If we're gonna be frank, a disproportionate number of this year's "buzz" books proved rather unbuzzworthy. It did, however, make it that much easier to weed through the superfluous fluff, and lo and behold, we had ourselves something akin to the proverbial Christmas miracle...
We 3 wise women agreed, these be the best of 2010:
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
This nailbiting thriller is sadistically addictive from start to finish. And, just when you think you've got it all figured out...
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Exquisitely written & meticulously researched, this book is guaranteed thought-provoker, no matter your interests (medicine, genetics, ethics, race relations etc.) If this one doesn't stiumulate some serious contemplation, you seriously need a boob tube hiatus.
The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris
A middle aged man afflicted with the compulsion to run (and run and run) does unique a protagonist make. Unnamed is a seriously strange & simultaneously sad story of a family ravaged by a mysterious illness. It's sure to stick with you.
Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King Jr., and the International Hunt for His Assassin by Hampton Sides
The assassination of MLK has been done before. It's never been done like this.
Room by Emma Donoghue
Readers who enter Room will encounter a story of survival in captivity and its subsequent release as recounted by a 5-year-old. Disturbingly realistic, yet impossible to put down.
Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian
by Avi Steinberg
Call us biased, but any book with a line like, "Pimps make the best librarians" is an absolute must-read. So, no matter your vice--thugs, thieves, or Jew boy geeks--go ahead, do the jailhouse rock!
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Hailed by Entertainment Weekly as "a frequently dazzling piece of layer-cake metafiction," we agree. Plus, there's really cool PowerPoint. Just trust us.
Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert
Not the "megajumbo international bestseller" that was Eat, Pray, Love, the "once bitten, twice shy," (and ultimately happy-to-be-hitched once again) Gilbert thoughtfully explores the making of a marriage within the greater sociocultural context.
The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors by Michele Young-Stone
We were struck by this luminescent debut novel that follows the lives of two people who are forever changed by lightning strikes. The parallel stories, quirky characters, & curious path convergence will keep you turning the pages.
Unbroken: A World War 2 Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
by Laura Hillenbrand
Heartwarming, horrifying, and historically rich, Unbroken is an ode to our men of days gone by. The tale of a true American icon, Louie Zamperini--a juvenile delinquent-turned-Olympic runner-turned-Army hero--is the perfect book for anyone looking for some serious inspiration.
We 3 wise women agreed, these be the best of 2010:
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
This nailbiting thriller is sadistically addictive from start to finish. And, just when you think you've got it all figured out...
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Exquisitely written & meticulously researched, this book is guaranteed thought-provoker, no matter your interests (medicine, genetics, ethics, race relations etc.) If this one doesn't stiumulate some serious contemplation, you seriously need a boob tube hiatus.
The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris
A middle aged man afflicted with the compulsion to run (and run and run) does unique a protagonist make. Unnamed is a seriously strange & simultaneously sad story of a family ravaged by a mysterious illness. It's sure to stick with you.
Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King Jr., and the International Hunt for His Assassin by Hampton Sides
The assassination of MLK has been done before. It's never been done like this.
Room by Emma Donoghue
Readers who enter Room will encounter a story of survival in captivity and its subsequent release as recounted by a 5-year-old. Disturbingly realistic, yet impossible to put down.
Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian
by Avi Steinberg
Call us biased, but any book with a line like, "Pimps make the best librarians" is an absolute must-read. So, no matter your vice--thugs, thieves, or Jew boy geeks--go ahead, do the jailhouse rock!
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Hailed by Entertainment Weekly as "a frequently dazzling piece of layer-cake metafiction," we agree. Plus, there's really cool PowerPoint. Just trust us.
Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert
Not the "megajumbo international bestseller" that was Eat, Pray, Love, the "once bitten, twice shy," (and ultimately happy-to-be-hitched once again) Gilbert thoughtfully explores the making of a marriage within the greater sociocultural context.
The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors by Michele Young-Stone
We were struck by this luminescent debut novel that follows the lives of two people who are forever changed by lightning strikes. The parallel stories, quirky characters, & curious path convergence will keep you turning the pages.
Unbroken: A World War 2 Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
by Laura Hillenbrand
Heartwarming, horrifying, and historically rich, Unbroken is an ode to our men of days gone by. The tale of a true American icon, Louie Zamperini--a juvenile delinquent-turned-Olympic runner-turned-Army hero--is the perfect book for anyone looking for some serious inspiration.
