Favorite Books of 2008

Every year I put together a list of the books I enjoyed the most during the year. This year I couldn't get it to fewer than 25 without making some decisions I just didn't want to. These are in no particular order -- just the order I read them in.

The Eyre Affair -- Jasper Fforde
I took my time getting around to this book, but I loved it. Wonderful combination of fantasy and literarism (is that a word?). Kept me awake all the way on a long flight.

The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop -- Lewis Buzbee
What a little treasure of a book. Part memoir, part history of bookselling from someone who worked at the Upstart Crow and Printers Inc. Very fast and satisfying read.

Wise Children -- Angela Carter
Story of twin sisters in England who are the illegitimate daughters of a leading Shakespearean actor. Setting is his 100th and their 75th birthday. Fresh and fun. Hard to sustain the voice for the whole book but I liked it.

Coming Up For Air -- George Orwell
Liked it but it seemed a little heavy-handed on class issues. Made me want to read all the rest of Orwell’s work though.

Learning to Drive -- Katha Pollitt
I liked most of this quite a lot. Her voice is so fresh and not what I expected from her. The stories about the Marxist circle, her issues with men she has lived with etc. -- very enjoyable.

The Collection -- Gioia Diliberto
Very fun. Told from the point of view of a young seamstress at Chanel right after World War I. Very well done.

Killing Rage -- Eamon Collins
Wow. Memoir of an IRA gunman. Gritty and almost painful to read at times.

Hons and Rebels -- Jessica Mitford
Liked this a lot. Memoir of the youth of one of the famous Mitford sisters. Very fun voice, great description of the family and the times.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao -- Junot Diaz
Loved this. Loved all the points of view and the use of Spanish. He is a wonderful writer.

Basilica -- R.A. Scotti
Chatty, gossipy history of the building of St. Peter’s.

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian -- Marina Lewycka
Set in England among a group of Ukrainian immigrants. Delightful.

The Flamenco Academy -- Sarah Bird
Story of a girl growing up in New Mexico who becomes fascinated by flamenco. Creative setting, unforgettable characters.

Loving Frank -- Nancy Horan
Story of Frank Lloyd Wright’s long-time affair with a married woman. Couldn’t put it down.

Unaccustomed Earth - Jhumpa Lahiri
Wonderful, wonderful.

Cane River -- Lalita Tademy
Very impressed by this. Fictionalized account of three generations of slave women in Louisiana based on the true family history of the author. Backed up with actual historical documents.

Two Lives -- William Trevor
He is amazing. I wish he wrote more! Reading Turgenev is chilling.

A Stopover in Venice -- Kathryn Walker
It grew on me. Story of the wife of a famous musician who "stops out" in Venice and ends up taking part in the discovery of a big art find. Of course.

Netherland -- Joseph O'Neill
Very good. About cricket in NY told from the point of view of a Dutch banker post 9-11. And a lot of the key action took place on the street where I grew up. Maybe Staten Island may still find its literary day?

Interesting Women -- Andrea Lee
Short stories about American ex-pats in Europe. Fresh, clean voice. Intriguing characters.

The Last Lecture -- Randy Pausch
I couldn’t believe I liked this as much as I did, given all the hype. A quick, inspiring read.

The Garden of Last Days -- Andre Dubus III
Set in Florida in the days before 9-11. A fictionalized account told from the point of view of a woman working in a strip club frequented by the hijackers. Too long but so well written you forgive that.

Choura: The Memoirs of Alexandra Danilova -- Alexandra Danilova
This is not for everyone but I loved it. Danilova was a teenager at the time of the Russian Revolution and was one of the people who left with Balanchine to join the Ballet Russe. Detailed, first hand view of the creation of key ballets of the 20th century and of those who created them. Even for those not interested in dance, a view of a missing link of American culture – how did our artistic tastes as a nation develop?

The Rain Before It Falls -- Jonathan Coe
He is such a wonderful writer. He can turn his hand to anything. This is a family history told through the device of an old woman describing a series of family photos to a young woman who is blind.

The Soloist --- Steve Lopez
I didn’t expect to like this either but it was mesmerizing. Story of an LA Times reporter who befriends a homeless schizophrenic man who studied at Juilliard as a young man.

The Given Day -- Dennis Lehane
Set in Boston right after WWI – a twist on the normal Irish-in-America novel – these characters are cops but the setting is the paranoia of the influenza epidemic and the labor and socialist movement of the early 20th century.