I managed to read 116 books in 2010, slightly less than the 126 that I read in 2009, but quality is more important than quantity. I wanted to spotlight just 10 of these books as the best I read in 2010, but I ended up with 13 and just couldn’t figure out which ones to cut. In no particular order, here are my favorites of the books I read last year:
Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
(from my review) “Life in the bush is hell, and Marlantes engages readers’ senses to drive the point home. We can smell the unwashed bodies and the rotting uniforms. We can see the oozing sores all over their bodies. We feel the fear and the tension as they hump through the jungle not sure whether the enemy is waiting for them up ahead. We feel their anger when the high-ranking officers withhold supplies when they fail to reach a checkpoint on time because they haven’t eaten or drank in days. We hear the sounds of the bullets and grenades, and we feel their sorrow when they lose one of their own. Marlantes’ writing is that good, so brilliant, in fact, that I wished the nearly 600 page book was longer.”
Persuasion by Jane Austen
(from my review) “As in her other novels, Austen focuses on social class and marriage, but she does it with humor and compassion for her characters. It’s hard to put into words how much I love everything about this book. Austen’s writing in Persuasion felt more emotional and heartfelt to me than in her other novels, and I grew so attached to the characters that I finished the book in just a couple of days. Mary and Sir Walter were so ridiculous that I laughed out loud, and my heart went out to Anne, who despite having no value to her family, was the only one with any real worth. I loved her even though she was not as witty or strong-willed as Elizabeth Bennet.”
The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli
(from my review) “I loved The Lotus Eaters for the way in which Soli covers various aspects of a complicated war, touching upon the politics behind the war, the questions many had about why the United States became involved, and the mental breakdown of the soldiers in a sweltering hellhole where they had to worry about snipers and mines with every step they took. Soli’s characters became real to me; I grew attached to them and loved them for and despite their fears, their desire to get ahead, their confusion about love and relationships in a time of war, their questions about the importance of their jobs, and their desire to live amongst the people rather than the 5-star Americanized hotels. The Lotus Eaters is beautifully written and hard to put down. It’s easily one of the best books I’ve read this year and likely will make my list of all-time favorites.”
The Gin Closet by Leslie Jamison
(from my review) “It’s hard to believe The Gin Closet is Leslie Jamison’s first novel. From the very first page, I fell in love with Jamison’s beautiful, metaphorical prose. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book written in this style, and Jamison reminded me why it’s my favorite. Her writing is descriptive without being overly so, and despite the raw, harsh words, she creates brilliant images that bring all the pain to life and make you really feel for her characters.”
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
(from my review) “As a novel of the Vietnam War, I expected The Things They Carried to be brutal and gruesome and heartbreaking. I’ve read many war novels, and they all have stayed with me in some way. But after I finished this book — in my opinion, a literary masterpiece — I carried with me a great sadness and will for a long time carry the stories of these men (whether fact or fiction) in my heart.”
Heidegger’s Glasses by Thaisa Frank
(from my review) “I’m always looking for something new in a World War II novel, and Frank offers the originality I’ve been seeking in Heidegger’s Glasses. Frank does a brilliant job setting the pace and giving only so much information about the characters at one time, creating tension and compelling me to rapidly turn the pages to find out what happens next. I hope readers will not dismiss Heidegger’s Glasses because there’s a bit of philosophy in it, as Frank writes the philosophical aspect in a way that is easily grasped.”
Therefore Choose by Keith Oatley
(from my review) “Therefore Choose is a novel that sneaks up on you. There are a lot of philosophical discussions about the meeting of minds, literature, and war, and they say a lot about the characters. But it’s a quiet novel, with the tension building slowly until the end, when Oatley hits you hard in the gut.”
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
(from my review) “Shanghai Girls runs the gamut of emotions. Pearl and May’s story is heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. It is a story of survival, moving forward when you have nothing and recognizing the importance of family, loyalty, duty, and honor. Lisa See’s writing is brilliant, detailed, and beautiful, and she touches upon cultural issues — particularly with regard to gender and class — the harshness of the immigrant life, sibling rivalry, and racism and discrimination in the United States during and after World War II, among other things. Pearl’s first person, present tense viewpoint puts readers in the midst of the action; we can hear the bombs falling on Shanghai, we can feel the sisters’ fear as they enter a country completely foreign to them, and we can feel their frustration as they struggle with being “worthless” women according to Chinese culture.”
A Hundred Feet Over Hell by Jim Hooper
(from my review) “Going back and forth between the pilots and some of the soldiers on the ground, several particularly intense scenes involve a handful of troops hunkered down, unable to move, and under intense fire from the Viet Cong. Various circumstances — being shot at, the weather, the time of day — made the Catkillers’ job difficult, but despite the pressure and with the help of the men in their backseats, they saved many lives. Hooper puts you right in the plane, and my heart pounding, I rushed through the pages to see how the missions turned out. I don’t know how these young men — many barely out of high school — could deal with such pressure day in and day out, but they did their jobs well and with heart.”
Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
(from my review) “Set in the 1960s, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt touches upon such weighty topics as mental illness, racism, and the definition of family. Sprinkle in some humor, and you have the perfect recipe for a book that will make you laugh, tear up, and learn something about not letting past hurts stop you from living a full life.”
Come Sunday by Isla Morley
(from my review) “Abbe is a hard character to like, but we really see only her frustration with being recognized just as a wife and mother and then her understandably heavy grief. I may not agree with the way she treated people, especially her husband, but I respect that everyone grieves differently and I cannot imagine, nor do I want to, the pain that accompanies the loss of a child. It’s hard to judge the extent of one’s grief when we haven’t walked in their shoes.”
How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway
(from my review) “It’s hard to believe that How to Be an American Housewife is Dilloway’s first novel. Her tender treatment of the characters and their problems appealed to me and kept the book from getting too heavy. Although somewhat predictable and neatly tied up in the end, I couldn’t help but get caught up in the story from the very beginning. I can’t get enough of books about World War II, mother-daughter relationships, Japanese culture, and the immigrant experience, and Dilloway does a brilliant job combining all of these themes into a single novel.”
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
(from my review) “The Unit doesn’t have any graphic scenes or outright violence, but it’s freaky and even downright scary at times. Many people are scared of aging, and Holmqvist has created a world to be feared. The scariest thing about the book is the fact that people didn’t go to the unit kicking and screaming. Even though it wouldn’t have done much good, I would’ve fought; I’m dead either way, but where there’s the possibility of escape, there’s some hope. Beyond the matter of aging and survival, Holmqvist raises several issues for discussion, including how much control the government should have over our bodies and whether having a career and being a parent truly define us.”
My Read in 2010 List (with links to reviews)
1. Mansfield Park Revisited by Joan Aiken
2. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
3. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters **DNF**
4. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
5. The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
6. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
7. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds
8. The Darcys & the Bingleys by Marsha Altman
9. Crazy Aunt Purl’s Home Is Where the Wine Is by Laurie Perry
10. The Plight of the Darcy Brothers by Marsha Altman
11. Mr. Darcy’s Great Escape by Marsha Altman
12. Night in Werewolf Woods by R.L. Stine
13. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
14. Island of the Swans by Ciji Ware
15. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
16. Playing Basketball With the Viet Cong by Kevin Bowen
17. Almost Home by Pam Jenoff
18. The Birthing House by Christopher Ransom
19. Survivors: True Stories of Children in the Holocaust by Allan Zullo and Mara Bovsun
20. The Bubble by Brian D. McClure, illustrated by Buddy Plumlee
21. Sanditon by Jane Austen
22. Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show by Frank Delaney
23. Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff
24. A Deadly Paradise by Grace Brophy
25. Penguin Luck by Kay Mupetson
26. The Gin Closet by Leslie Jamison
27. The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli
28. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith
29. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Patillo
30. Dien Cai Dau by Yusef Komunyakaa
31. Song of Napalm by Bruce Weigl
32. Your Ten Favorite Words by Reb Livingston
33. My Enemy’s Cradle by Sara Young
34. Becoming Alice by Alice Rene
35. College in a Nutskull by Anders Henriksson
36. Eva’s Cousin by Sibylle Knauss
37. Get Lucky by Katherine Center
38. Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran
39. Bundle of Trouble by Diana Orgain
40. Skinny Is Overrated by Danielle Milano, MD
41. On Folly Beach by Karen White
42. Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop
43. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
44. Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell
45. Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
46. Sense and Sensibility (Marvel #1) by Nancy Butler, illustrated by Sonny Liew
47. Pariah by Bob Fingerman
48. The Last Leaf by Stuart Lutz
49. Hitler’s Canary by Sandy Toksvig
50. Heart of Lies by M.L. Malcolm
51. A Hundred Feet Over Hell by Jim Hooper
52. The Famous Nini by Mary Nethery, illustrated by John Manders
53. Broken Birds by Jeannette Katzir
54. The Visibles by Sara Shepard
55. Glorious by Bernice L. McFadden
56. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
57. Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
58. Miracle in Sumatra by Jeanne McNaney, illustrated by David Cochard
59. Fool by Christopher Moore
60. The 9th Judgment by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
61. The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri
62. Paco’s Story by Larry Heinemann
63. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
64. How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway
65. Holly’s Inbox: Scandal in the City by Holly Denham
66. Free to a Good Home by Eve Marie Mont
67. Room One by Andrew Clements
68. Trust by Kate Veitch
69. A Hidden Affair by Pam Jenoff
70. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
71. The Year of Goodbyes by Debbie Levy
72. The Kulak’s Daughter by Gabriele Goldstone
73. Come Sunday by Isla Morley
74. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
75. To Conquer Mr. Darcy by Abigail Reynolds
76. With Friends Like These by Sally Koslow
77. Mr. Darcy’s Little Sister by C. Allyn Pierson
78. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
79. Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman by Francesca Simon, illustrated by Tony Ross
80. Darcy’s Voyage by Kara Louise
81. Ghost Hunt: Chilling Tales of the Unknown by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson with Cameron Dokey (chapter sampler)
82. Art & Max by David Wiesner
83. Leo the Snow Leopard by Juliana Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff, and Craig Hatkoff
84. Persuasion by Jane Austen
85. Radiance by Alyson Noël
86. Hiroshima in the Morning by Rahna Reiko Rizzuto
87. Captain Wentworth’s Diary by Amanda Grange
88. Anne Elliot, A New Beginning by Mary Simonsen
89. Mr. Darcy’s Obsession by Abigail Reynolds
90. Take a Chance on Me by Jill Mansell
91. Purple Jesus by Ron Cooper
92. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford
93. Dragonart Evolution by J “NeonDragon” Peffer
94. Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace
95. Betsy Was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace
96. Betsy and Joe by Maud Hart Lovelace
97. Heidegger’s Glasses by Thaisa Frank
98. How to Raise a Dinosaur by Natasha Wing, illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi
99. Therefore Choose by Keith Oatley
100. Falling Home by Karen White
101. The Fall of Saigon: The End of the Vietnam War by Michael V. Uschan
102. The War to End All Wars: World War I by Russell Freedman
103. Lady Susan by Jane Austen
104. Outside the Ordinary World by Dori Ostermiller
105. The Watsons by Jane Austen
106. Fatal Light by Richard Currey
107. Winona’s Pony Cart by Maud Hart Lovelace
108. Carney’s House Party by Maud Hart Lovelace
109. Maps and Shadows by Krysia Jopek
110. Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell
111. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
112. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
113. The Nighttime Novelist by Joseph Bates
114. Love and Freindship by Jane Austen
115. Shooting the Moon by Frances O’Roark Dowell
116. Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to read my reviews in 2010. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me in this new year.
© 2011 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
Like the list…I see we agree on many of these. I have to say that if I were to pick one book from 2010 that I would love everyone to read it would be Matterhorn! It’s so well done.
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I agree!
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Great list, Anna! I just bought Matterhorn after seeing it on several “best” lists. I loved the Lotus Eaters too. Happy new year and hope 2011 is a great year for you and yours!
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I can’t wait to hear what you think of Matterhorn. That book just blew me away. Happy new year to you as well!
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Have not read a single one of those, not even Persuasion, and I love the story
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I hope you’ll read Persuasion soon. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
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I love seeing everyone’s Bests lists. I’ve only read one on yours, although a couple are on my to-read list.
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I’m enjoying these posts, too. Happy new year!
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I thought it was interesting that four of my five Vietnam reads ended up on my Best Of list for 2010…looks like you had a similar experience. They just blew me away! I’ve got to look at the rest of these and seriously considering knocking some of them out this year.
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Even though I didn’t read as many books for the challenge as I would have liked, I’m glad that I chose a few really good ones. Quality over quantity, right?
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Great list! I’ve actually read 4 of those books and have several others in my TBR pile.
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I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
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I read PERSUASION with my book group in 2009. Loved CEE CEE HONEYCUTT. Have many of the others in my TBR. Great list of books!
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Thanks, Kay. Hope you enjoy the others as much as I did.
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You read twice as many as I did so way to go! I’m so glad to see that Shanghai Girls was one of your favorites…I absolutely loved that novel!
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I can’t wait for the sequel!
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Hi Anna! You really made my day special. Thanks so much for selecting my novel as one of your top picks of 2010; I’m so honored and delighted that you enjoyed Saving CeeCee Honeycutt! Oletta is waving to you from the kitchen. Lol
Happy New Year!
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You are very welcome! I notice that the book made a lot of “best of” lists. Congratulations!
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I’m hoping to read CeeCee Honeycutt this week. Can’t wait! Love Persuasion too!
I always love your reviews. Happy 2011!
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Thanks so much, Tricia. Happy new year to you, too!
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This is a great list! I’ve read a few of these, but I need to take a closer look. These Best of 2010 lists are making my TBR list expand by leaps and bounds!
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I’m having the same problem, but I really enjoy reading everyone’s lists.
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What an impressive list of books! Hope your 2011 is as good!
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Thanks! Wishing you a great reading year as well.
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I loved reading this list Anna, and I just started the audio of Matterhorn. It will take me a few weeks I am sure, but I am hooked already –those poor men.
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Poor men, is right! I’m looking forward to your thoughts. It’s such a powerful book.
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I just finished The Lotus Eaters and loved it! I have Matterhorn on my TBR for this month and hope to squeeze in Shanghai Girls in the next few months too.
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I’m looking forward to your reviews. Hope you love them as much as I did.
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Wow! Amazing list, Anna. I have read some of these, and I agree that they are excellent books.
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Thanks, Suko!
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I haven’t done my list yet. I must get cracking!
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I felt I was behind everyone, but I didn’t finish my last book until New Year’s Eve, so it had to wait.
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Great list, Anna! You read a lot of books last year! I’m currently reading The Lotus Eaters and enjoying it. So emotional intense!
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Glad to hear it. Looking forward to your review.
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I love Persuasion and The Things They Carried, so I’ll have to check these others out, too!
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Oh, I do hope you get a chance to read some of them and that you enjoy them as much as I did.
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I have many of those on my wishlist and this last year Lisa See’s Snow Flower… was definitely a favorite.
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I hope to read Snow Flower this year. Glad to hear you really enjoyed it.
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Fantastic list Anna..I just finished The Lotus Eaters last week and was blown away!! I loved Shanghai Girls too.
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Thanks, Staci! Looking forward to your thoughts.
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Anna – an honor to have Come Sunday on your list. Hope 2011 is filled with stories to carry in your heart.
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Thanks, Isla!
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I just finished The Things They Carried and really loved it. I am contemplating reading it over again at this very moment.
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It really is that kind of book. Glad to hear you loved it, too.
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Yay! Love seeing The Unit on your list. I know, right, why weren’t people freaking out more?! I was so unsettled by that book. It was so good. I can’t wait to see what her next book will be.
And, Persuasion is just so wonderful isn’t it. You have a great list Anna. Some of these are on my wish list.
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Thanks, Iliana! Persuasion is so good, I’m looking forward to having time to re-read it. 🙂
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Congrats on the over 100 books read! woo hoo!
GREAT list of books here – I will refer back to it, I hope.
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Thanks, Care!
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I tried to read Gin Closet and couldn’t get into it, I am hoping I just wasn’t in the right mood for it.
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It’s definitely not for everyone, but I just loved the author’s writing style. The story was interesting as well, but the writing is what made me so excited about that book.
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Great list! I thought A Hundred Feet Over Hell was terrific too, and I love Jane Austen. Happy New Year, Anna!
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Thanks, Stephanie. Happy new year to you, too!
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116 books – that is impressive! I loved your list – there are many books on there I hope to get to next year. I was suprised to see The Gin Closet on there though because I had such an adverse reaction to that one, although I know so many people really loved it. It was just me!
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I saw a lot of mixed reviews for The Gin Closet, but as I mentioned in a previous comment, the writing is what really drew me in.
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Haven’t read any of those but Watermark and Heidegger’s Glasses sounds fascinating. Hope you read great books this year too 🙂
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Thanks, you too!
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I recognize a lot of the books on your completed list (116! wow!), and, yes, some of my faves are on your Top Ten, too. Along with several that I need to add to my wishlist …
I hope your reading in 2011 is as fun and successful for both you AND The Girl, Anna.
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Thanks, Dawn! Wishing you a great reading year, too.
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I thought How to Be an American Housewife was one of the better books I read last year too. The Things They Carried is on my must read list for this year.
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I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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What an eclectic list you have … there are definitely some on here that I need to read.
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I’m all over the place with my reading, I know. Hope you give them a chance and enjoy them as much as I did.
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I read Persuasion and Cee Cee in 2010 too and loved them both.
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I’m glad to hear that. Wishing you a great year of reading in 2011!
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Oh, I loved Heidegger’s Glasses, too! Such a great book. It was free to download a few weeks ago, too.
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Glad to hear you enjoyed it, too!
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The Things They Carried and The Lotus Eaters made my top ten as well. I really hope to get to Matterhorn this year.
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I was worried about finishing Matterhorn in one month at the end of the year when I was trying to finish up some challenges, but I am so glad I made time for it. I’m looking forward to your thoughts.
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You had a wonderful reading year! The Lotus Eaters will make my top reads for this year. Persuasion is a favorite of mine too.
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I’ve seen a lot of reviews of The Lotus Eaters since the start of the year, so I’m hoping it will make a lot of “best of 2011” lists!
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I’m looking forward to Heidigger’s Glasses and The Unit! I’m glad to hear they’re both good.
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I really hope you get a chance to read them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
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Matterhorn is so on my wishlist! You have a great list there! I enjoyed The Things They Carried and hope to read Shanghai Girls this year!
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Thanks! I do hope you “enjoy” Matterhorn and Shanghai Girls. Both are intense but oh so good.
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