Books and other stuff I feel like discussing
By education and experience - Accountant with a specialty in taxation. Formerly a CPA (license has lapsed). Masters degree in law of taxation from University of Denver. Now retired. Part time work during baseball season as receptionist & switchboard operator for the Colorado Rockies. This gig feeds my soul in ways I have trouble articulating. One daughter, and four grandchildren. I share the house with two cats; a big goof of a cat called Grinch (named as a joke for his easy going "whatever" disposition); and Lady, a shelter adoptee with a regal bearing and sweet little soprano voice. I would be very bereft if it ever becomes necessary to keep house without a cat.
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Best books list
By popular demand - well, the two responders who asked for this are popular in my eyes at any rate!
The task of booting one of the overall "5 best since 1999" list is too daunting, after 2006 the "best since '99" list will have more than 5 titles.
Based on my log, here is my "best of" summaries for the past several years. For the most part, the year of publication is the year I read them, there are a couple of exceptions.
Kent Nelson and Mark Spragg are Colorado based authors, who set their fiction in the open country of the high, dry plains. They both are deserving of a wider reputation. Spragg had his book bought by Hollywood, and the spin on the film AN UNFINISHED LIFE was pretty decent, although I haven't seen it yet.
HAMLET'S DRESSER and FIFTY ACRES AND A POODLE had me in tears more than once - as did BREAKING CLEAN. There still are pages Judy Blunt's book which I'm not sure I could read again, or even talk about with an "unfoggy" voice. PLAINSONG is just breathtakingly beautiful, in my opinion, and Haruf's sequel EVENTIDE is also worth looking into.
Well, I've given you booklists to check out. Happy reading, and let me know what you think!
Woodstock
1999
Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver - fiction
Maus - Art Spiegelman - graphic novel
Passage to Juneau - Jonathan Raban - memoir
Stones from the River - Ursela Hegi - fiction
Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt - memoir
2000
Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood - fiction
Motherless Brooklyn - Jonathan Lethem - mystery
Plainsong - Kent Haruf - fiction
First Comes Love - Marian Winik - memoir
Pope Joan - Donna Cross - fiction(?)
2001
The Color of Water - James McBride - memoir
Soul Mountain - Gao Xingjian - fiction
Silent Joe - T Jefferson Parker - mystery
Shape of Snakes - Minette Walters = mystery
Our Lady of the Lost & Found - Diane Schoemperlen - fiction
2002
Hamlet's Dresser - Bob Smith - memoir
Breaking Clean - Judy Blunt - memoir
Seabiscuit = Laura Hillenbrand - non fiction
Hell's Kitchen - Chris Niles - mystery
Prodigal Summer - Barbara Kingsolver - fiction
2003
Small Town - Lawrence Block - mystery
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon - fiction
Fifty Acres and a Poodle - Jean Laskas - memoir
Land that Moves, Land that Stands Still - Kent Nelson - fiction
The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri - fiction
2004
Dogs of Babel - Carolyn Parkhurst - fiction
Waiting for Snow in Havana - Carlos Eire - memoir
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini - fiction
An Unfinished Life - Mark Spragg - fiction
Shadow Divers - Robert Kurson - non fiction
2005
Prince of Thieves - Chuck Hogan - mystery
A Tale of Love and Darkness - Amos Oz - memoir
Drive - James Sallis - mystery
Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince - J K Rowling - fantasy
In the Lake of the Woods - Tim O'Brien - fiction
Best Overall (past seven years)
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon
A Tale of Love and Darkness - Amos Oz
Plainsong - Kent Haruf
Breaking Clean - Judy Blunt
The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri
The task of booting one of the overall "5 best since 1999" list is too daunting, after 2006 the "best since '99" list will have more than 5 titles.
Based on my log, here is my "best of" summaries for the past several years. For the most part, the year of publication is the year I read them, there are a couple of exceptions.
Kent Nelson and Mark Spragg are Colorado based authors, who set their fiction in the open country of the high, dry plains. They both are deserving of a wider reputation. Spragg had his book bought by Hollywood, and the spin on the film AN UNFINISHED LIFE was pretty decent, although I haven't seen it yet.
HAMLET'S DRESSER and FIFTY ACRES AND A POODLE had me in tears more than once - as did BREAKING CLEAN. There still are pages Judy Blunt's book which I'm not sure I could read again, or even talk about with an "unfoggy" voice. PLAINSONG is just breathtakingly beautiful, in my opinion, and Haruf's sequel EVENTIDE is also worth looking into.
Well, I've given you booklists to check out. Happy reading, and let me know what you think!
Woodstock
1999
Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver - fiction
Maus - Art Spiegelman - graphic novel
Passage to Juneau - Jonathan Raban - memoir
Stones from the River - Ursela Hegi - fiction
Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt - memoir
2000
Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood - fiction
Motherless Brooklyn - Jonathan Lethem - mystery
Plainsong - Kent Haruf - fiction
First Comes Love - Marian Winik - memoir
Pope Joan - Donna Cross - fiction(?)
2001
The Color of Water - James McBride - memoir
Soul Mountain - Gao Xingjian - fiction
Silent Joe - T Jefferson Parker - mystery
Shape of Snakes - Minette Walters = mystery
Our Lady of the Lost & Found - Diane Schoemperlen - fiction
2002
Hamlet's Dresser - Bob Smith - memoir
Breaking Clean - Judy Blunt - memoir
Seabiscuit = Laura Hillenbrand - non fiction
Hell's Kitchen - Chris Niles - mystery
Prodigal Summer - Barbara Kingsolver - fiction
2003
Small Town - Lawrence Block - mystery
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon - fiction
Fifty Acres and a Poodle - Jean Laskas - memoir
Land that Moves, Land that Stands Still - Kent Nelson - fiction
The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri - fiction
2004
Dogs of Babel - Carolyn Parkhurst - fiction
Waiting for Snow in Havana - Carlos Eire - memoir
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini - fiction
An Unfinished Life - Mark Spragg - fiction
Shadow Divers - Robert Kurson - non fiction
2005
Prince of Thieves - Chuck Hogan - mystery
A Tale of Love and Darkness - Amos Oz - memoir
Drive - James Sallis - mystery
Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince - J K Rowling - fantasy
In the Lake of the Woods - Tim O'Brien - fiction
Best Overall (past seven years)
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon
A Tale of Love and Darkness - Amos Oz
Plainsong - Kent Haruf
Breaking Clean - Judy Blunt
The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri
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