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The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World
by Eric Weiner
Weiner, an admitted "glass is at least half empty" kind of guy, explores the link between locale and attitude, and finds
is some interesting stuff along the way: Iceland is the place to be for low expectations and high creativity, whereas
you'll do well to avoid Switzerland if your happiness is at all linked to expressing a sense of humor. And his experiences
in the world's unhappiest place--a country in the former Soviet Union--forced me to question my assumption that people living
under communism are longing for democracy. This is a great book.
The Divorce Party
By Laura Dave
This is one of the best novels I've read this year. Dave does an amazing job of weaving the story of very real
relationship angst and wonder around characters that feel like people you know. Fabulous.
Redeemed: A Spiritual Misfit Stumbles Toward God, Marginal Sanity, and the Peace That Passes
All Understanding
By Heather King
I would read Heather King's shopping list--she's that good a writer. My copy of REDEEMED is filled with dog-eared
pages and miles of underlining as I noted things I hope to come back to and think through a little more. Plus, she's
DANG funny, which is always a nice quality in a memoir about piecing one's life back together.
All We Ever Wanted Was Everything
By Janelle Brown
I was both astonished and furious when I turned the last page of this book. I want the author to take me out for
a chocolate martini and tell me how the story ends, because she somehow left out that part.
Lottery
By Patricia Wood
I adored this book. It's one of
those stories I read in an afternoon, and immediately felt compelled to recommend it to everyone... both because they'll love
it and because then I'd have people to talk to about the amazing main character and his perspective on life. This
book should be assigned reading
for...well, everyone :)
How To Talk To A Widower
By Jonathan Tropper
Oh how I love this
man's stories...the characters feel like people I know, I care about what happens to them, and the endings are always real
and right. Tropper has the gift of painting reality in grim situations without making it too grim to handle.
Another great Tropper book.
Look Me In The Eye: My Life With Aspergers
By John Elder Robison
I
had no idea how unpractical (impractical? Not at all practical...) I was until I read this memoir. Robison's
straightforward view of everything from how to make friends to choosing a wife are so completely logical that I
was cracking up in almost every chapter.
Animal, Vegetable, Mineral
By Barbara Kingsolver
I expected to
hate this book. I thought it would be another judgmental treatise on how I'm an awful person because my favorite food
is baloney and I don't know what state my potato chips come from. But something about the cover kept calling to
me until I gave in and picked it up...and I'm so glad I did. This book is great--it's a funny story about a close,
loving family trying to do something really tough for an entire year. But what I love most is that they weren't
against any of the things I thought they would be, but rather FOR the idea of knowing more about their food and where
it comes from. It has great recipes, tidbits of information on everything from carrot growth to why Purdue
birds can't fly, and a
story about the authors husband being propositioned by the family turkey that still
has me laughing.
Baby Love
by Rebecca Walker
I don't want all of my reviews to be sugar and spice, so I'm trying to include the books
I didn't like, too, and explanations of why they didn't work for me. But this memoir was too infuriating to comment on.
I have to keep reminding myself that I don't actually know this author, so it's not cool to write what would amount to
a character assassination. Suffice to say that it was not a love connection.
The Way Life Should Be
By Christina Baker Kline
This is a charming
novel, and it came along at a time when I was especially missing Maine, so I loved it. A great read for a cozy winter
weekend.
The Department of Lost and Found
By Allison Winn Scotch
I never
would have guessed that a story where the main character is diagnosed with cancer in the first few pages could be this
much fun. I felt like Natalie, the main character, was a friend of mine (or, in some cases, me at different junctures
in life) wrestling with the everyday stuff - career struggles, romantic ups and downs - while fending off this awful diagnosis
that throws her whole world into chaos. I love that the everyday things retain primacy in Natalie's mind and the cancer
never becomes what her character is about. And there is a sub-plot about "The Price Is Right" that cracked me up.
This book is a great choice for a summer read...but it also has four-season recommendability.
To Own a Dragon: Reflections on Growing Up Without A Father
by Donald
Miller and John MacMurry
Confession: I have a great Dad, so I am not the target audience for this book. I'm not even
sure why I picked it up, other than the fact that Miller's first two books were so unique and honest; I guess I was hoping
for more of the same. That's not what I got, though, as "To Own A Dragon" tops them all, in my opinion. I LOVE
the way Miller describes what it takes to become a man, and his struggles to get there. I feel like this should be required
reading for all women, a primer on what we should be looking for in a boyfriend/husband. I suspect Miller would never
fancy himself a relationships coach, but I think this book has an alternative audience he may not have considered!
Dating Big Bird
by Laura Zigman
I love, love, loved this book. The title comes from the stuffed Big Bird doll that the main character's toddler
neice (who she calls "the Pickle") gives her so she won't have to sleep alone. For all it's heart-wrenching subject
matter, this story is so funny and multi-faceted that it kept me happy and laughing. This is a book I'll reread.
The Man of My Dreams: A Novel
by Curtis Sittenfeld
I liked this much better than Sittenfeld's debut, Prep, although the cumulative effect of these two books makes me
wonder if anything good has ever happened to this author (or, for that matter, anyone she knows)? Her character development
of the people we love even when we should hate them is brilliant. But in the end, it's nice when a few good things happen
that aren't followed by crushing disappointments of some sort or another. All that said, however, the gorgeous new paperback
cover makes me want to buy this book just to have it sitting on my shelf.
Miss American Pie: A Diary of Love, Secrets, and Growing Up in the 1970s
by
Margaret Sator
This is a cute way to do a memoir, written entirely in diary form. It might have gotten old, if
not for Sartor's ability to weave irony and humor in amongst all the angst of growing up. My favorite line is the one
Publisher's Weekly singled out, where she says, "I'm giving the invocation at the graduation ceremony. I'm sure they
asked me because I'm the only kid willing to pay out loud who doesn't hand out pamphlets on the Second Coming." Funny
stuff.
Easter Everywhere
by Darcy Steinke
This isn't a happy book, but
the writing is so good that it doesn't have to be.
I loved the second half best, where she wrestles with failed
relationships and raising her daughter and trying to figure out what she believes in. It made me wish, though, that
she'd ended up somewhere more tangible, faith-wise, because in the end she seemed more lost than when she started. And
by that point, I really liked her, and wanted more for her. But I guess that's the risk we take in liking people.
Her prose is beautiful and funny (like where she tells how her three year old daughter wanted to poop in a neighbors yard
as a "special treat"). A good read.
Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction
by David Kuo
This
book blew my mind for a number of reasons. Kuo was an insider in the GWB White House, spearheading faith-based initiatives
- a program that was, by his account, a disappointment. I was impressed by how candidly Kuo revealed that the policies
and initiatives we get so worked up about don't fail because Democrats are bad or Republicans are awful, but because our political
system - particularly the executive office - simply isn't designed to accomplish what we're forcing upon it. As a faith-based
person myself, this confirmed my suspicion that the best response to my frustration over what I see on the nightly news isn't
to wring my hands and rant about those awful Washington types, but to fold my hands and pray, reminding God that our country
could use some help. This is a great book, no matter what your political or religious affiliation.
Eat, Pray, Love
by Elizabeth Gilbert
I read this book months
ago, and have been diving back into it's chapters ever since. As a fellow spiritual seeker, Gilbert reminds me of all
the places I searched and didn't find. As a fellow writer she reminds me that a good metaphor can stop a reader cold
in the middle of a page to take it in. I love the way she writes, and her sense of adventure, self-deprecating humor
and, "I
wonder what will happen next?" approach to life make this one of my favorite
books this year.
But Enough About Me: A Jersey Girl's Unlikely Adventures Among the Absurdly Famous
by Jancee Dunn
This book is soooo fun, primarily because Dunn feels like one of my friends, wandering wide-eyed among rock
stars and goofing her lines on MTV2. Dunn is hilarious as she describes her interview experiences, and it really does feel
like sitting down with a girlfriend to catch up, if your girlfriend spends her nights hanging out with Alicia Keyes and Dolly
Parton.
The Big Love
by Sarah Dunn
At first glance, this looks like your typical breakup story, but Sarah Dunn could write about potatoes growing
in an Idaho mud patch and it would still be funny. I really like how Dunn weaves "big issue" questions of faith and
life throughout the story yet it never feels heavy. She seems to have an instinct for portraying how not all of our
dilemmas end up neatly solved and packaged at the end of the day - I suspect I'll be rereading this book often.
Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris
by Sarah Turnbull
I'm
sad to say I didn't love this book. The premise is fabulous, and I understand the author's desire to keep her relationship
private. But when you write a book about making a snap decision to move to Paris to be with a man you've met briefly
at a dinner party, it's not really fair to never discuss the substance of that relationship - or it's development - beyond
mild disagreements about housekeeping. Additionally, the author's "why don't these people like me?" about Parisians
get old, particularly as she makes clear how little effort she's making to fit into their culture. It's like all of
France is expected to open up and make room for her. The best scenes in the book are the descriptions of her native
Australia and getting her cute little dog.
Tabloid Love: Looking for Mr. Right In All The Wrong Places
By Bridget
Harrison
The subtitle says it all. Harrison's adventures were so dramatic/tragic/over-the-top that I didn't realize
until almost halfway through the book that this was a memoir. Honestly, this should be sold has a companion guide to
"He's Just Not That Into You," her stories of relationship catastrophe are so painful (especially for those of us who have
weathered a few ourselves). That said, however, Harrison can really write - I found myself cheering for her through
each debacle, then googling her name online to see if she's writing anything else. This book should be mandatory reading
for all women looking for romantic advice - half of figuring out what to do is figuring out what NOT to do, and Miss Harrison
has a thing or two to teach us in that regard.
Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir
by Julia Cameron
I was excited
to see that Julia Cameron, revered author of The Artist's Way, had written a more personal account of her creative path.
About a chapter and a half in though, I felt like I was watching news footage of a roller coaster crash over and over again.
Her story is a painful tale of psychosis, failed relationships, and geographical attempts to piece together some sort of a
life with whatever happened to be within reach. What was within reach for Cameron most often was a rather stunning gift
for encouraging others. But as I closed the cover and breathed a sigh of relief to be done, I realized how much of the
luster her encouraging words had lost for me, now that I was face to face with such obvious evidence that all that cheerleading
wasn't much help in Cameron's own attempts to make life work. One can only hope that the final chapters of her life
play out better.
Three Weeks With My Brother
by Nicolas Sparks and Micah Sparks
Sparks
is a master at writing poignant emotion; I'm rather amazed he can pull it off so well when the characters are the actual people
who populate his life. This is a really good story, much better than I expected, to be honest. Sparks weaves in
stories about his childhood and his family through the main narrative, which is a three week travel adventure with his brother.
His openness and candor is effective, and he gives us a nice peak into life as America's super-author and some of the tragedies
that unfolded behind the scenes as his career took off. In what may be the biggest compliment of all, my husband
liked this book even more that I did.
The Screwtape Letters
By C.S. Lewis
This is an inspired satire
by the author of The Chronicles of Narnia. Writing for grown-ups this time, Lewis creates a series of letters written
by a middle-management demon, coaching his nephew who has just joined the ranks of temptation and torment. It's a sobering
view of all the "random thoughts" and "coincidences" that lead us away from the life we really want to live, but so brilliantly
executed that I closed the book filled with hope that I might not fall for every trick in the book from now on. If you
only read one book with an ugly cover this year, The Screwtape Letters is a worthy pick.
When Bad Christians Happen to Good People
by Dave Burchett
The chapter on strange Christian products made me laugh so hard I couldn’t breathe.
The Dive From Clausen's Pier
by Ann Packer
I loved and hated
this book. The main story - a young woman's reactions to her fiance's tragic accident - is compelling, but her thoughts
and choices are so mind-numbingly selfish that I wanted to shake her. It struck me as odd how in a setting like this
midwestern town, where she and her friends went in and out of each others' lives and homes like family, she could become so
self-absorbed and oblivious to everyone else overnight - I'm not sure I buy it. But the writing is beautiful and I'll
check out other books by this author.
Love You, Mean It
by Patricia Carrington, Julia Collins, Claudia Gerbasi,
and Ann Hayes
This is a memoir by four 9/11 widows who became friends in the aftermath of that tragedy. It's
poignant and beautiful and I want to hand it out to all the strident feminists from my past who insisted that women were FINE
without husbands, if not better off. I'm not sure I've ever read a book that so captures what we gain when we're linked
up with the right man, or what we miss when that's gone. If you're single right now, I suspect this story will inspire
you to hold out for the right guy, not settle for whoever asks you out next. And if you're married, I suspect that an
hour or two reading these chapters will prompt you to pick fights veeerrrry carefully, and appreciate the little stuff that
makes life so good.
Blind Submission
by Debra Ginsberg
The writing in this book started
out so strong that I settled in happily for what I was sure would be my new favorite book ever. Unfortunately, this
is essentially THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA set in a literary agency. There is a mystery element that did it's job and kept
me reading, but grew increasingly annoying as the plot became more and more unreal and I just wanted the book to be over.
That said, however, the author is a fabulous writer; I suspect her non-fiction might be more up my alley.
How I Came Into My Inheritance: And Other True Stories
by Dorothy Gallagher
Who
knew a collection of stories about being raised in America by Communists could be funny?
SHAM: How the Self-Help Movement Made America Helpless
by Steve
Salerno
Salerno pulls no punches, which makes this a compelling read. I love how he points out the giant elephant
in the living room, almost yelling, "Hey - has anyone noticed that this stuff doesn't work???" I'm not sure I agree
with his chapter on Alcoholics Anonymous (AA has helped millions of poeple, free of charge) but overall Salerno does a great
job of pointing out the underside of this industry, encouraging us to look in the mirror and ask, "Why do I keep spending
money on this stuff when my life isn't getting any better?"
Limbo
by A. Manette Ansay
This Ansay's memoir of the years where
an undiagnosed nervous system disorder ended her piano career and put her in a wheelchair barely able to function. Somehow,
though, it's not grim. Her word choices are gorgeous, and her descriptions of the events that shaped her and led her
to write novels captured my attention in a way that literary writing rarely does. I'm usually not a fan of overlong
descriptions of scenery, but her words transported me - to her grandmother's farm, the piano practice room at her conservatory,
downtown as she withstood the awkward stares of her neighbors. The added benefit for me as I read was knowing that she
is healed now, her books are bestsellers, and she's living (from what I can tell at least) quite a nice happily-ever-after.
I like it when that happens :)
Little Earthquakes
by Jennifer Weiner
My favorite of the Weiner oeuvre, although there is stiff competition. I used to live in Philadelphia, so I admit to
loving the “I’ve been there!” factor in reading her books.
London Is The Best City In America
by Laura Dave
The title drew
me to this book, but the story more than delivered. The main character is stuck in life, hiding out from a relationship
that didn't work, pursuing a project that doesn't matter but allows her to believe she's doing something meaningful with her
life. The author does a great job with the characters here, especially the brother-sister relationship as both struggle
with big life choices. Well worth the reading time.
The Myth of You & Me
by Leah Stewart
I don’t usually describe books as “gorgeous” or “mesmerizing,” yet somehow both words
came to mind each time I opened this book. So there you have it: this is a gorgeous, mesmerizing story about how female
friends can hurt each other, and how deeply we want to set it right.
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