Saturday, December 31, 2011

Col’s “Books Most Likely To” Awards 2011

In any year there are good books, and there are not so good books. But in the final analysis, only a few books actually make you feel, think, or do something. These are the books that make your reading year. So I thought I’d share this “Books Most Likely To” List with you all – because reading shouldn’t be a spectator sport!

Book Most Likely to Provoke a Strange Liquor Store Purchase: Cooking with Fernet Branca by James Hamilton-Paterson

Book Most Likely to Make You Wish You Knew Your Grandparents’ Love Story: A Long, Long Time Ago, and Essentially True by Brigid Pasulka

Book Most Likely to Propel You into a Long Discussion about Point of View and Pizza: Clash of Civilizations over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous

Book Most Likely to Send You to the Internet for Pictures of UTEP’s Campus: Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in the Happiest Kingdom on Earth by Lisa Napoli

Book Most Likely to Make You Think Twice About a Your Husband’s Totally Innocent Lunch with a Friend: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (I’m just saying…)

Book Most Likely to Have You Planning a Safari: In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith

Book Most Likely to Allow Burning A Philosopher in Effigy to Cross Your Mind: The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith

Book Most Likely to Help You Get Your Nerd On: The Bog People by P.V. Glob

Book Most Likely to Make a Child Run to a Reference Book: The Book of Imaginary Beings by Jorge Luis Borges

Book Most Likely to Have You Thanking Your Stars You’re Not Popular: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

Book Most Likely to Cause You to Miss a Hair Appointment Because You Can’t Stop Listening: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, narrated by Frances McDormand (Please don’t tell Jeremy!)

All in all, a satisfying reading year. I finished all 12 of the challenges I entered (by the skin of my teeth), and managed to review 53 titles. Translated fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, 19th and 20th century classics, cookbooks and non-fiction titles all found their way to the top of my TBR pile – and wormed their way into my heart. Female authors dominated my reading this year, and I read books by authors from every continent (but only because Ngaio Marsh was from New Zealand – I have to do something about my lack of Australian titles). Wishing you a happy, healthy, active year of booking in 2012!

Col

13 comments:

  1. Radio Shangri-La really was an interesting one, wasn't it? I feel like I enjoyed the story and learned a bunch about Bhutan!

    Happy New Year!

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  2. Good work, Col! I love the categories you used and hope next year is very successful, too.

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  3. How fun! The only one of your award winners I've read is Radio Shangri-La.

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  4. Great twist on the "best of" list idea!

    All the best for 2012!

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  5. I was cracking up because of the ones on this list that I did read (about half) your statements were so true! Loved it!

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  6. Congrats on completing your challenges, I was less successful & loving the most likely idea, although the book most likely to make a strange liquor purchase is my barkeeps bible.

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  7. Col, what a clever way to comprise your list! Love The Penelopiad, The Paris Wife, allusions especially. Wonderful!

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  8. You are so creative Col...loved this. Wishing you and everyone close to you, good health and happiness in the New Year. I am so happy i discovered your blog when I did.

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  9. Such a great list - and definitely the most creative year-end post I've seen! Happy New Year, Col!

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  10. I just discovered your blog, and I love it! It's delightful to see you are such an avid reader. Now, as if you didn't already have enough books on your list for 2012, I have three to suggest, based on what I saw on your list:

    A Fortune-Teller Told Me: Earthbound Travels in the Far East, by Tiziano Terzani: The experiences of a seasoned journalist during a year when he does not fly -- at all -- and yet travels all around Asia, often consulting with local fortune-tellers.

    The Coroner's Lunch, by Colin Cotterill: Since you like mysteries, and exotic places. I think the series is up to No. 10 by now. I have read them all, and loved them all except The Merry Misogynist (which was none too merry).

    For your Venice readings: The Passion, by Jeanette Winterson. I have read only three of her novels, but this one sticks in my head, and I mean to reread it one day.

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  11. I'm so glad you enjoyed the list, everybody! It was really fun to put it together. And outside of The Sunday Philosophy Club, I recommend all of the books that made the list!

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  12. @Mindy -- I can't believe you found my blog! Are you still in Asia? Thanks a million for the recommendations -- I have already put them on my TBR list. Hope all is well with you.

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  13. What a fun way to do an end-of-year wrap-up! Now I wish I hadn't already done my own round-up...

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I absolutely love comments. Thanks for taking the time to share! Col