My Previous Best Books:
2001,
2002,
2003,
2004,
2005,
2006,
2007.
I read 18 books last year, with one I finished on the very last day of the year:
Outliers![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ricksramblings-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0316017922)
, by Malcolm Gladwell. I like the list. A nice mix of fiction and non-fiction.
My favorite non-fiction was
The Outlaw Sea![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ricksramblings-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007D9VDC)
, by William Langewiesche. This book explores the open sea, and its inhospitable nature. There are pirates, storms, and descriptions of ships as they're being disassembled for parts. I felt it blended in well with
Uncommon Carriers![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ricksramblings-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0865477396)
, by John McPhee, which I read later in the year (and which was my second favorite).
Honorable mentions:
Ball Four![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ricksramblings-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0020306652)
(Jim Bouton),
Hammer of the Gods![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ricksramblings-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0061473081)
(Stephen Davis).
My favorite fiction was
Then We Came to the End![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ricksramblings-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=031601639X)
. This is a novel set in a modern workplace, and it concerns itself with petty rumors, office politics, and layoffs. In other words, it's a fiction of the lives led by many people in the white-collar world. It has a lot of spot-on observations, and a tricky literary point of view (it's told from the first person plural ("We saw him come out of the elevator"), with a brief interlude to take on another character's point of view). This was Joshua Ferris' first novel, and it's a winner.
Honorable mentions:
Tree of Smoke![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ricksramblings-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0312427743)
(Denis Johnson),
American Pastoral![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ricksramblings-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0375701427)
(Philip Roth),
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ricksramblings-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0194792226)
(
Philip K. Dick).
I plan to read the Malcolm Gladwell book and will read the office politics novel you recommended.
ReplyDeleteCheck out shelfari.com and librarything.com. They allow you to keep track of a virtual bookcase. I've been on shelfari and I keep track of the books I've raad as well as books I'm planning to read via the site. Here's to more great books in 2009.
Great post Rick. I will definitely be following a couple of your recommendations.
ReplyDeleteMike H (fellow Arlingtonian :))