Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Best Books of 2008



In addition to being grandmas who like to be in bed by 10, Liz and I are book nerds, too, so I said, "Hey, Liz. Let's compile a list of the best books we've read this year" and Liz said, "Good idea.
It'll make us look wicked smaht." (this exchange may or may not have just been created in my mind.) So here you have it. The best books Liz and I read in 2008:






Liz's Picks

The Nine
by Jeffrey Toobin: Who knew the Supreme Court was so fascinating?

Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart: One of the funniest books I have ever read.

The Law of Dreams by Peter Behrens: A graphically realistic story of a kid escaping the Irish potato famine.

The Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons: Superheroes .... or are they? You'll be hearing a lot more about this next year.

Red's Picks

The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard: Murder, mystery and Edgar Allan Poe run amok at West Point Military Academy.

Generation Kill by Evan Wright: I think you've heard me blabber enough about this book and mini-series. Just read it already.

King Dork by Frank Portman: Previously, Portman was known to me for rocking out in Mr. T Experience (and producing such relatable gems as "Even Hitler had a Girlfriend"), but he will now be fondly remebered as the dude who wrote this awesome and hilarious tale of adolecence.

A Fan's Notes by Frederick Exley: Pistols is always going on and on about this novel about alcoholism, mental illness and football fandom, so I thought I'd check it out. It's actually really good and proof Pistols isn't always wrong about everything. I was shocked, too.

If you've read anything exceptional this year, let us hear it. If you're lucky, maybe it will end up on our list next year. Dare to dream.

9 comments:

paperback reader said...

Dr. Frank wrote a book? Interesting. I always liked "My new girlfriend is better than you/she's got bigger tits and a higher IQ." That song was magical.

The best thing I read this year was David Simon's "Homicide," but I was surprised how good Hunter S. Thompson's "Hell's Angels" was, and J.M. Coetzee's Booker-Prize-winning "Disgrace" was excellent, as per usual with him.

Falwless said...

You know what? I can't remember one entire book I read this year. But I get some points for starting about 9 of them, right? Right?

Man.

Garney said...

Best books I read this year were The Road and Generation Kill.

King Dork was one of the best books I read last year.

A Fan's Notes will be one of the best books I read next year.

McGone said...

My heart swells that a female picked a graphic novel (or "a colection of comic books," as it were) for her "Best of 2008" list. I'm currently on what may be double digits for reading "Watchmen" since I bought the individual issues way back in 1986-87.

Holy crap, I feel old.

McGone said...

"Collection of comic books." Pardon the typo.

D said...

My two faves this year were:

1. A History of Love: A Novel, Nicole Krauss. I am basically dead inside (too many cocktails, really bad relationships and dysfunctional family) and I cried. Seriously. Wonderfully written.

2. Bright Shiny Morning, James Frey. GREAT book. Cannot say enough, thought it was just spectacular.

Then again, don't listen to me. As you would see from the men I date and the music I like, I have low standards.

d said...

More reason to not listen to me? I used the fucking wrong blogger sign in above. I hate myself....and am about eight glasses of wine into my evening, per usual.

Mel O said...

I want those books!!

No, no, no... not the ones mentioned... the ones pictured!

They're super cute ;)

words...words...words... said...

The best book I read this year was either "The Precariously Straining Corset of Lady Buckinghamshireford" or "2008 NFL Merchandise Catalog". But yours sound good, too.