Book List

I met my goal of reading at least 12 books this year. It's far fewer than I'd like or really aspire to, but it's progress. Next year I hope to keep increasing my numbers.

Back before Good Reads was a site, I kept track of the books I read in a word document on my computer. With that and GR, here is my list of the best books I read in the last decade that I would read again in an instant. It's been some good reading. These are not necessarily published in the last decade, but just the best of what was in my hands in those ten years.

Angle of Repose - my mom's favorite book, and so thus, I love it too. It is simply a wonderfully told story of family, love, and land.

Everything is Illuminated - my favorite author and a ridiculously impressive first novel.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - a ridiculously strong follow-up to Illuminated

Botany of Desire - Pollan's best, in my opinion.

The Man Who Loved Only Numbers - I read a bunch of this book while on in the training room during the fall of my senior year in college. Hard to believe that was also in this decade. I'm a math nerd through and through and when I read about Ruth-Aaron numbers, I was in heaven.

Blue Highways - the book that made me want to explore the world. And the book that reminds me to accept myself.

It's Not About The Bike - I love reading about my heroes. This was the book that put Lance on that list.

Me Talk Pretty One Day - Sedaris made me one of his followers with this book, the first of his that I read.

Into The Wild - I read this is the summer of 2000, when I returned to being a reader (after 7 years of hating reading, mostly brought on by lack of interest in my assigned school reading and uninspiring English teachers). I believe this is Krakauer's finest. He tells this story so neatly and passionately.

Pre - I love books about my heroes and Steve Prefontaine inspires me to this day.

Honorable Mention (books I wouldn't read again, but still such great reads)

Monkey Wrench Gang - this book isn't a book I'd read again, but I just loved reading it at the time. I think those are the books I remember best...the ones I couldn't put down.

Life of Pi - it took me a few tries to get into this book, so it's barely making this list, but I really liked the story in the end. It's fun when at the end of the book you understand what the author was trying to do at the beginning.

Mountains Beyond Mountains - Tracy Kidder. Paul Farmer. Fantastic.