Best Reads of 2010

I committed adultery this year. Literary adultery.

My love of books began in a Brooklyn public library on New Lots Avenue when borrowed books were tracked by a stamped card slipped inside a jacket inside the back cover. We were officially married when I was twelve and discovered Animal Farm and To Kill a Mockingbird.

But for the past few months, I’ve been carrying on pretty hot and heavy with a Kindle. My love of books was tested by my love of gadgetry. I was courted by sample chapters and the instant gratification factor – a sexy, pink, leather cover didn’t help matters.

I’ve actually read more this year because of the Kindle. If someone recommended a book, I no longer had to find the time to get to the library or bookstore. Within three minutes of hearing about a book – about the length of time it took me to get to my laptop or Kindle – I’d have it.

Don’t worry, I’m still buying books and I’ve purchased several since getting a Kindle. After all, a Kindle on a bookshelf by itself is a pretty sad sight.

Here are the best books I’ve read this year (in no particular order):

• In The Woods by Tana French:  After reading the first few pages in which French beautifully describes the look, feel, and smell of a summer day that three children go missing in the woods of a Dublin suburb, I said, “I want to write like this when I grow up.” The missing children are one of two mysteries in Woods. Twenty years after the disappearance, a young girl is murdered in the same woods. Detective Rob Ryan and his partner, Cassie Maddox work the case, looking for a possible connection between the two tragedies, while holding on to the secret that Ryan may be the key to solving both. French’s tale is equal parts murder mystery, police procedural (my favorite genre), and psychological thriller. I cannot wait to dive into the follow-up, The Likeness.

• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith: This was such a fun read. I was most impressed by how much research went into making sure the fantasy meshed with factual history. In Smith’s world, and according to our 16^th president’s own detailed diaries, vampires played a crucial role in the birth of our nation and provided the real reason The Civil War was waged. Smith’s book is well-written, funny, and scary – a true page-turner (I read it via hardcover, not Kindle). It also has a nice twist ending that I had to read twice.

• The Passage by Justin Cronin – I hesitate to say too much about the plot of this book because I went into it blind, and found that as the story unfolded, it was more enjoyable that way. I also suggested this book to many of my friends who also read it not knowing what to expect.  So, what can I say without giving anything away? Think: The Stand or The Walking Dead. I thought the storytelling and writing were stronger in the beginning and end of the book, while I found the middle a bit sluggish. The ending wasn’t as satisfying as I’d have liked, but it’s the first in a trilogy so I know resolution is coming.

Honorable Mention:

• Under the Dome by Stephen King – It’s not really fair to add UTD to the list above since I’m currently reading it. It’s a whopper of a book that I first got from the library when it debuted. I took one look at it and knew I wouldn’t finish it before it was due back. So, I bought it. Then I bought it again on the Kindle after trying to read the hardcover in bed resulted in me dropping it on my head. As usual, King takes a look into the minds and hearts of small town Maine folk when shit hits the fan. In this case, the fan spattering takes the form of a clear dome that mysteriously drops over the town of Chesters Mill, cutting it off from the rest of the world.

Now, I don’t want to do a “Worst of…” because the whole idea is to support books, but I gotta tell you the “Everyone Raved, But I Just Didn’t Get It” award goes to the only two books that I ever put down without finishing (or, in this case, put in the “Unfinished” folder of my Kindle).

• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson – Holy crap. I was VERY excited to read this book and it was my first Kindle purchase (actually, that might have been The Passage, but I bought it for the Kindle PC app before I bought the Kindle so, might not count…). I couldn’t hear enough about how awesome the book was and how badass Lisbeth Salander (said girl with said tattoo) was. Then I started it… and fell asleep. Literally. Everyone said I wouldn’t be able to put it down, but I couldn’t wait to put it down. Larrson could have taken notes from someone like Tana French who managed to write about Dublin in a way that was interesting and easy to visualize. Every time Larrson wrote about parts of Sweden, I had to fight to keep my eyes open. And don’t even get me started on the political double dealing and corporate misbehavior that sets up the main character’s, Mikeal Blomkvist, conflict. Let’s just say my eyes glazed over, and there might have been drool. Blomkvist is hired by some rich dude to solve the disappearance (murder?) of his favorite niece from like, a bazillion years ago. But before he gets to sleuthing, we’re treated to pages and pages of Nazi family history that provoked a headache and snores. I pretty much stopped after that. I did watch the Swedish movie (subtitled) on Netflix instant viewing and enjoyed that. I suppose Lisbeth could be considered badass to some, but I didn’t see it. It was super violet. Like Silence of the Lambs hopped up on meth and PCP. The Swedish movie to the follow up, “The Girl Who Played With Fire,” is also on my Netflix instant viewing queue. I’ll get around to watching it soon. The books, though? Not so much.

• Freedom by Jonathan Franzen – Now, this book wasn’t AS bad and I did manage to get over 80% done before putting it down AND I will eventually go back to it as I do want to know how it ends. I just don’t think it lived up to the massive Oprah-level hype. No doubt, Franzen is a great writer, but I blame him for some of the trying-too-hard writing out there. You know, people using ten dollar words when a buck will do, or using words like “whilst.” Really? One of my favorite things to do when reading on the Kindle is using the dictionary feature to immediately get the definition of words I don’t know, then highlighting them and bookmarking the page. Whilst (see!) reading most books, this may happen four or five times overall. While reading Freedom it happened three times… every two pages. Why is it so hard to write well AND tell an engaging story? If I have to stop every few paragraphs and feel bad about my education, you’re taking me out of the story! While it has some very good moments, I found myself not liking the characters very much. There’s a cheating, neurotic wife, a spoiled son, a spineless husband, and an unfaithful best friend. I couldn’t root for anyone! And like GWTDT, it occasionally went on long tangents that were both confusing and boring.

What are some of the books you read this year that you really enjoyed? Maybe they’ll make it on my 12 of 2011 List next week. I’m pledging to read 12 specific titles in the year 2011, one for each month.