In one of my few blog traditions, I present my year in books. If there is one thing I like more than reading books, it is talking about books.
First, the raw list...
)1 Blind Man's Bluff - Sherry Sontag, Christopher Drew, and Annette Drew
2) Cat's Eye - Margaret Atwood
3) Big Box Swindle - Stacy Mitchell
4) Strapped - Tamara Draut
5) Blame It On The Rain - Laura Lee
6)Spook - Mary Roach
7) Ransom - Jay McInerney
8) The Last King of Scotland - Giles Foden
9) Man Without a Country - Kurt Vonnegut
10) Cod - Mark Kurlansky
11) God's Politics - Jim Wallis
12) Stories Rabbits Tell - Susan E. Davis and Margo Demello
13) Platypus - Ann Moyal
14) The Big Oyster - Mark Kurlansky
15) The Food Chain - Geoff Nicholson
16) Perfect Circle - Sean Stewart
17) Rant - Chuck Palahniuk
18) Suburban Safari - Hannah Holmes
19) The Demon in The Freezer - Richard Preston
20) In Persuasion Nation - George Saunders
21) Glamorama - Bret Easton Ellis
22) Snowcrash - Neal Stephenson
23) Sandworms of Dune - Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
24) The Three Only Things - Robert Moss
25) Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See
26) Reefer Madness - Eric Schlosser
27) The Braindead Megaphone - George Saunders
28) Songbook - Nick Hornby
29) Watership Down - Richard Adams
30) Reservation Blues - Sherman Alexie
31) Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer
32) Schulz and Peanuts - David Michaelis
33) The United States of Arugula - David Kamp
34) Rosemary's Baby - Ira Levin
35) The Stepford Wives - Ira Levin
36) A Guinea Pig's History of Biology - Jim Endersby
I always try to shoot for fifty books a year, but I now realized that was a lofty goal. I cheated on my old lists, counting those books I read for school. Not textbooks, of course, but those paperbacks professors put in syllabi. Botany of Desire for Science Writing? Frankenstein in Science Fiction? Stone Butch Blues in Personal Essay? Well, alright!
Amanda told me that at a conference she attended, one of the speakers cited a study that found "genius" level people read, at least, 23 books a year. I'm no genius, but it's good to know that I can apply for the club. Look at my list, guys! 36 books! No, I don't know the 500th digit of Pi, but 36 books! Woo!
The book club fizzled out this year after folks moved away or, myself included, took on extra work. I still remember the first meeting in Stewart Park, looking for the lawn chair with a hand-drawn sign reading "Ithaca Book Club." Some really great reads, especially books that I would have never picked up; particularly Perfect Circle by Sean Stewart, which is on the list. I hope everyone from the club continues to read and enjoy!
Other notables books on the list include...
Rant by Chuck Palahniuk for making me want to puke. And in the purely biological sense, mind you. A great read, albeit not my favorite Palahniuk books. I understand how Palahniuk's previous book, Haunted, made folks queasy. Legend says that several folks passed out while he read an excerpt of it. Cannibalism, doll raping, and dangerous masturbating never got me as queasy as Rant's "toiletery swarm" and the boy that can tell each girl in town from her used tampons and each man from the leftovers in a condom's reservoir tip. ACK! FREAK OUT!
Strapped by Tamara Draut for showing me I'm not alone. Forget the aging boomers and old-timers that say use Generation-Y 20 and 30-somethings have it easy. And that's all I will say because I can feel myself get into rant mood. I'm too close to the subject of the "starving young professional." I will not do the book justice by ranting. Please read it, especially if you a parent that doesn't understand why we can't get jobs with health care or vacation time.
Stories Rabbits Tell by Susan E. Davis and Margo Demello and Watership Down by Richard Adams because I love rabbits. Guinea pigs, too!
Schulz and Peanuts by David Michaelis for being the best read of the year. I looked forward for this book about the iconic strip. I learned English by watching those animated Peanuts episodes and I had that damn Snoopy Snow Cone maker that never worked! Michaelis works in strips to chronicle Schulz's life and the humor still rings true. Charlie Brown as this everyman who asked why can't we be happy or just get it. Considering that both Ronald Regan and the 60's counter culture considered Peanuts an icon speaks volumes about the strip's intelligence and observation.
Most interesting is Schulz himself who comes off as conflicted in the book. Incredibly determined and aggressive, yet he never understood why people liked his work so much. Worldly, but terrified of leaving Minnesota and, later on, California. Haunted by his parents; who never believed cartooning would amount to anything, yet inspired his strips. Introverted, yet he never denied an interview request from any reporter or author. Wary of commercialization, but unable to empathize with the exploited factory workers that made the products. Proto-father to an entire generation of modern cartoonists. He hated Garfield and snubbed Jim Davis, who just wanted Schulz's approval. So did Cathy Guisewite of the Cathy strip. He freaked out at Lynne Johnston of For Better of For Worse when she ran by the idea of killing the Patterson's family dog. (Quick aside: Unlike most comics, For Better of For Worse, is told in real-time. Hence, character's age and most dogs just don't live twenty something years). Schulz threatened to kill of Snoopy, just to eclipse the weight and media hype of what he believed was a dumb move on Johnston's part.
Understandably, some of the Schulz children have taken offense at the later parts of the biography. Particularly Schulz's idea on love and affection. He feel in love quickly, ending his first marriage by dating a woman almost twenty-years his younger. Yet, he felt he could never love anyone back, having been denied that by his own mother. From the book alone, you would imagine he never loved his kids! Instead, he just liked them. It is wonderful that the Schulz children have warm memories of their father and want to protect his legacy. However, Michaelis counters the idea that Schulz was this happy old man filled with love for animals and small children. As his strips represented an American generation, he had to be an equally diverse man. Kowtowing to the master narrative of this American icon would be a disservice.
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY READING IN 2008!
Peace!
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