Washoe County Library @ GoodReads discussion

I've been waiting to ask this question for weeks: Turi, what's the best book you read in 2011?

It is a tie between "Before I Go To Sleep" and "Midwife's Confession". I couldn't put either one down.

By far, my favorite in 2011 is Vincent: the Life, a new, ehaustive biography of Vincent Van Gogh. Though it is 953 pages, I could hardly make myself go to Christmas functions because I wanted to stay home and read. Extremely well written, it examines every facet of Vincent's life and the art each inspired.

Wow, tough. In fiction I'd have to say Reamde by Neal Stephenson, with Ernest Cline's Ready Player One a close second. As far as non-fiction, I read a bunch of pretty-good stuff, but the only real standout was Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks by Ken Jennings. (This year I read about 70% non-fiction.)

What was your favorite, John?

http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/G312...

Here are USA Today critics' favorite books to read from 2011.

To The Lighthouse. I read it for the second time. It just keeps getting better...richer and more and more thought-provoking.

My tops is Decoded by Jay-Z. More to it than a 5-layer dip. It's part song/lyric dissection and commentary, part primary source hip-hop history, part urban anthropological study. And it has the look of an art book. Jay-Z is intelligent and articulate. Awesome design, layout, and photography. The ebook version looks awesome as well and has bonus material. It's also kind of expensive so its perfect to get at the library.

Grace wrote: "Dianne wrote: "To The Lighthouse. I read it for the second time. It just keeps getting better...richer and more and more thought-provoking."

Dianne,
I found a few Hattie the Doll books in Bo..."

Grace, Fantastic! I will check in with you at the library. You mean the Incline library, right?

Dianne wrote: "To The Lighthouse. I read it for the second time. It just keeps getting better...richer and more and more thought-provoking."

Dianne...I have not read this Virginia Woolf book and you have inspired me to pick it up. Thanks!

Take your time with it, and it will all come together.

A patron recommended that Juliet Stevenson's narration of To The Lighthouse is top notch.

John wrote: "A patron recommended that Juliet Stevenson's narration of To The Lighthouse is top notch."

Thanks...I will give it a listen and save my eyes! BB

Actually, just found out the Stevenson narrated CD book is abridged and I am a little snobby about reading the author's books in total...no abridgments for me! WCLS does own copies of unabridged CD's so I will go that route.

I just finished Stephen King's "11/22/63," and I very much enjoyed it.

My favourite book of 2011 was Drood by Dan Simmons. It was a massive 976 pages that took me forever to read because I didn't have the time. However it was an amazingly cleaver book for anyone who loves either Charles Dickens or Victorian era style.

Alkatraz wrote: "My favourite book of 2011 was Drood by Dan Simmons. It was a massive 976 pages that took me forever to read because I didn't have the time. However it was an amazingly ..."

Thanks for the recommendation, I'm going to check Dan Simmons out, it sounds pretty interesting!

2011 was my year for reading Young Adult books and some were just horrible, many were mediocre and a few were excellent such as "Staying Fat for Sara Byrnes, "Feed" and "The Hunger Games"(series) I did manage to read a few excellent adult books such as "Middlesex" and "Her Fearful Symmetry". I also read a lot of Virginia Wolf, Sylvia Plath, Charlotte Perkins, etc. for my Women's Lit class. Really great!

Julie wrote: "2011 was my year for reading Young Adult books and some were just horrible, many were mediocre and a few were excellent such as "Staying Fat for Sara Byrnes, "Feed" and "The Hunger Games"(series) I..."

Julie...I love everything Chris Crutcher has written including his autobiography a few years ago. I actually met him one year when he spoke at a conference in Reno. Great man, great books. BB

That is cool. Ok, his other books are now on my list to read. Thanks!