Five good books I read in 2003

[Skinner]

About a month ago I asked for book recommendations from DU members, and I really appreciate the response I received. I have a great reading list to choose from over the next few months.

Now that the end of the year is fast approaching, I thought it would be fun for us to share some good books you read during the past year. They don't have to be new books, and you don't have to list exactly five. I just thought five was a good number for me.

So, in alphabetical order, here are five good books I read in 2003.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon (2003) -- This is a sweet little book written from the perspective of a "high-functioning" autistic boy. It is both endearing and heartbreaking. What I found interesting was how the reader can often understand what going on when the narrator himself does not and cannot understand.

The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown (2003) -- I'm no biblical scholar, so I can't tell you whether the mystery at the center of this book is based on fact. Sure is an interesting mystery though. And this is the most exciting, edge-of-your-seat thriller I have read in years. I simply could not sleep, eat, or work -- I couldn't put it down -- until I was done.

The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman (1999) -- I know, it's supposed to be a children's book. But I enjoyed Harry Potter so much that I decided to try another children's fantasy series. This was a much smarter book than Harry Potter, and to be honest, I think much of it would go way over the heads of young readers. It's the story of a girl, Lyra, who is called to fulfill a task and go on a fantastic adventure. A very interesting allegory about the church and the power it wields over people.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling (2003) -- You've all read this book already, so I don't really need to explain it.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee (1963) -- I think we read this in seventh grade, but I didn't appreciate it or remember it. This was simply the best book I read this year. Emotionally engaging on so many levels, this book is sweet and sad. At the center of the book is the the relationship between Atticus Finch, the southern small-town lawyer defending a black man accused of rape, and his young daughter Scout. If you've never read it, you need to read it.

Pompeii, by Richard Harris (2003) -- I like historical fiction that introduces me to civilizations unlike my own. I enjoyed this short visit to the Roman Empire just before Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii. It's certainly not the greatest book ever, but it was quick and relatively exciting to read.

Whoops... That's six. There you go. Merry Christmas.

[southerngirlwriter]

1. To Kill A Mockingbird is a great one to get on unabridged audio.

Your local library should have it in the audiobooks section. I've heard it done by many readers -- the best so far was "Roses Prichard" (weird name, great reader).

[southerngirlwriter]

2. Five Great Books this year

Papa Married A Mormon, by John D. Fitzgerald. This is the same guy who wrote the children's series called "The Great Brain." It takes place in late 19th century Utah and is the story of people who built the West. Wonderful, engaging, fun, funny, heartbreaking.

Fall On Your Knees, by Ann-Marie MacDonald. This is a family epic that will rip your heart out, change it forever, and give it back to you.

The Cider House Rules, by John Irving. A wonderful story about an orphan and the choices we all have to make in life -- what's comfortable, or what's right.

The Storyteller, by Arthur Reid. The tale of a man who publishes his dead friend's fantastic novels under his own name. Funny, satiric, and engaging all at once.

Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, by Al Franken. God bless him. Pray for him every day. We need him. America needs him. Brilliant, funny, interesting book. And the unabridged audio, which I received for Christmas, is stellar.

[Skinner]

6. Cider House Rules -- A great book.

If you haven't read A Prayer for Owen Meaney I highly recommend it. I think it is his best.

[southerngirlwriter]

8. Oh, yes!

Owen is so real to me that I think of him when I see a small person or hear someone with an odd voice. I have to remind myself that he was a character in a book.

[Robb]

3. Nope, nope, nope...

No way are you gonna convince me you had time to run this joint and read 5 books... c'mon, which was it? Cliff's Notes or Executive Summaries? :silly:

[southerngirlwriter]

5. Hey, Robb!

Have you voted in my Harry Potter poll? I made an option just for you. :-) Merry Christmas.

[jbfam4]

4. thanks for posting this

You just solved one of my hard to buy for people with the DaVinci code. He has studied Theology, the bible for 50 years so I am sure he will love it. Thanks, Skinner. Merry Christmas..

[mac56]

7. Here's mine:

1. Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, by Al Franken. I can only echo the comments of southerngirlwriter.

2. An Hour Before Daylight: Memoirs of a Rural Boyhood, by Jimmy Carter. A great social history, and an excellent portrait of a man I greatly admire.

3. WLT: A Radio Romance, by Garrison Keillor. This was the book that I couldn't put down until I finished. It made me laugh fiendishly many, many times, and then on the very next page cry like I had lost my best friend.

4. The Last Lone Inventor, by Evan I. Schwartz. Subtitled "A Tale of Genius, Deceit, and the Birth of Television". I've read a few books about Philo Farnsworth and the invention of TV. This one highlights the dastardly machinations of "General" David Sarnoff and RCA, and how TV nearly didn't get off the ground.

5. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. I re-read it every year or so, and get something new out of it each time. It's still not my favorite Vonnegut - Cat's Cradle gets that nod - but it's an amazing work that rewards repeated readings.

[Skinner]

9. My favorite vonnegut is also Cat's Cradle.

But Slaughterhouse five is also excellent.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

19. Have you read Galapagos?

Between Galapagos and Deadeye Dick, you have the entire Bush administration profile :D

[SheilaT]

10. I want to recommend three books

all by the same author, because I don't want them to linger in obscurity.

The author is Alison McGhee, and the books are "Rainlight", "Shadow Baby", and "Was It Beautiful?" They all take place in Northern New York State, north of Utica, which is the exact area I grew up in. She even has people driving up and down Glass Factory Road, which is the road we lived on many years ago. All of the books are sad and hopeful, about real lives that don't turn out quite the way as had been hoped.

"Rainlight" is the story of a woman, Crystal, and her handicapped son Johnny, and the life she's built as a single mother raising the boy she pretends is her nephew.

"Shadow Baby" is about an 11 year old girl named Clara winter (she doesn't capitalize her last name) who befriends and elderly immigrant as part of an oral history project for school. Clara was born a twin, but her sister died at birth. Her father was never around and her mother won't tell her anything about him.

"Was it Beautiful?" is the story of William T Jones and how his life unravels after the death of his only son, William J Jones.

All of the books move back and forth in time, slowly revealing the inner lives and ultimate truths of them. I hope at least one person who reads this post reads these books.

[felonious thunk]

11. I was into classics this year

Read (or re-read) a couple that I liked a lot: really enjoyed The Jungle, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Struggled through Magic Mountain, Ulysses, Lord Jim.

Also did my yearly reading of The Dharma Bums.

[terryg11]

12. can I suggest one or two?

one I haven't read yet but my wife thoroughly enjoyed is Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. IF you are a greenie or nature lover, sounds like this is a book for you.

How to Survive a Zombie Attack by Max Brooks (son of Mel). this is a hundred and some page oddity. reads like one of those how to books but it's totally tongue in cheek!!! For the monty python lovers out there probably.

nthing else majr, kept my reading light this year

[UrbScotty]

13. Nonfiction (unfortunately)

It's Still the Economy, Stupid - Paul Begala was actually able to compile the first two years of Duh-bya's administration into under 200 pages! It is a year old, but still, it has many good talking points to convince undecided voters of the GOP economic record. If you're a volunteer or a congressional candidate, you are required by law to buy this book!

[Zuni]

14. 5 for me

1. Sideshow by William Shawcross---concentrates on the invasion of Cambodia in the Vietnam war, but is the best book on Vietnam I have ever read.

2. Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell

3. An Army at Dawn by Rick Atkinson---the best history of the Torch landings and the North African Campaign in WWII that exists

4. Battle for Berlin by Antony Beevor---Beevor is a first class writer. His books on Stalingrad, Crete and the Spanish Civil War are also on my shelves.

5. The Russian Revolution: A People's Tragedy by Orlando Figes---incredible history of the Russian Revolution

[gator_in_Ontario]

15. My top 5

Dude, Where's My Country?, Lies and the Lying Liars That Tell Them, The DaVinci Codes, From a Buick 8, She's Come Undone.

[Cheswick2.0]

16. ugh, I have read nothing but text books for three years!

I did enjoy the one on Education psychology. Poor me! I hope to read real books again one day.

[KadeCarrion]

17. I have three: the Lord of the Rings trilogy

Very interesting to compare with the movies. I'm glad I finally read them. Now I need to go back and the Hobbit another go (I read it for school when I was much younger, and couldn't get past chapter eight or so, no matter how hard I tried). :shrug:

[beyurslf]

18. 5 Good Books

1. Nickel and Dimed

2. Living History

3. Madame Secretary

4. Lying Lies

5. The Clinton Wars

[Tracer]

20. Oh hey, Skinner!

I just read "Pompeii" a couple of days ago! Loved the descriptions of the Augusta and the vivid scenes of the eruption.

Call me weird, but I've read

"The Age of Sacred Terror"
"Big Lies"
"Lying Liars..."
"The Lies of George Bush"

and any other anti-smirk book I can get my hands on.

Obsessed much?

[Breezy du Nord]

21. I read the Golden Compass trilogy in 7th grade

I just read them again because there was a lot of stuff I missed, to be honest. They're very good books, but I always thought them more young adult than children.

[Zomby Woof]

22. Zomby's Top 5

"Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West", by Stephen Ambrose. This is a good way to begin your scholarship on the Lewis & Clark expedition, and doubly serves as a biography of the tragic Meriwether Lewis. Ambrose is fair - he doesn't sugarcoat the less heroic sides of the explorers, so it keeps the abundant praise from reaching hagiographic levels. A very telling lesson is how Indian policy was misguided from the start. Jefferson was under the impression that Lewis could get a trade federation going with friendly tribes, and pit their rivalries and alliances amongst them to America's advantage. Not unlike how we are playing dice with Iraq and the Middle East and their tribal rivalries. What have we learned in 200 years?

"A Necessary Evil: A History of American Distrust of Government", by Garry Wills. I highly recommend this. Wills breaks down the underlying causes of various strains of anti-government thoughts and actions from the Whiskey Rebellion through Waco. He also destroys with great precision the myths behind the 2nd Amendment and best of all, how Anti-Federalist (anti-Constitution) sentiments from 200 years ago fuel much of the philosophies of today's supposedly pro-Constitution groups, such as conservatives, militias, and the like.

"Leaves of Grass", Walt Whitman. My second complete reading of my favorite collection of poems.

"Cold Mountain", Charles Frazier. Homer's "The Odyssey" meets The Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", with an ending befitting southern fatalism. Could stand more Faulkner, and less Deliverance, in its pedigree though. Not as bad as its detractors suggest, and not as good as its accolades. I will probably see the movie anyway, just to see if they dare keep the ending intact, which would be very rare indeed for Hollywood.

"The Hobbit", J.R.R. Tolkien. Read this in 1977 when I was in 4th grade, and decided after seeing the last "Rings" installment, I better re-read, starting with the prequel. I only remember fragments, so with fresh eyes, I appreciate the playful humor more, and now read Gollum, Gandalf, Elrond, and Bilbo with the voices and faces from the movie trilogy, without compromising my imagination, which keeps my own version of Middle Earth intact - a strange and funny collaboration. I now eagerly hope Jackson can make this one for the big screen too.

Edit: typos

[LibertyBe11e]

23. All FIVE Harry Potter books...

I can't wait for #6!
I got a late start on HP. I told myself it was all hype. Then when Jerry Falwell started going off I just HAD to read them. I read them back-to-back over the summer. So did my hubby. Our daughter and grandson loves them too. I guess we are a Harry Potter family.

Lordy, I wish there really were a place like Hogwarts. I'd be there in two shakes...

[SOteric]

24. I recommend "Middlesex" the Pulitzer Prize winner,

for a fascinting and engaging look at early Detroit, and a compelling examination of gender issues relevant more today than they were in the era in which the work is set.

[La_Serpiente]

25. Some favourite books of mine

Lord of the Rings

The Diary of Anne Frank

All the Harry Potter Books

La hija de la fortuna (Daughter of Fortune) , Isabel Allende