe not published in 2004) was also good. -Leah Slawson
The most fascinating book I read in 2004 was The Conversations by Michael Ondaatje
with Walter Murch. Novelist and poet Ondaatje (The English Patient, The
Cinnamon Peeler) interviews Murch (The Godfather, Apocalypse
Now, The English Patient,
My favorite book of this year was -hands down
-Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand. I put off reading it for a long time thinking
it was just for horse lovers, even though I kept hearing that it's not. I
watched the movie when it came on HBO, then I had to read the book. It's
a great story that will become a classic. The author did such an
impressive job of developing the characters that you would think she knew them
all personally. I didn't know until the end of the book that L.H. was
suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome while working on the book and was
pretty much confined to her apt., doing all the interviews by phone and
email. That made it even more amazing. A wonderful story from a
gifted writer. (Great movie, too!)
The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn
This is an off the beaten path book that I read after receiving a high
recommendation from a book club. It has helped me to have a more positive
outlook on life in general and toward work in particular. A memorable
book that I will read over again whenever I need an attitude adjustment! -Scarlett Gamache
Have had 2 favorite
books this year: The Pleasure of My
Company, by Steve Martin
and The Kite Runner
by? set in Afgahanistan -Lisa Parrish
"Freedom Writer: Virginia Foster Durr, Letters from the Civil Rights Era," edited by Patricia Sullivan, is on my list to recommend to our book discussion group for next year.
Anyone who knew
Virginia Durr or wants to know more about her remarkable life should read this
book, which tells what it was like being among the few liberals in
Dear Cheryl and Thomas, My favorite read of 2004 has been Frank Stitt's cookbook. I don't remember the title but you will know, as I bought so many. They were for gifts which have already been wrapped and shipped. I have not bought a copy of my own as I am hoping someone will give it to me for Christmas. Needless to say, I read one of the ones I was giving from cover to cover and it tops my list of favorite reads. Love and best wishes for a very happy Christmas. Bobbie Gamble, Greenville, AL.
Here's my
contribution: By far, the best book I read this year was Peace Like a River by
Leif Enger. As much as I was drawn into the story of eleven-year-old
Reuben Land who with his father and sister launched a cross-country
search for older brother Davy, I was also drawn into the
environment. I've never been as cold as I was riding through
Morning! Per your request - some of my favorite books
read in 2004: The
Preservationist by David
Maine; Walking the Bible by Bruce S. Feiler; From Beirut to Jerusalem
& Longitudes and Attitudes by Thomas Friedman; Eats, Shoots &
Leaves by Lynne Truss; Father Joe by Tony Hendra. I
love you column and it's always fun to find other good reads! See you this afternoon. -Gail Alsobrook
The Shadow of the
Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon—a literary thriller set in post-World War II
Spain. The intrigue centers around a boy who falls in love with an author's
work and sets out to discover more about the writer. Bel
Canto, by Ann Patchett—beautiful prose about a fictional hostage-taking
in
Hi. I've got two
possibilities -- mostly because each gave me and friends who'd read them lots
to talk about. 1) THE LIFE OF PI. I know
it's older, but I just got around to it this year. 2) THE RULE OF FOUR. A thinking person's
antidote to Dan Brown (maybe it's a sendup of his pseudo-learned
conspiracy-theory foofaraw). I guess I pick this one because it actually came
out in 2004. –Rick Anderson
The Enemy by Lee Child
Wiley's Shuffle by Lono Waiwaiole
Body of David Hayes by Ridley Pearson
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Don't Let the
Dear Cheryl &
Thomas,
O. K., I've been
listening. In response to your request for my favorite book or books of
the year, I got carried away & now leave it to your editorial judgment
as to what, if anything, you want to retrieve from the following
effusion. I intended at the outset to mention only the book dealt with in
the final paragraph, but other books kept butting in.
This year has been
fiction catch-up time for me. Beginning with his “DaVinci Code” and
working back chronologically, I enjoyed all four of Dan Brown’s diverting
capers. He employs the same basic pattern in each book -- a gruesome death in
the opening paragraphs; a smart protagonist (male, female or both) challenged
by a riddle involving technology or some other discipline, such as art history;
stirs in a generous amount of travel; throws in a
relentless, lethal pursuer; them astonishes you with the unveiling of
a totally surprising villain.
Interspersed among
these were reading Carl Hiaasen’s “Skinny Dip,”an unexpectedly inventive,
funny and happily indecent romp in the south Florida sun; listening to 16 of
Patrick O’Brian’s magnificent set of 20 sea novels, beginning with “Master
& Commander”; hearing Edith Wharton’s memorable Pulitzer winner, “The House
of Mirth”; reading Bill Bryson’s “A Short History of Nearly Everything,” the
single clearest and most comprehensive science book this layman has met;
and relishing Warren St. John’s “Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer,” a book to
delight anyone, Northerner or Southerner, football fan or not, because it’s
written by the finest writer to come out of Alabama since Tom Franklin.
But my surprise of
the year was Mark Haddon’s “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time,”
advertised as a detective story seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old autistic
English boy. It turns out to be funny, touching and above all,
gripping. Early on I realized I was reading a really sophisticated novel,
whose characters and surroundings both are solid and real. How Haddon,
who previously has written only children’s books, could produce
this striking novel for adults which will resonate in your mind for
weeks is the biggest mystery of all.
Best wishes for the Holidays & beyond, -Tom Fitzpatrick
"The Total View of Taftly" Scott M.Morris and "Welding With Children" Tim Gautreaux -Tim Stevens
P.S. I also should have added: "The Heaven Of Mercury" and "Last Days Of The Dog Men" by Brad Watson
Good Morning
Capitol Book and News, I have
thought long and hard about my favorite books for the year. At the risk of
neglecting something, I have selected the following:
Fiction -- The
Enemy by Lee Child I
started reading Child's books in
Hope y'all have a
nice day. -Adam Hill
Hello!
Once again, it's
been an interesting year for your newsletter, which I always enjoy
reading! Thanks for all the work that ya'll put into them!
Best Reads Of 2004,
1. Middlesex, by
Jeffrey Eugenides......wonderful tale, very rich and deep writing, I enjoyed
this one so much, that after reading it in January, I'm rereading it now
2. I Love You Like
A Tomato, by Marie Giordano......great coming of age story, post WW2, of a
young girl from
3. A Redbird
Christmas, by Fannie Flagg.......this woman can just "write NO
wrong!", all of her books are so very wonderful, and this one had me
saying "awwww" aloud at the end of every chapter. I will never
see a redbird in my life again, without thinking of this heart-warming book. Thanks, and a wonderful New Year to all of
you there! -Laura Thornton
For best reads of the year, I would nominate three of Gregory Maguire's books: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West; Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister; and Mirror, Mirror. These are all very imaginative and strange stories taking place in the distant shadowy past, told in beautiful language and built around well-known childhood tales. However, I don't recommend his book Lost, which takes place in the present although it contains some ghosts and possible ghosts. But, alas, it is tedious, too jumbled up and not beautifully written. Happy New Year! -Elaine Fuller
City of Light by Lauren Belfer was one of my favorite
reads of 2004. In 1901,
Gary & Peggy’s Favorite Reads (some just Peggy’s, some Gary’s and some both)
I will start by recommending "Tell No One" and "Gone for Good" by Harlan Coben. They are suspenseful, with endings you never expect. A little less intense are these humorous, similar to "Murder She Wrote" mysteries, "Who Left That Body in the Rain?" and "Who Invited the Dead Man" by Patricia Sprinkle. Carolyn Haines writes fun mystery books based in the Delta of Mississippi, revolving around "daddy's girls", with all her books having 'bones' in the title, like "Them Bones", "Crossed Bones", "Buried Bones". "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers is a great fiction, based on the biblical story of Hosea. It is definitely one of Peggy’s favorites.
You can't go wrong
with "
Mike Stewart
"Sins of the Brother", "A Clean Kill", "Dog
Island" are similar adventures, but in and around South Alabama.
For a zany, off-the-wall
humorous, with lots of drug action and violence, is Tim Dorsey “Cadillac
Beach”, “Florida Road Kill”, “Stingray Shuffle”, “Triggerfish Twist”. These involve a very, very interesting
character, Serge Storms, and
his escapades in
A Redbird Christmas
by Fannie Flagg. Dear friends, I cannot
tell you how much I have enjoyed this book. What a wonderful Christmas
story! We have all know people like these characters in small towns and every
now and then great things are theirs to do. Especially recommend it
for those who need a taste of home for the holidays or who need to look beyond
themselves and their own troubles. I don't think I will ever look at a
redbird the same way again. Bob Cly,
My favorite book
for 2004 is one that I just flipped through in the store and bought as a gift
for someone else. As I sat down to wrap it I decided to read it -- well here it
is Christmas Eve and it still isn't wrapped because everyone is having a ball
reading it and looking at the pictures. (I actually feel a little guilty giving
my daughter's boyfriend a slightly used book on Christmas.) "I am the cat, don't forget that" is
for everyone, cat-lover or cat-hater. For those who like picture books, these
are delightful photographs and you will recognize your cat in some of them. But
the real kicker of this book are the poetic words of Roy Blount, Jr. (Was he a
cat in a previous life?) The text will have you howling with laughter, and be
sure to read the introduction. To be my favorite book of the year it has to
touch me in someway. This one may not be "great literature," but it
is funny, entertaining, and will lift your spirits -- what else can you ask
from a book?
Hobbie Freehling
As usual, I am a few years late in reading what everyone else read while
they were best sellers, but my thoughts are that only a few books are time
sensitive, so it doesn’t matter when you read them. That said, my “best reads”
may be ancient history to all the rest of your readers. Sue Monk Kidd’s “The
Secret Life of Bees” is my top choice this year. It is such a wonderful little
gem that I really look forward to reading something else by her. In a totally
different vein is Dan Brown’s “Angels and Demons.” If you like fast paced page
turners this one is great. I enjoyed it even more that “The DaVinci Code.” But
I also like quieter slower paced books. For years my mother has recommended the
Mitford series by Jan Karon, but I had not read them. Since I came across
nearly all of them at the book sale that Capitol Book had to benefit the
schools I bought them. I’ve read the first three and found them to be very
light reading but with endearing characters. Two of my earlier favorites, “The
Well Tempered Sentence” and “The Transitive Vampire” have been replaced by
“Eats, Shoots & Leaves” by Lynne Truss. Not just anyone can make a book on
punctuation a delightful read, but she has managed to write a book so
entertaining that you would not even have to appreciate grammar to enjoy the
book. Since the title echoes my sentiments I thought I’d really like Sara
Nelson’s “So Many Books, So Little Time,” but have left it among the stack of
unfinished ones. Since “Love in the Time of Cholera” and other books by Gabriel
Garcia Marquez have been favorites, I decided to finally read my old dusty copy
of his “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” Although lauded by many it may take me
one hundred years to finish it. But I am enjoying reading his biography “Living
to Tell the Tale.” It is especially interesting to see how little bits and
pieces from events in his life became parts of his various books. Another book
that had been on my shelf for awhile was Dennis
I can’t submit this list without including a book I just got for Christmas that while not a novel is a most fascinating book - Sabuda’s “America the Beautiful.” I collect pop-up books and Sabuda is a most remarkable paper engineer. I know this is too long but I find so many books appealing - most are interesting for one reason or another - even when I don‘t like them. Perhaps I‘m just not selective enough, but it really is great to enjoy almost any book in some way or another. I guess it what it all boils down to is that my favorite book is the one I’m reading at the moment! -Carol Hull
The best reads I
found in 2004 were the
I love anything by
Jan Karon and John Grisham, Fannie Flagg...just finished reading "Shepherds
Abiding"......Happy New Year to the Upchurches!!! A friend......................
The Merrily Watkins Procedurals by Phil Rickman. These six books, The
Wine of Angels, Midwinter of the Spirit, A Crown of Lights, The Cure of Souls,
The Lamp of the Wicked & The Prayer of the Night Shepherd
follow the career of Merrily Watkins, single mom of a
rebellious teen, newly ordained Anglican vicar, and as of
book two, official Diocese Deliverance Minister(new term for exorcist).
These books are hard to categorize - I would describe them as mysteries with a
suggestion of the supernatural. They are as much driven by the ever
developing characters as by the plots. These are probably my favorite
find of the year.
The Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde. The
Eyre Affair, Lost in a Good Book, The Well of Lost Plots and Something
Rotten are set in an alternative 1980's Great Britain.
The Crimean War has been going on for 130 years, time travel is routine - even
regulated by the government, clone kits are for sale in every corner shop, and
literature is a very serious business. Literary Detective, Thursday Next,
"book jumps" from one adventure to another as she attempts to foil
great literary crimes such as the attempted kidnapping of Jane Eyre.
These books are hilarious and completely original.
The Tales of the Otori trilogy by Lian Hearn. Across
the Nightingale Floor, Grass for His Pillow and Brilliance
of the Moon. Set in an imaginary country somewhat like
feudal
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk
Kidd. I'm the only person in
More Than You Know by Beth Gutcheon. A great book to
read around Halloween. This is a truely creepy ghost tale
combined with parallel love stories set off by lovely writing.
NonFiction:
Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table and Comfort Me With Apples More
Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl. Now Gourmet
magazine editor, Ruth Reichl, writes about her life long love of food and
cooking in these two very funny and touching books. Her initial interest
in food was "motivated by fear of her mother's (Queen of the Mold)
cooking." We follow her career as her initial interest turns to
passion and she moves from cook to chef to food writer. Along the way she
meets such culinary luminaries as Wolfgang Puck, M.F.K. Fisher and Alice
Waters.
Imagined London: A Tour of the World's
Greatest Fictional City Anna
Quindlen. From
Without Reservations: The Travels of an
Independent Woman by
Alice Steinbach. Pulitzer Prize winning writer, Alice Steinbach, quits
her newspaper job and spends a year wandering around
The Gourmet Cookbook and The Mitford Cookbook
Young Adult and
Children's Lit:
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Potter. A
classic I missed as a child. Elnora Comstock lives in the Limberlost
swamp. She collects moths to pay for her education. A beautiful
book!!!
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray. One of those great
children's novels where a young girl is sent away to an English boarding school
and, of course, all sorts of strange events take place. The first of
a proposed trilogy.
Room 13, Moondog and Tartabull's Throw
by Henry Garfield. Spooky yet thoughtful books involving ghosts and a
reluctant werewolf named Moondog.
The Golden Compass Series by Phillip Pullman.
Definitely not just for children.
Norman
Tuttle on the Last Frontier by Tom Bodett
Favorites I
Reread Every Year:
Cheaper by the Dozen
Onions in the Stew - Betty MacDonald
The Children of Greene Knowe series by L.M. Boston. This is one of
the most wonderful children’s' series I have read.
The Anne of Green Gables series
James Herriot's books
Thanks for all of your
great reading suggestions!!!! Nanne
Cutler,
My favorite book for 2004 is
From Bill Krulak, a
retired Marine who’s now rector of an Episcopal church in north
Peace Like a River Leif Enger
The First Christian
Paul F. M Zahl (former dean of
Dark Voyage + anything else by Alan Furst
Don Quixote Cervantes’ novel in Edith Grossman’s new translation
The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini
Any book by John
Sandford, author of “Prey” series -Bill
Krulak, Baltmore. MD
OK, your pleas finally got to me, and I decided to list my favorite books from this past year. They may or may not be 2004 editions, but I read them this year. I don't have time to do more than a list, but here goes:
My number one favorite of the year was
Eventide by Kent Haruf, followed closely by
An Unfinished Life by Mark Spragg. Other favorites were:
Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy
Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh
Loud and Clear by Anna Quindlen
Marriage: A Duet by (I love everything Lee Child writes!)
I read lots of
other good books and some that were so-so, but these were my favorites. I
look forward to reading your final list from everyone! -Ann Boles
FOR THE WRITTEN RECORD:
I re-read two books in 2004 which have been, and still are, two of my all-time
favorites:
1. The End of the Affair, by Graham Greene, which is not only a good story
but also a nuanced theological reflection on two subjects: (a) Baptism
and (b) the relationship between faith and healing. Its picture of life
during the
2. Crossing to Safety, by Wallace Stegner, which is a beautifully written
and insightful story about friendship, marriage, and the nature of the
professional academic life.
Happy New Year!! -
You asked for a
favorite book of the year - you have probably already been told this many
times. Fannie Flagg's "A Redbird Christmas" was just
fantastic! I cried and smiled at the same time.
-Michelle Condon
My Favorite Reads of 2004
I think the best book I read all year was Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.
It deals with a provocative subject and handles it well. And the title is
perfect.
A book I would not have found except through my book
club, and one that I'm so glad I read, is The Question of God by Armand Nicholl. The author, who is dean
of the school of religious studies at Harvard, delivers an imaginary debate
between Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis on whether or not there is a God. It's
fascinating.
On a sort of similar subject, A Travel Guide to Heaven, by Anthony De Stefano, so enchanted me
that I've bought several copies for gifts. As one of the
"praise-fors" on the back says, "This book makes you feel that
heaven is even more wonderful than we had ever hoped. I applaud the author for
his exquisite imagination. . . ." It's definitely a book to make you feel
better if you've got the blues.
This year I discovered Elizabeth George, and it's like
opening a box of candy. When you finish one, you just want more. Just since
September, I've consumed A Great Deliverance,
Another book worth mentioning is A Thousand Days in
I
finally read The Chronicles of Narnia this
fall. It was the book I took to
the hospital when I had a hip replacement, figuring that having a heavy dose of
anesthesia in my system would not necessarily be an impediment when reading a
fantasy intended for young readers. I found that I loved the characters, the
adventures they had, the implied spiritual lessons. I eagerly anticipate the
movie of The Lion, The Witch, and the
Wardrobe, which I understand will be ready in 2006. It was interesting
that many of the people who came in and out of my hospital room, including my
surgeon, recognized Narnia from
their youth and remembered it with fondness.
Then there was Hell
at the Breech, by Tom Franklin, and The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. Or were they in 2003? I'm sure
there are many other fine reads from 2004 that I'm not remembering--but I can
blame the anesthesia for that!
-Sunshine Huff
My favorite book of the year was KILLING THE BUDDHA: A
Heretic's Bible,
edited by Peter Manseau and Jeff Sharlett. For readers who haven't heard of
the book, the editors asked thirteen contemporary authors to retell biblical
stories. The editors spent a year traveling around
our state's small towns have cameos) discussing the state of religion and
spirituality in this country. The resulting book is thought-provoking and
fascinating. The editors and authors remind humans that recognizing and
acknowledging faith is much more complicated than it seems. It's a book I
expect to reread repeatedly. -Pam
Kingsbury,
Okay....favorite read....Zippy by Haven Kimmel or A Girl
Named Zippy (something like that)
It's disarmingly funny & poignant. Great escapist reading.
I read it while my mom was in the hospital. It was my
"getaway". I couldn't wait to find out what Zippy (the
author the 5 year old protagonist) was getting into &
finding out about life & her loving, if somewhat strange
(aren't they all) family. It's a good "get rid of the
winter doldrums" read… It must be true. They said it on NPR
a couple of weeks ago. –Gabrielle Darch
I haven't read any
reviews on this book, so I don't know what other people think, but my favorite
was The Enormous Arrival by Sally Poole. Don't let the cover
(Confederate flag) scare you away. The story is about a girl of mixed race and
her struggles to make herself a success in a man's world in the South. This is
a sweet story that southerners will enjoy. I also liked Cassandra King's Making
Waves and The Sunday Wife. I just finished Fannie Flagg's A
Redbird Christmas. Another good southern story! -Camille
Brignac,
Book Report
Shadow Divers
Robert Kurson
Microsoft Word
format -Tom Smedley
Hell at the Breech by Tom Franklin did not come out this year, but I read it this year. My opinion is it is not only the best book I read last year, but also the best book I have read in a long time. I was so impressed with the book that I bought it for an Australian friend of mine hoping to give him a keyhole view into southern psyche. He loved the book and is still talking about the character, Billy. I understand how he feels. The characters kept pulling at me. For months after finishing the book, Tim and I would sit and muse at casting the movie. Having made these positive statements, I will admit to feeling it started a tad dark for my taste; in fact, I almost quit reading. But Tim encouraged me to continue and I am very glad I did. The characters are dirt real and hard scrabble believable. Even the ones you love to hate have their own story lines that made me, as a reader, interested in them enough to want to know what was going to happen—and kept me guessing as to their fate. The setting easily qualifies for rural gothic with an uncomfortable familiarity. The plot intrigues but is not overly complicated—and that due to Tom’s skill as there are many story lines and time shifts.
One last note-- I know everyone believes that
The past year has been another good one for reading. Of course, I don't
think I've ever been through a bad year for reading -- except perhaps when I
was grad school about 15 years ago and had to read so much for classes
that I pretty much stopped reading for fun.
Top honors go to "In the Presence of the Enemy" by Elizabeth
George, a real page turner in the Inspector Lynley/Barbara Havers
series; "The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents" by Terry
Pratchett; Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere"; and "The Well of Lost
Plots" and "Something Rotten" by Jasper Fforde. "In the
Presence of the Enemy," which starts off with the kidnapping of a little
girl was the result of an affair between a conservative MP and a liberal
newspaperman, is great as a work of suspense and mystery has multiple levels --
the main story, things that are going on the regular characters lives,
etc. The version on PBS had to be diluted like crazy to fit in one
episode of "Mystery" and doesn't begin to do justice to the
book. "The Amazing Maurice ..." is being marketed as a
children's book but is fun for people of all ages and doesn't require prior
knowledge of Pratchett's
"Discworld" series although the action takes place on
Discworld. (Not that it has anything to do with this book, but Discworld is a
world, sort of like our own, that is a giant disc resting on four elephants who
are standing on the back of giant turtle that is swimming through space.)This
book, a Pratchett jump-off from the Pied Piper story, focuses on
a talking cat named Maurice and a bunch of talking rats that team up
with a boy with a pipe to con various villages. The rats invade the town,
the boy with pipe provides his services to the villagers by drawing them out
with his pipe, and the rats, cat and boy meet up on the other side of town to
split the proceeds. Things go terribly wrong, however, when the gang tries this
scam in the decidedly creepy town of
I have a confession
to make: I'm moderately obsessed with Elizabeth George mysteries and it's all
Cheryl and Eleanor's fault. I read them like I eat Doritos--one after the other
until the bag is empty. I've even resorted to buying mass market paperbacks.
Ugh! But I love every guilty minute of them. Now, my literary sensibilities
were satisfied by my real favorite read of 2004, _The Shadow of the Wind_ by
Carlos Ruiz Zafon (with an accent over the O). It is a literary suspense novel
in the vein of Arturo Perez Reverte (accent again) and Umberto Eco.
Translated from the Spanish and set in
My hands down favorites for 2004, not very original perhaps,
but here they
are: Kite Runner, and Reading Lolita in Teheran. Reading Lolita motivated
me to actually READ the Nabokov book that inspired the title. I probably
appreciated that great work more profoundly than I would have as a younger
reader. "Reading Lolita" was the second book I've read with a pencil
in
hand, underlining all the important bits. The message is one that spoke to
all that I love: that the themes of great literature are a common
denominator that can speak to the humanity in all of us, no matter how
divided we are by our politics. "Kite Runner" is another must
read......a
powerful look at class and loyalty, honor and integrity, and compelling
prose that draws you in from the first sentence. In both books, the
parallels between the fundamentalism and dogmatism of
and what is happening with rise of the same in our own great country should
be a warning to us all about what happens when the lines between religion
and state begin to blur. –Alice
Wertheim,
My favorite read of
2004 wasn’t published in either this century or the last! Jerome K. Jerome’s
hysterically funny Three Men in A Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog! was
first published in 1889. It is side-splittingly hilarious with wonderful
authorial asides, including the initial explanation of why the titular three
men (and the dog) took to a boat. The description later in the novel of how
Uncle Podger hung a picture in his home is equally if not more comic, not least
because it rings so of real life.
My second favorite
read of the past year was The Assassin’s Cloak: An Anthology of the World’s
Greatest Diarists edited by Irene and Alan Taylor. Spanning four centuries,
there are several entries for each day of the year by such diarists as Samuel
Pepys, Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield, Barbara Pym, and Noel Coward. The
title comes from an entry by William Soutar: “A diary is an assassin’s cloak
which we wear when we stab a comrade in the back with a pen.” Speaking of Barbara Pym, I have started
reading her wonderful books in which I have found a balance of the comic,
gently satirical novels of Angela Thirkell (another mid-20th century
writer well worth reading) and the more somber, introspective novels of
contemporary British author (and another favorite of mine) Anita Brookner. –Tess Ware
If it's not too late, I'll contribute to the "best book" for 2004 I have read:
Life of Pi by Yann
Martel, winner of the Man Booker Prize and published in 2001 I believe, so not
a new book. We used this book at
Huntingdon this fall for our First-Year Experience 101 course, a course
required of all first-year students. I may be in the minority in my
liking of this book, none of my students did saying they had problems with the
book's structure and they couldn't relate to the Pi the protagonist, and a
number of the other instructors I spoke with were less than impressed, but I
had a different reaction. And I think it is because I could relate to Pi
very easily. For those who haven't read
the book, the majority of the text is relating Pi's survival in a life boat
after the ship he and his family were on sinks on their way from
Pi's mother: " ... Listen, my darling, if you're going to be religious, you must be either a Hindu, a Christian or a Muslim ...."
Pi: "I don't see why I can't be all three. Mamaji has two passports. He's Indian and French. Why can't I be a Hindu, a Christian and a Muslim?"
Pi's mother:
"That's different.
Pi: "How many nations are there in the sky?"
Pi's mother: She thought for a second. "One. That's the point. One nation, one passport."
Pi: "One nation in the sky?"
Pi's mother: "Yes. Or none. There's that option too, you know. These are terribly old-fashioned things you've taken to."
Pi: "If there's only one nation in the sky, shouldn't all passports be valid for it?"
Pi's mother: A cloud of uncertainty came over her face.
Pi: "Bapu Gandhi said --"
Pi's mother: "Yes, I know what Bapu Gandhi said." She brought a hand to her forehead. She had a weary look, Mother did. "Good grief," she said.
What's the saying about out of the mouths of babes .... In considering all our problems in this country and the world brought about by religious bickering, maybe Pi is on to something here.
-Eric A. Kidwell
Here's my
column. Use as you like:
CONSTANT READER
By Martha D. Bone
At the end of the year, I usually give a list of the ten best books reviewed in this column. But 2004 wasn’t a great reading year. There have been many good books, but few great books. Consequently, for 2004 I have decided to give the best book in each genre or kind.
For fiction, there is just no question. Maisie Dobbs is the best novel I have read in several years, not just 2004. It was nominated for two mystery novel awards, but it is much more than just a mystery. It is one of those rare things: a whopping good story.
Maisie Dobbs is the story of
a young woman who becomes a maid in
This novel is simply astonishing. Readers will learn much about historic events of the time, always told in personal terms. But the best thing is the wonderful story. I am using Maisie Dobbs in my composition classes this spring because we all write better when we read wonderful writing, and this book is full of simply wonderful writing. Maisie Dobbs is available in paperback, and the second novel about Maisie, Birds of a Feather, is available in hardback. It is almost as good as Maisie Dobbs.
The nonfiction book is also a
runaway: Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson.
Shadow Divers is a true account of two deep-water divers who
discovered and identified the wreck of a German U-boat off the coast of
Shadow Divers is part
history, part adventure, and part biography.
Bill Nagle took Chatterton on his first dive to the U-boat wreck, and
they were stunned to discover a submarine.
Subsequent dives revealed that the crew was still aboard, the remains of
56 men. There were no government records
of a U-boat sunk anywhere near the wreck location. No historian ever wrote of such a boat. No expert had a clue that a U-boat had ever
been just there, so close to the
Although Kohler and Chatterton were
only high school graduates, the two did research about U-boats that is worthy
of any doctoral candidate. They even
took trips to
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Shadow Divers is the determination and courage described by Kurson. Chatterton and Kohler were not the only divers on U-869. Three men died while diving on the wreck. A father and son diving pair both died on their first dive to I-869. But Chatterton and Kohler went back again and again. Kurson’s descriptions of the last two dives which finally proved that the wreck was U-869 were so suspenseful and hair-raising that I actually had to get up and pace around for a bit before I could continue reading.
Shadow Divers has much more information, many pictures, biographies of many men, other exciting diving adventures, and much more history. Every single page of this book is fascinating. It is a superb book.
The memoir of the year is Alexandra
Fuller’s tragic, funny story of her childhood in sub-Sahara
Bobo was born in
The Fullers were racists who cared for the black Africans who came to their door for medical attention. They were excellent farmers, and Mrs. Fuller took care of many dogs, some of them left to die by settlers moving away. They were also marathon drinkers. Mr. Fuller had to be extinguished by a guest when he set himself on fire at Bobo’s wedding.
Their kindness and essential goodness saves the Fullers, as does their hard work and their courage. I laughed out loud at parts of Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs, and I actually sobbed at other parts. But I didn’t want to stop reading this marvelous book.
The last book is a children’s book. Art Spiegelman is the writer and illustrator of Open Me…I’m a Dog! This book (or dog) is the story of a dog who meets a witch who smells like oatmeal. At first they get along, but then the reader is warned: “Try not o be around witches when they get mad.” The dog is turned into something else, but I won’t ruin the story for you. He meets Magda, the magical maiden of a mountain. Magda has a temper tantrum and turns him into something else. Then he meets an evil wizard who turns him into—you guessed it—a book. But the dog/book has much to say and many appeals to make to the reader.
Spiegelman is a rather famous cartoonist who won the Pulitzer Prize for Maus, the three-book story of a mouse who lived in Nazi Europe. He is also the author of In the Shadow of No Towers, a sad and wonderful book for adults. Open Me…I’m a Dog! has simply fabulous illustrations, and there is a leash hooked to the spine of the book. It is delightful for both children and adults.
There are the biggies for 2004. If we get cold weather again, we will all get
some good reading time. There’s nothing
like it—wrap up in a warm blanket, light the fire, make some hot chocolate, and
read. Heaven! -Martha Bone,
If it’s not too
late, here’s some suggestions for your book list: A friend suggested Cape Refuge by Terri
Blackstone I liked Angles and Demons
& Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown – Please remember that it is FICTION. – I do
like that it has gotten numerous people to start talking about religion and its
meaning to them though. (BTW – On my
trip to
Frank Stitt’s
Southern Table: Recipes and Gracious Traditions from Highlands Bar and Grill
(The autographed ones that I purchased from y’all and gave as Christmas gifts
and the one that I kept for myself have been thoroughly enjoyed.) Carolyn 101 – By Donald Trump’s right hand
person on The Apprentice. Light,
interesting reading about a female making it to the top.
I’m sure that there
are many more that I’ve purchased there but these are the ones that come to
mind first. Have a good one, -Deborah
Green
My favorite book of 2004 was Little Women. I liked it
because when I
read it I felt comfortable and cozy, like everything was going to be
alright. I loved the characters' different range of personalities,
especially Jo's. I also liked the fact that you couldn't predict what was
going to happen and everything was surprising. It made me proud to see the
four children grow up, even though one met her end early, and go to
different husbands and lifestyles, like I was their mother. The book
inspired me to do good things and to be nicer to my little sister. –Summer Upchurch
One of my favorite books this year was To Say Nothing of the Dog
by Connie Willis. It is a time traveling journey with the hero shuttling
between the 21st century and 1940s
As usual, I forgot one. Please add to
my list "Kindred" by Octavia Butler. It's about a black woman living
in
Late entry on best
reads: Techinically it doesn't really
count since I just read it, but I have to put in a word for Cassandra King's
"The Same Sweet Girls." At the head of my first list was Sue Monk
Kid's book, so when I saw her endorsement on the book cover I was even more
eager to read the book. At first I had difficulty getting into the book because
I was trying so hard to figure out which character represented which of the
real SSG's, but later let go of that. The book is a joy to read. It makes you
realize all over again how dear our long time friends are whether they be from
our college days or not. And it would certainly make me long for such
friendships were I not already blessed to have my own dear friends form college
that I too have kept up with for 40 years now. –Carol
Hull
Wow! It sure is
difficult picking the next book to read.
But these
were my favorites of 2004:
Light on Snow -
Anita Shreve
The Last Sin Eater
- Francine Rivers
The Wedding -
Nicholas Sparks
Until the Real
Thing Comes Along - Elizabeth Berg
The Florabama
Ladies' Auxiliary and Sewing Circle - Lois Battle
Bet Me - Jennifer
Crusie
Once Upon A Wedding
- Kathleen Eagle -Jackie Culpepper
Dear Capitol Book and News, liked reading Life of Pi last year. I thought it was original, and very well written. Linda Thornbury
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