Read 50 books in 2009.

30. House of Spirits and Whispers, Annie Wilder
Wonderful book full of hauntings and wonder. Very entertaining and educating.

I ended with book 30 this year. In an attempt to remain positive and throw my usual self-critical self to the wind, I will be continuing with my ‘50 in ‘09’, I plan to reach 50 by June 1, 2010. Meaning I have 20 more books to do in 6 months, which will still exceed my average of 15 in 6 mo. this year. Happy new year and happy goal reaching to all!

27. The Little Book of Letting Go, Hugh Prather
Good book with good concepts. Although, I find all ‘self-help’ books hard to implement after completion. But if you find you just can’t let go of some things in your life that are toxic… it’s worth the read.

28. Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates
Definitely a classic. Such a relatable story of young love, or a young family. Full of vivid raw emotion. A must read.

29. The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman
I came to read this book after it had been recommended to me by a friend, co-worker, and client. I think this may be the most simplistic writing to positively effect you and those around you. It’s simply theory on understanding of you and your partners expression/receiving of love. If experiencing any routine woes and frustrations in your relationship, please read this book. Do know (because I didn’t) that it’s found under Christian writings but the theory of the book is not faith based.

26. I Like You, Amy Sedaris
Good, honest funny stuff. Makes me want to whip out my Strangers with Candy DVDs and surround myself with all else Sedaris.

25. Disquiet, Julia Leigh

“A powerful and disquieting novella, a work of fiction so infused with the practices of film that, while each scene is fully and even vividly realized in words, it also translates quite naturally into film, into a visually rich action taking place before the inner eye.”
-J.M. Coetzee, Nobel Prize-winning author of DISGRACE

...and it is only 120 pages!

24. The Dew Breaker, Edwidge Danticat
The author has a beautifully tied together depiction of a struggle with society and one’s self. Reminiscent of my previous reads of A Thousand Splendid Suns and Kite Runner.

22. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
An amazing work of literature. Again, I don’t know how I went through high school without reading this one BUT do not think I would have had near the appreciation.

23. Ecstasy, Irvine Welsh
I wasn’t kidding by saying any suggestions welcome. A story much unlike the previously listed. Was a hand-me-down from a co-worker taking a modern romance in writing course. Definitely a modern (drug induced) romance, entertaining.

21. Night, Elie Wiesel
A personal testimony of life/death in a concentration camp.

“A slim volume of terrifying power”- The New York Times
“Wiesel has taken his own anguish and imaginatively metamorphosed it into art.”- Curt Leviant, Saturday Review
“As a human document, Night is almost unbearably painful, and certainly beyond criticism.”- A. Alvarez, Commentary

A must read, so much is told, and in not much more than 100 pages!

19. Fugitives and Refugees, Chuck Palahniuk
Not a huge fan of this work of non-fiction. Although visiting Portland now would fascinate me.

20. A Wolf at the Table, Augusten Burroughs
A favorite author, this piece of work is much more tragic than funny. The description does capture you nonetheless.

18. Haunted, Chuck Palahniuk
Have I mentioned that Palahniuk books tend to have sweet cover designs? This one glows in the dark… the book amazing… the afterword, truth. Indulge will you?

”... A motion picture, or music, or television, they have to maintain a certain decorum in order to be broadcast to a vast audience. Other forms of mass media cost too much to produce to risk reaching only a limited audience. Only one person. But a book…. A book is cheap to print and bind. A book it as private and consensual as sex. A book takes time and effort to consume- something that gives a reader every chance to walk away. Actually, so few people make the effort to read that it’s difficult to call books a “mass medium.” No one really gives a damn about books. No one has bothered to ban a book in decades.
But, if you want the freedom to go anywhere, talk about anything, then write books.
These are the places that only books can go.
This is the advantage that books still have. This is why I write.”

...and why we read, beautiful isn’t it?

17. Rant, Chuck Palahniuk
Either they keep getting better or I’m on a Palahniuk binge high… and on to Haunted.