Sunday, January 29, 2012

Books read in 2011

2011 has been a interesting year in my reading.  For my whole life, my reading has been dominated 10:1 by fiction over non-fiction.  Last year was the first year the trend was reversed.  While it wasn't a complete dominance of non-fiction, I did read three more non-fiction books than fiction.  Another interesting trend for 2011 was that I read more children's books than non-fiction and fiction books COMBINED.  Most of the children's books I've read have been read aloud to 'Shroom and Lolli and the remaning few I read on my own to "pre-screen" for future reference.

So, here is what I've read this past year with the photo of the most memorable book in each category.

FICTION:
1.  Always the Baker, Never the Bride (Sandra Bricker)
2.  The Help (Kathryn Stockett)
3.  The Memory Keeper's Daughter (Kim Edwards)
4.  Cold Fire (Dean Koontz)
5.  The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Jamie Ford)
6.  Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen)
7.  Unaccustomed Earth (Jhumpa Lahiri)
8.  Little Bee (Chris Cleave)
9.  Eden Close (Anita Shreve)

NON-FICTION:
1.  A Praying Life:  Connecting with God in a Distracting World (Paul Miller)
2.  The Successful Home Business Guide (Wil Limkemann)
3.  Soul Cravings:  An Exploration o fthe Human Spirit (Erwin McManus)
4.  The Teachable Moments:  Seizing the Instants When Children Learn (Rebecca Branstetter)
5.  The Color of Water:  A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother (James McBride)
6.  Nothing to Envy:  Ordinary Lives in North Korea (Barbara Demick)
7.  Saving Gracie:  How One Dog Escaped the Shadowy World of American Puppy Mills (Carol Bradley)
8.  Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back (Todd Burpo)
9.  The Homeschooling Option (Lisa Rivero)
10.  The Homeschooling Book of Answers (Linda Dobson)
11.  A Different Kind of Teacher (John Taylor Gatto)
12.  What the Dog Saw (Malcolm Gladwell)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS:
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan:
     1.  The Lightening Thief
     2.  The Sea of Monsters
     3.  The Titan's Curse
     4.  The Battle of the Labyrinth
     5.  The Last Olympian
Books by Roald Dahl
     6.  The Witches
     7.  Matilda
     8.  James and the Giant Peach
     9.  Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
10.  The Lost Hero (Rick Riordan - Book 1: The Heros of Olympians)
11.  The Maze of Bones (Rick Riordan - Book 1: The 39 Clues)
12.  One False Note (Gordon Korman - Book 2:  The 39 Clues)
13.  Eragon (Christopher Paolini - Book 1:  The Inheritance Cycle)
14.  Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes (Eleanor Coerr)
15.  The Mysterious Benedict Society (Trenton Lee Stewart - Book 1: The Mysterious Benedict Society Collection)
16.  Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Robert C. O'Brien)
17.  The Penderwicks (Jeane Birdsall)
18.  The Penderwicks on Gardem Street (Jeane Birdsall)
19.  The Island of Blue Dolphins (Scott O'Dell)
20.  Hatchet (Gary Paulsen)
21.  Thomas and the Dragon Queen (Shutta Crum)
22.  The Whipping Boy (Sid Fleischman)
23.  The Pot of Wisdom:  Ananse Stories (Adwoa Badoc)
24.  Little Lord Fauntleroy (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
25.  The Beginning of the Armadillos (Rudyard Kipling)
26.  A Cricket in Times Square (George Selden)
27.  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (J.K. Rowling)
28.  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (J.K. Rowling)

Well, there you go.  Do you have any great reads you would like to share?  Let me know!

3 comments:

Portugal said...

The Color of Water was an excellent novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the captivating life stories of James and of his white, Jewish mother. Each narrative is carefully woven throughout the chapters of this novel, all of which were remarkable and imaginative. I would recommend the poignant and touching accounts of James and his mother to anyone of any race, any religion, and any background.

WendyO said...

I have heard Unbroken is an amazing book.

http://www.amazon.com/Unbroken-World-Survival-Resilience-Redemption/dp/1400064163

And... the great thing is, that it's at the PV library for the Kindle... hee hee hee. (although both copies are currently checked out and there are 8 people on the waiting list... ha).

West By East: said...

Thanks Portugal for your insights into "The Color of Water." I, too, would recommend this book as a great read.

Thanks WendyO for the rec on "Unbroken." Believe it or not, I just read the book last month. Awesome book and such an amazing story. I read the entire book OUT LOUD to Air Boss and we both loved, loved, loved the book. If I hadn't finally gotten my hands on the hardback version, I would have put my name on the waiting list for the e-book. You should do it! It's so worth the wait! I loved it so much I purchased a hardcover edition for my dad (even though he does have a Kindle)!