Book Log

Log of Books I Have Read After 1994

Jump to end of list, to most recently read books.

1995

January
Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices Peter Drucker
The Fountainhead Ayn Rand
The Silent Cry Kenzaburo Oe
Rabbit Run John Updike
Principle-Centered Leadership Stephen Covey
Leadership and the One-Minute Manager Kenneth Blanchard et al
The Shipping News E. Annie Proulx
February
Sula Toni Morrison
A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain Robert Olen Butler
The Confessions of Nat Turner William Styron
Song of Solomon Toni Morrison
Thriving on Chaos, Handbook for a Management Revolution Tom Peters
March
The Shifting Sources of Power and Influence Charles Dwyer
April
Liberation Management, Necessary Disorganization for the Nanosecond Nineties Tom Peters
Understanding the Twelve Steps Terence T. Gorski
Heart Songs and Other Stories E. Annie Proulx
May
Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand
Creating New Hospital-Physician Collaboration T.S. Wirth and S. Allcorn
June
Postcards E. Annie Proulx
Keepers of the House Shirley Ann Grau
July
Advise and Consent Allen Drury
A Personal Matter Kenzaburo Oe
Pediatric Trauma, Second Edition Robert J. Touloukian (ed)
Rabbit Redux John Updike
August
Physicians in Managed Care, A Career Guide eds: Mark A. Bloomberg and Steven R. Mohlie
The Reivers William Faulkner
Another Roadside Attraction Tom Robbins
If The River Was Whiskey T. Coraghessan Boyle
September
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues Tom Robbins
Waiting to Exhale Terry McMillan
The Tom Peters Seminar, Crazy Times Call for Crazy Organizations Tom Peters
Small Ceremonies Carol Shields
If I Die in a Combat Zone Tim O'Brien
Herzog Saul Bellow
Advances in Anesthesia, Volume 12 eds. Carol Lake, Linda Rice, Richard Sperry
October
The Best American Short Stories 1994 ed. Tobias Wolff
Jitterbug Perfume Tom Robbins
When the Legends Die Hal Borland
Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids Kenzaburo Oe
November
Not the End of the World Rebecca Stowe
Couples John Updike
The Pearl John Steinbeck
Pablo Neruda: Selected Poems ed. Nathaniel Tarn
Portnoy's Complaint Philip Roth
All That She Can Be Carol Eagle and Carol Colman
Without a Hero T. Coraghessan Boyle
December
The Myth of the A.D.D. Child Thomas Armstrong
The End of Affluence: The Causes and Consequences of America's Economic Dilemma Jeffrey Madrick
If You Want to Write Brenda Ueland
Brazil John Updike

1996

January
Seize the Day Saul Bellow
Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas Tom Robbins
Ben Franklin and the Chamber of Time Chris Heimerdinger
S. John Updike
February
Bird by Bird Anne Lamott
They Whisper Robert Olen Butler
Integrated Health Care: Reorganizing the Physician, Hospital and Health Plan Relationship Dean C. Coddington, Keith D. Moore and Elizabeth A Fischer
The Best American Short Stories 1995 ed. Jane Smiley
March
The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings Edgar Allen Poe
The Stone Diaries Carol Shields
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant Anne Tyler
Advances in Anesthesia, Volume 13 eds. Carol Lake, Linda Rice, Richard Sperry
Barn Blind Jane Smiley
April
In the Lake of the Woods Tim O'Brien
Six Hours One Friday Max Lucado
Snow Falling on Cedars David Guterson
Bech is Back John Updike
Roger's Version John Updike
May
In Contempt Christopher Darden
The Warren Buffet Way, Investment Strategies of the World's Greatest Investor Robert Hagstrom
Fair-Weather Flying, Second Edition Richard Taylor
June
Using the Internet with Windows 95 Jerry Honeycutt
Leading Change James O'Toole
Guide to the Biennial Flight Review Jackie Spanitz
Independence Day Richard Ford
July
Still Life With Woodpecker Tom Robbins
The Country Ahead of Us, the Country Behind David Guterson
Fathering, Strengthening Connection With Your Children No Matter Where You Are Will Glennon
Descent of Man T. Coraghessan Boyle
So Big Edna Ferber
Greasy Lake and Other Stories T. Coraghessan Boyle
August
Operation Shylock, A Confession Philip Roth
The Neon Bible John Kennedy Toole
Using Netscape 2 for Windows 95 Peter Kent
September
Managing the Academic Medical Practice, the Two-Headed Eagle William Nicholas
HTML for Dummies Ed Tittel and Steve James
October
Flash Fiction eds. James Thomas, Denise Thomas and Tom Hazuka
The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure Richard E. Kowalski
The Road to Wellville T. Coraghessan Boyle
Story, Summer 1996 ed. Lois Rosenthal
November
HTML The Definitive Guide Chuck Musciano and Bill Kennedy

1997

January
International Anesthesiology Clinics Vol. 30 No. 4: The Pediatric Airway ed Lawrence M. Borland, M.D.
World Chess Championship 1995: Kasparov vs Anand Daniel King
The Granta Book of the American Short Story ed. Richard Ford
A Farewell to Arms Ernest Hemingway
February
The Best American Short Stories 1996 ed John Edgar Wideman
Iona Moon Melanie Rae Thon
Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution Robert C. Atkins
First, Body Melanie Rae Thon
March
The English Patient Michael Ondaatje
Girls in the Grass Melanie Rae Thon
Scribner's Best of the Fiction Workshops 1997 eds. John Kulka, Natalie Danford
April
Meteors in August Melanie Rae Thon
Skinny Legs and All Tom Robbins
Martin Dressler, The Tale of an American Dreamer Steven Millhauser
May
In the Beauty of the Lilies John Updike
July
Accordion Crimes E. Annie Proulx
August
The Afterlife John Updike
September
The Centaur John Updike
November
Love and Friendship Allison Lurie
December
Marry Me, a Romance John Updike

1998

January
The Wings of the Dove Henry James
The Giant's House, A Romance Elizabeth McCracken
Atticus Ron Hansen
March
A Month of Sundays John Updike
C++ An Introduction to Computing Joel Adams, Sanford Leestma, Larry Nyhoff
April
Story, Winter 1998 ed. Lois Rosenthal
Black Zodiac Charles Wright
Angela's Ashes Frank McCourt
How I Learned to Drive Paula Vogel
May
American Pastoral Philip Roth
June
Story, Summer 1998 ed. Lois Rosenthal
The Best American Short Stories 1997 ed. E. Annie Proulx
July
Story, Spring 1998 ed. Lois Rosenthal
August
Beginning Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Jesse Liberty
Trust Me John Updike
September
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Jean-Dominique Bauby
Will You Always Love Me? Joyce Carol Oates
October
The Tortilla Curtain T. Coraghessan Boyle
10 Minute Guide to Motivating People Marshall J. Cook
Micro Fiction, An Anthology of Really Short Stories ed. Jerome Stern
Two Novels, 17, J Kenzaburo Oe

1999

January
Birds of America Lorrie Moore
February
Anagrams Lorrie Moore
March
Toward the End of Time John Updike
Cold Mountain Charles Frazier
April
Tomcat in Love Tim O'Brien
May
Story, Spring 1999 ed. Lois Rosenthal
The PoorHouse Fair John Updike
Prize Stories, Best of 1998, The O. Henry Awards ed. Larry Dark
Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? Lorrie Moore
Going After Cacciato Tim O'Brien
June
Self-Help Lorrie Moore
Story, Summer 1999 ed. Lois Rosenthal
July
The Hours Michael Cunningham
Best American Short Stories 1998 eds. Garrison Keillor, Katrina Kenison
Like Life Lorrie Moore
Typical Padgett Powell
Edisto Padgett Powell
August
Aliens of Affection Padgett Powell
September
The Witches of Eastwick John Updike
Edisto Revisited Padgett Powell
October
Northern Lights Tim O'Brien
Cat and Mouse Gunter Grass
November
The Tin Drum Gunter Grass
December
Of the Farm John Updike
Story, Winter 2000 ed. Lois Rosenthal
For the Relief of Unbearable Urges Nathan Englander

2000

January
On the Road Jack Kerouac
The Mistress of Spices Chita Banerjee Divakaruni
The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver
The Nuclear Age Tim O'Brien
February
Arranged Marriage Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The Best American Short Stories 1999 eds. Amy Tan, Katrina Kenison
Water Music T. Coraghessan Boyle
Blindness Jose Saramago
Waiting Ha Jin
March
Close Range, Wyoming Stories Annie Proulx
Teach Us To Outgrow Our Madness Kenzaburo Oe
Memoirs of a Geisha Arthur Golden
April
Inside the Sky, A Meditation on Flight William Langewiesche
Riven Rock T. Coraghessan Boyle
In the Pond Ha Jin
May
Memories of the Ford Administration John Updike
June
Master and Commander Patrick O'Brian
The Pilot's Wife Anita Shreve
July
Post Captain Patrick O'Brian
September
The Best American Short Stories of the Century eds. John Updike and Katrina Kenison
In Our Age: America's Empire in the Philippines Stanley Karnow
October
Dusk (Po-on) F. Sionil Jose
Don Vicente (Tree and My Brother, My Executioner) F. Sionil Jose
November
The Sampsons (The Pretenders and Mass) F. Sionil Jose
White Noise Don DeLillo
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone J. K. Rowling

2001

January
The Other Shore Gao Xingjian
The Stories of J. F. Powers J. F. Powers
Baby Boomers, 50 Ain't Bad Gary Perkins
Culture Shock, A Guide to Customs and Etiquette, Philippines Alfredo & Grace Roces
Mao II Don DeLillo
Budding Prospects, A Pastoral T. Coraghessan Boyle
The Love of a Good Woman, Stories Alice Munro
February
Airman's Odyssey (Wind, Sand and Stars, Night Flight, and Flight to Arras) Antonio de Saint-Exupery
Tales of Ordinary Madness Charles Bukowski
Piano Lessons, Music, Love, & True Adventures Noah Adams
Prize Stories 1999 The O. Henry Awards ed. Larry Dark
Americana Don DeLillo
Anesthesiology Clinics of North America September 2000, Perioperative Medicine ed. Peter Rock
March
Prodigal Summer Barbara Kingsolver
The God of Small Things Arundhati Roy
Greenspan, the Man Behind the Money Justin Martin
Advances in Anesthesia, Volume 18 eds. Carol Lake, Linda Rice, Richard Sperry
East of the Mountains David Guterson
The Body Artist Don DeLillo
On to Java, Second Edition Patrick Henry Winston and Sundar Narasimhan
April
House of Sand and Fog Andre Dubus III
A Friend of the Earth T. Coraghessan Boyle
Observatory Mansions Edward Carey
How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci Michael J. Gelb
May
The O. Henry Awards Prize Stories 2000 ed. Larry Dark
Ermita, A Novel F. Sionil Jose
June
Baltasar and Blimunda Jose Saramago
Paradise Toni Morrison
Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates Tom Robbins
July
Problems and Other Stories John Updike
August
Pigeon Feathers and Other Stories John Uddike
GNS 530 Pilot's Guide & Reference Garmin
The Orange Fish Carol Shields
September
A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You Amy Bloom
The Human Stain Philip Roth
Ravelstein Saul Bellow
October
The Middle East, A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years Bernard Lewis
Usama bin Laden's al-Qaida: Profile of a Terrorist Network Yonah Alexander and Michael Swetnam
November
ACLS Provider Manual ed. Richard O. Cummins, MD
From This Moment On, A Guide for Those Recently Diagnosed with Cancer Arlene Cotter
Righteous Victims, A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict, 1881-2001 Benny Morris
December
The Battle for God Karen Armstrong
At Any Cost, How Al Gore Tried to Steal the Election Bill Sammon
The Problem of Pain C. S. Lewis
Licks of Love, Short Stories and a Sequel, Rabbit Remembered John Updike
The Best American Short Stories 2000 eds. E. L. Doctorow, Katrina Kenison
Soul Mountain Gao Xingjian

2002

January
The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkein
The Abolition of Man C.S. Lewis
The Fellowship of the Ring J.R.R. Tolkein
February
Call If You Need Me, The Uncollected Fiction and Other Prose Raymond Carver
Consciousness, Memoirs John Updike
The Screwtape Letters C.S. Lewis
The Coast of Good Intentions Michael Byers
The Burning House Ann Beatie
Advances in Anesthesia, Volume 19 eds. Carol L. Lake and Joel O. Johnson
The Humanity of God Karl Barth
The Two Towers J.R.R. Tolkein
The Return of the King J.R.R. Tolkein
March
International Anesthesiology Clinics, Health Economics and Pracice Management in Anesthesia eds. Alex Macario and Adrienne C. Lang
A Painted House John Grisham
Letting Go Philip Roth

'A!' His characters teach us truths about ourselves. Even our apparently personal choices may unpredictably effect the lives of others.
April
The Iowa Award, The Best Stories, 1991-2000 ed Frank Conroy

A very nice collection of 21 stories, including some real gems.
Best New American Voices 2001 eds. Charles Baxter, John Kulka, Natalie Danford

We have some very fine up-and-coming writers. Some of these stories just have to be read!
Perl, Weekend Crash Course

Overview of what can be done. More showing than teaching.
May
The God Stealer and Other Stories F. Sionil Jose

Fourteen stories of Filipinos, including some disenchanted expatriates. Published in 1968.
In the Gloaming Alice Elliott Dark

Some very well-written stories here. The title story may well become a classic.
The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway, The Finca Vigia Edition Ernest Hemingway
June
Gertrude and Claudius John Updike

Superb! Brilliantly conceived and masterfully executed 'foreplay' to (Shakespeare's) Hamlet.
Goodbye Columbus and Five Short Stories Philip Roth

Very nice work: insightful look into some fun and interesting characters.
Our Gang Philip Roth

Hilarious satire of politics in the days of President "Trick E. Dixon."
The Same Door John Updike

Sixteen wonderfully told stories of young people in the 1950's learning timeless lessons on the often clumsy climb toward maturity.
July
The Music School John Updike

Superb! Udpike in his peak! Some of the best stories ever written in English.
Bech: A Book John Updike

Wonderful introductory portrayal of writer Henry Beck.
Fish! Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, John Christensen
August
When She Was Good Philip Roth

Compelling, tragic story, very well told.
The Best American Short Stories 2001 eds. Barbara Kingsolver, Katrina Kenison
The Dying Animal Philip Roth

Superb! Mesmerizing, erotic, intoxicating, compassionate top-shelf Roth.
The Brothers Karamazov Fyodor Dostoevsky
September
Underworld Don DeLillo

A masterpiece! Perhaps, the great American novel of the second half of the 20th century.
Bel Canto Ann Patchett

Entertaining story.
Empire Falls Richard Russo

Interesting page-turner.
October
The Adventures of Augie March Saul Bellow

Excellent. Peotic. Insightful. One of the great American novels of the first half of the 20th century.
Miguel Street V.S. Naipaul

Interesting glimpse into the lives of some residents of this slum street in the capital of Trinidad.
A Quiet Life Kenzaburo Oe

A superb, sublimely simple yet multi-layered masterpiece that teaches us, among other things, about Japan and its culture, religious philosophy, the handicapped, Oe and ourselves!
The Coup John Updike

Very good. Satirical tragi-comedy of race and politics in the 70's.
November
A Healing Family Kenzaburo Oe

Candid explanation of the impact on the author's family of his handicapped son, Hikari.
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2002 ed. Larry Dark

Some excellent stories among the twenty -- all good ones.
December
Nine Stories J.D. Salinger

Updike reports being influenced by Salinger's excellent stories.
Mystery and Manners Flannery O'Connor

O'Connor discusses elements of the art of fiction writing.
The Story and Its Writer, An Introduction to Short Fiction, Compact Fifth Edition ed. Ann Charters

Very nice collection of classic stories, remarks by the editor about the authors and by the latter about the writing art.
The Breast Philip Roth

2003

January
Troublemakers John McNally

Stories. Good stuff.
The Ghost Writer Philip Roth

Excellent.
Grass Roof, Tin Roof Dao Strom

Excellent first novel.
Dangling Man Saul Bellow

Very good first novel. Ennui in Chicago's 1940's.
The Great American Novel Philip Roth

Funny, witty, clever, satirical baseball.
February
Recovery John Berryman

Wonderful forward by Saul Bellow and inspiring, educational introduction by Philip Levine. Wanderings of a mind wounded by chronic alcoholism.
Perfume, the Story of a Murderer Patrick Suskind

Intriquing, imaginative, violent olfactory experience on the edge of the bizarre.
Mr. Palomar Italo Calvino

Interesting insights into the nature of looking, seeing and trying to understand.
After the Plague - and other stories T. C. Boyle

Hypermodern, relentlessly gripping, top-shelf Boyle. Some of the best by the best!
Soldiers' Pay William Faulkner

Memorable characters deal with WWI traumas in Faulkner's first novel (1925).
Sabbath's Theater Philip Roth

Sex and death well done a la Roth's Mickey Sabbath.
March
Advances in Anesthesia, Volume 20 eds. Carol L. Lake, Joel O. Johnson, and Thomas M. McLoughlin
War and Peace Leo Tolstoy
Big Bend Bill Roorbach

Good stories.
The Loved One Evelyn Waugh
Unless Carol Shields

Superb! Does more than one can reasonably expect!
The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold
April
That Old Ace in the Hole Annie Proulx

Superior story-telling. Proulx is the Faulkner of the panhandle country
Interesting Women Andrea Lee

Stories delicious and unstoppable, some kissing brilliance.
A History of God, The 4,000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam Karen Armstrong

Excellent result of in-depth study and analysis, thoroughly referenced, and complete with glossary, index and further reading list.
June
Writers on Writing eds. Robert Pack and Jay Parini

Wonderful trips into the heads of serious good writers that let us learn about the why's and how's of writing. Inspirational and useful.
Duluth Gore Vidal

Quite funny satire of almost everything seventies.
Complications, A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science Atul Gawande

Very interesting collection of essays and true stories exploring the human side of the art medicine.
July
Libra Don DeLillo

Gripping fictional fleshing out of facts around the assassination of JFK.
Life of Pi Yann Martel

Good story, very well told.
August
The Iowa Review, Volume Thirty-Three Number One, Spring 2003 ed. David Hamilton

Interesting collection of a variety of forms of original new writing.
Ben Singkol, A Novel F. Sionil Jose
September
Think of England Alice Elliot Dark

Very readable and moving tale.
Winter Range Claire Davis

Excellent, eloquent story-telling in her first novel.
Players Don DeLillo

Striking, stark, spooky urban anomie.
The Victim Saul Bellow
The Age of Grief Jame Smiley
My Life as a Man Philip Roth

Excellent. Intriguing, delightful, original, unstoppable, highest-level character development.
October
The Names Don DeLillo

Well-written, intriguing, intersecting stories in a story.
Reading Myself and Others Philip Roth

Fun reading Roth's thoughts on his own work (up to the mid 70's), on the reactions of others to his works and on the writing of Kafka, Bellow, Malamud and others.
July, July Tim O'Brien

Very good. Sensitive, thoughtful, nostalgic study looking at the "then-and-now" of selected members of a class of 1969 at their 30-year reunion.
November
Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert (translated by Francis Steegmuller)

A delicious classic.
The South Beach Diet Arthur Agatston

Description and recipes of this cardiologist-modified Atkins diet.
Buddenbrooks Thomas Mann (translated by John E. Woods)

Very well told epic tale of a 19th century German family.
December
Tone Deaf and All Thumbs? An Invitation to Music-Making Frank R. Wilson

Interesting, inspirational insights from a neurophysiologist.
Stories Anton Chekhov (translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky)

Thirty wonderful, sensitive, insightful, moving stories by a great master.
Seek My Face John Updike

Awesome. Updike, more than ever, in this latest (2002) novel, naturally and apparently effortlessly, shows how wonderfully engaging our English language can be in the communication of even the finest details that build this elegant, simple characterization into a moving masterpiece.

2004

January
The Eight Essential Traits of Couples Who Thrive Susan Page

Good, clear, basic, useful information.
The Seven Principles For Making Marriage Work John M. Gottman, Ph.D., and Nan Silver

Useful, basic, helpful ideas.
Advances in Anesthesia, Volume 21 eds. Carol L. Lake, Joel O. Johnson, and Thomas M. McLoughlin
The Best American Short Stories 2003 eds. Walter Mosley and Katrina Kenison

I liked especially those by Adam Haslett, Mary Yakuri Waters and Louise Erdrich.
February
The Namesake Jhumpa Lahiri
Zuckerman Unbound Philip Roth

Continuing the outrageous, funny, compassionate tale of Nathan Z.
Ocean of Words Ha Jin

Interesting stories, very well told in this PEN/Hemingway award winner.
You Are Not a Stranger Here Adam Haslett

An impressive debut, these nine wonderfully sensitive, sad but hopeful stories.
Drop City T.C. Boyle

The master does it again with this irresistable, imaginative adventure. Sixties hippie communal group meets Alaskan wilds.
March
The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol Nikolai Gogol, trans by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky

Entertaining, imaginative, humorous creations.
Girl with a Pearl Earring Tracy Chevalier
The Anatomy Lesson Philip Roth

The continuing misadventures of Nathan Zuckerman.
The Prague Orgy Philip Roth

Zuckerman trilogy epilogue.
A Relative Stranger Charles Baxter

Some good stories.
Accidents in the Home Tessa Hadley

Her first novel (2002) is an entertaining page-turner spiced with moments of clear insightfullness.
April
The Feast of Love Charles Baxter

In this uniquely and cleverly constructed National Book Award Finalist (2000), several diverse voices take turns telling their compelling intertwined stories of more or less love. Very well done.
Apetites, Why Women Want Caroline Knapp

An autobiographical inside look and feel of anorexia nervosa.
Collected Stories Saul Bellow

True gems by arguably the greatest 20th century American story writer. Inspirational afterward.
May
Islam, A Short History Karen Armstrong

Fine, explanantory introduction to the origin and development of the Islamic sects.
The Laws of Evening Mary Yukari Waters

Very nice debut collection of stories from this prize-winning writer who uncovers subtle but powerful connections of love and awareness across generations of Japanese, many indelibly if unkowingly marked by WW II.
The Actual Saul Bellow

Entertaining novella by the master.
End Zone Don DeLillo

Funny, apparently unlikely characters engaged in college football.
June
Anorexia Nervosa, A Survival Guide for Families, Friends and Sufferers Janet Treasure

A laconic, down-to-earth, to-the-point explanation of anorexia nervosa including practical things to do to help.
The Body Betrayed, A Deeper Understanding of Women, Eating Disorders, and Treatment Kathryn J. Zerbe, M.D.
The Secret Language of Eating Disorders Peggy Claude-Pierre

Unconditional love helps defeat the negative mindset of anorexia nervosa.
One Man's Bible Gao Xingjian

This important semi-autobiograpical novel by a Nobel Prize (Literature) winner lets us look inside Mao Zedong's China while listening to the author's thoughts on the essence of writing.
Villa Incognito Tom Robbins

Off-the-wall wild, imaginative, clever, funny.
July
The Tragedy of Zionism, How Its Revolutionary Past Haunts Israeli Democracy Bernard Avishai

Historical, careful, cogent argument that Israel's survival depends on its ability to adopt true democracy with a constitution and a bill of rights, and, especially, its ability to finally abandon the very Zionism that inspired its formation.
Surfer's Startup: A Beginner's Guide to Surfing, Second Edition Doug Werner
Hawaii James A. Michener

Engrossing epic of the birth, growth, struggles and survival of our 50th state.
Cosmopolis Don DeLillo

Thought-provoking, artistic, stark, suspenseful, violent, modern urban anomie.
August
Walking to Martha's Vineyard Franz Wright

Very fine verse. Thoughtful, spiritual, sad and hopeful.
The Known World Edward P. Jones

A very well told and morally intricate tale of slavery in Virginia in the mid-19th century, including a focus on freed slaves some of whom have become slave-owners themselves.
The Crazed Ha Jin

Well told.
September
I Married a Communist Philip Roth

Interesting character development inside of character development in this study of the intersection of McCarthyism-politics, literature and human nature.
Instrument Pilot FAA Written Exam, Seventh Edition Irvin N. Gleim, PhD., CFII

Very helpful.
October
Nonrequired Reading Wislawa Szymborska

How fun to get to know this Nobel prize winning poet (Literature, 1996) by reading sketches inspired by books she has read.
The Instrument Flight Manual, The Instrument Rating and Beyond, Sixth Edition William K. Kershner

2002 edition. Excellent.
Love Toni Morrison

Very artfully knit tale of love, hate, tragedy, love.
Aviation Instructor's Handbook, FAA-H-8083-9 Federal Aviation Administration

1999 edition. The essential basics, well-explained.
November
Crowded with Genius, The Scottish Enlightenment: Edinburgh's Moment of the Mind James Buchan

Interesting, entertaining historical/biographical portrait of Edinburgh and it's people in the latter 18th century as the source of the intellectual foundations for much of the modern world. Very well researched/referenced with extensive footnotes in a separate section.
December
Web Pages That Suck, Learning Good Design by Looking at Bad Design Vincent Flanders and Michael Willis

Helpful basic tips.

2005

January
JavaScript for the World Wide Web, 2nd edition Tom Negrino and Dori Smith

Good place to start learning what JavaScript can do.
The Plot Against America Philip Roth

Imaginative rewrite of American history circa WWII pointing us in the direction of a homefront Jewish pogrom, told from the viewpoint of school aged Philip and his New Jersey family.
March
Walk on Water, The Miracle of Saving Children's Lives Michael Ruhlman

An study of pediatric congenital heart surgery, especially as practiced by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation group led by Dr. Roger Mee.
April
The Hour of the Star Clarice Lispector

Translated (and with an enlightening afterword) by Giovanni Pontiero. Very interesting. Lispector tells a moving story and much about the creative process that shapes it.
May
Great Jones Street Don DeLillo

Rock-n-roll burn-out, drop-out, paranoid 60's psych-out via tuned-in master DeLillo.
Conversational Tagalog, A Functional-Situational Approach Teresita V. Ramos

Excellent way to begin learning Tagalog. Magaling na magaling ito.
The Confessions of Max Tivoli Andrew Sean Greer

Tragic and moving tale of Max who lived life backwards - from old age to youth.
Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston
20th century (1937) southern American (Florida) classic.
The Barracks Thief Tobias Wolff

Fine story. Very fine story-telling.
The Best American Short Stories 2004 eds. Lorrie Moore, Katrina Kenison

A wonderful collection of very fine gems.
June
Slander, Liberal Lies About the American Right Ann Coulter

Witty, sharp, well-referenced.
The Counterlife Philip Roth

Masterfully imaginative variations of stories within variations of stories.
The Diary of Anais Nin, Volume I, 1931-1934 Anais Nin

Interesting how and what Ms. Nin writes about herself and her associates; and interesting what she leaves out.
Lucky Girls Nell Freudenberger

Five good stories from bright new (2003) talent. Especially liked the well-constructed last long story.
July
War Trash Ha Jin

Very fine, moving, well-referenced look into the heart and soul of especially one Chinese prisoner of South Korea (and the U.S.) during the Korean War in the 1950's.
Living to Tell the Tale Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Fun read. Translated (Spanish) by Edith Grossman. Nobel prize winning story teller tells the tale of his family, his Columbia, the beginnings of his writing adventure.
In the Heart of the Country J. M. Coetzee

Outstanding piece of work. Takes the reader inside the mind and soul of sociopathic, murderous Miss Magda as she increasingly isolates herself and becomes a tragic hermit alone on her dying farm.
Waiting for the Barbarians J. M. Coetzee

Irresistable page-turner with resounding ring of truth.
August
Digital Fortress Dan Brown

Quick fun read.
My Name is Red Orhan Pamuk

Wonderful, deliciously rich offering: love story, double murder mystery, philosophy and theology of art and painting, in 16th-century Islamic Turkey. Translated (Turkish) by Erdag M. Guknar.
How to Breathe Under Water Julie Orringer

Nine very fine, sensitive stories of growing up.
September
Snow Orhan Pamuk

An important, timely (2004), serious and farcical, classic and modern, elegant masterpiece. Pamuk shows how the inspiration and creativity of art and media can expose the human fraility at the intersection of religion and politics in political Islam. Translated (Turkish) by Maureen Freely.
Disgrace J. M. Coetzee

Another irresistable page turner.
Life & Times of Michael K J. M. Coetzee

Masterful telling of an important story that no one else would tell or could tell so well.
The Inner Circle T. C. Boyle

Master Boyle plus Professor A. Kinsey of the infamous Kinsey Reports = sex in large doses. Can love survive?
October
The White Castle Orhan Pamuk

Fascinating brain teaser.
November
Mastering GPS Flying Phil Dixon and Sherwood Harris

Useful for learning and teaching.
December
How People Recover from Eating Disorders Linda Riebel and Jane Rachel Kaplan

Excellent resource based on thorough research and years of experience.

2006

January
Mastering Instrument Flying, Third Edition Henry Sollman and Sherwood Harris

Based on years of practical experience. Very fine, complete explanation of what it takes to effectively teach and learn all elements required to fly safely and competently under instrument flight rules.
All the Pretty Horses Cormac McCarthy

Great story. Superior story telling. Hint of Hemingway.
Bad Dirt, Wyoming Stories 2 Annie Proulx

The definitive voice of comedy and tragedy among the people of rural Wyoming.
Flying IFR, Fourth Edition Richard L. Collins

Practical guidance based on study and lots of experience.
The Golden Cage, the Enigma of Anorexia Nervosa Hilde Bruch, M.D.

Very readable classic (1978) analysis by psychiatrist Bruch based on caring for many seriously ill patients. Includes interesting important remarks from several recovered patients looking back.
February
The Crossing Cormac McCarthy

Superior story telling.
May
The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown

Intriguing story. Entertaining read. I bet the movie will be better. (Addendum: Almost impossibly, the movie was worse than the book.)
Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15, 2001 FAA

The definitive text for instrument students and instructors.
July
Rod Machado's Instrument Pilot's Survival Manual, Second Edition Rod Machado

Excellent. Entertaining and educational.
August
Instrument Flying, Fourth Edition Richard L. Taylor

Practical perspective of an experienced aviation educator.
September
The Pilot's Manual 3, Instrument Flying, Fourth Edition Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc

Comprehensive text.
Instrument Procedures Handbook FAA-H-8261-1, 2004

Excellent review of NAS for instrument pilots. Lots of great illustrations.
Instrument Oral Exam Guide, Sixth Edition Michael D. Hayes

Good preparatory review.
October
Under the Red Flag Ha Jin

Very well-told stories of Red China's culturally reformed Fort Dismount.
Housekeeping Marilynne Robinson

Powerful, delicious, sensitive, moving masterpiece.
Villages John Updike

The inimitable, unstoppable Updike continues to deliver good stuff.
Gilead Marilynn Robinson

Remarkable, inspirational meditation. Updike should read this one.
No Country for Old Men Cormac McCarthy

A McCarthy masterpiece. Destined to be a classic. Never a dull anything. Plot, characterizations, narration, organization, thematic concepts/ideas - everything superior. ('R' for violence.)
The Professor of Desire Philip Roth

Entertaining.
Of Love and Other Demons Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Very fine.
November
Deception Philip Roth

Very clever. Exclusively dialog. Explores grey area connecting autobioghraphic fact and literary fiction.
Wild Ducks Flying Backward Tom Robbins

Eclectic bits of nonfiction.
The Orchard Keeper Cormac McCarthy

Wonderful first novel. A puzzle of poetic pieces that paint a picture of life and death in the whiskey business of prohibition-era rural Tennessee where one may hear the "rain mendicant-voiced, soft chanting in that dark gramarye that summons the earth to bridehood."
December
Eat the Document Dana Spiotta

Very good read.
The Black Book Orhan Pamuk

Gorgeous translation and informative afterward by Maureen Freely. Istanbul, Turkey, 1980's, missing persons, mystery, identity crises. "You become someone else when you read a story." "Because nothing is as surprising as life. Except for writing."

2007

January
Tooth and Claw T. C. Boyle

Masterful. Fourteen stories.
February
The Best American Short Stories 2006

Twenty fine stories. Especially liked those by Katherine Bell, David Bezmozgis, Mary Gaitskill, Yiyun Li, Kevin Moffett, and Maxine Swain.
March
The Inheritance of Loss Kiran Desai

Man Booker Prize winner 2006. Good look at the postcolonial Indian immigrant angst and powerlessness of several rather interesting characters.
May
Effective Java, Programming Language Guide Joshua Bloch

Superb. 57 clearly explained items certain to enhance your Java programs.
Crash Diet Jill McCorkle

Enjoyable read. Funny, wry stories of life and love.
Difficult Conversations, How to Discuss What Matters Most Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen

Helpful, useful, clearly written.
The Road Cormac McCarthy

A merciless masterpiece. Powerful. Moving.
June
Simulation in Anesthesia Christopher J. Gallagher and S. Barry Issenberg

Super. Just the right place for anyone to learn everything about the theory and practice of simulation applied to anesthesia.
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers Yiyun Li

These ten delicious stories won the Frank O'Conner International Short Story award and the Hemingway/PEN award for distinguished first book of fiction. Keep up the good work.
August
Everyman Philip Roth

Who says you can't kill off your main character? The intriguing lead player in this drama - who amazingly remains unnamed - is dead before the novel begins - at his funeral. But somehow we still care. Well done, Mr. Roth.
The Rings of Saturn W.G. Sebald (translated from German by Michael Hulse)

Clothed as a walking tour of the eastern coast of England, a richly substantiated analysis of selected interesting, sometimes obscure, elements of English, European and world history. A fascinating history lesson.
September
Permanent Visitors Kevin Moffett

This collection of eight delicious stories by a gifted new writer won the John Simmons Short Fiction Award, judged by George Saunders, and was long-listed for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award.
November
Talk Talk T.C. Boyle

Cinematic adventure in identity theft.
The Photograph Penelope Lively

Superior story telling.
Things Kept, Things Left Behind Jim Tomlinson

Wow! Tomlinson's must-read short story "Things Kept" is near perfection! Tomlinson has the gift.

2008

January
Desert Gothic Don Waters

February
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams

March
Terrorist John Updike

Updike tells a good story. Unexpected ending to this one. The Gathering Anne Enright

Well constructed in original style. Shaky gal destabilized in dealing with death of brother. March Geraldine Brooks

Little Women

May
Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care, The One Essential Parenting Book, 8th Edition Benjamin Spock MD and Robert Needleman MD

Very readable reference, full of good practical advice regarding all things parents need to know from breast-feeding to deciding about college. The No-Cry Sleep Solution, Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night Elizabeth Pantley

Very helpful, quieter but effective alternative to the "let-him-cry-it-out" technic. The Happiest Baby on the Block Harvey Karp

Practical, thoroughly explained, how-to comfort even the colicky young infant using the five S's: swaddling, side/stomach positioning, shushing, swinging, sucking. The O'Henry Prize Stories 2007 eds. Charles D'Ambrosio, Ursula K. Le Guin, Lily Tuck

Twenty very fine stories. Especially enjoyed those by William Trevor, Eddie Chuculate, Sana Krasikov, Jan Ellison, Andrew Altschul and Susan Straight. June
The Immortal Game, A History of Chess David Shenk

Very interesting examination of the historical significance of chess alternating with an analysis of Anderssen's immortal game of 1851. August
The Baby Sleep Coach System, from A to Zzz in Seven Simple Steps Heather Pizzo, Psy.D.

Best one. This method is actually doable and it works! Sweet dreams. October
One Hundred Euphemsims for Mountain John Washington

I think this talented new writer's first novel would be even more effective if he would more simply just tell the story. The Grass is Singing Doris Lessing

Powerful, depressing tale of poverty, insanity and murder in early racist South Africa. First novel by Nobel prize winner. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Junot Diaz

Off-the-wall, irresistable story-telling. November
The Great Man Kate Christensen

Well done. There is real life after 70. She's Come Undone Wally Lamb

Ouch. Duma Key Stephen King

Very good story-telling. Creepy, wierd, scary story. December
Greed Elfriede Jelinek translated from German by Martin Chalmers

Tragic tale told in unique, present tense, conversational style by Nobel laureate. Wandering Star J.M.G. Le Clezio translated from French by C. Dickson

Nobel laureate tells a story that has to be told and must be heard. 2009
January
The Best American Short Stories 2008 eds. Salman Rushdie, Heidi Pitlor

Especially liked those by Allegra Goodman, A.M. Homes, Miroslav Penkov, George Saunders, Bradford Tice and Mark Wisniewski. Drown Junot Diaz

Ten convincing stories. Diaz has the gift. Keep writing, bro. The White Tiger Aravind Adiga

White Tiger, black India. Well-painted, scary first-person portrait of one violent attempt to do the near-impossible: escape from a bottom caste or "Rooster Coop." Dreams from My Father, A Story of Race and Inheritance Barack Obama

This autobiographical, self-exploration by superior thinker and writer, Barack Omaba, includes eloquent depictions of obstacles to social and political advancement faced by American Blacks. With profound irony, its author is now today the first Black president of our United States. Highly recommended reading for every American. February
Women in Their Beds Gina Berriault

Wow! PEN/Faulkner awared winner exceeds expectations. Seems impossible that one writer could produce 35 such absolute gems. At least as good as anything I've read. Listen carefully to Berriault's stories and you will hear sounds that you didn't know your heart could make. Yes. Exit Ghost Philip Roth

Roth at his best. Teaches while he entertains - brilliantly. Could not put the book down. We love you, Nathan Zuckerman. A Person of Interest Susan Choi

Irresistable page-turner by very talented writer. Choi seamlessly weaves together elements of terror, suspense, and mystery, with an older person's self-examination and rediscovery leading to growth, maturation and hope for a new kind of personal rapprochement. No small feat. The Prospector J.M.G. Le Clezio translated from French by Carol Marks

Well-told biographical adventure/love story letting us feel the human condition in a new way. Death with Interruptions Jose Saramago translated from Portugese by Margaret Jull Costa

Well done, fantastic bemusements. What if death: put things on hold for while in one country? restart gave one-week warnings? fell in love? March
Intuition Allegra Goodman

Excellent look at the personalities, passions, deceptions and nobilities of the modern medical science laboratory business. The March by E.L. Doctorow

Tells the story of Sherman's March to the Sea from the points of view of several interesting characters on both sides of the American civil war. The O'Henry Prize Stories 2008 ed Laura Furman

Twenty fine stories. I especially liked three: Village 113 by Anthony Doerr, Touch by Alexi Zentner and Bad Neighbors by Edward P. Jones. May
A Free Life Ha Jin

Wonderful, moving epic tale of one Chinese immigrant's struggle to find personal and artistic fulfullment through, or in spite of, the "American Dream." This Book Will Save Your Life A.M. Homes

Very entertaining read. Warm. Funny. Happy. Sad. Read it and you will hope to be like Richard Novak - an always willing, if sometimes accidental, modern American Good Samaritan hero. You may even save someone's life, if not your own. June
The Best American Short Stories 2007 eds. Stephen King, Heidi Pitlor

Twenty good ones. Especially liked those by Aryn Kyle and Richard Russo. Half of a Yellow Sun Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Powerfully moving look inside the Biafran-Nigerian war. Biting the Hand that Starves You, Inspiring Resistance to Anorexia/Bulimia Richard Maisel, David Epston, Ali Borden

http://www.narrativeapproaches.com

Toilet Training in Less Than a Day Nathan H. Azrin and Richard M. Foxx

Classic (1974) method. July
The PEN/O.Henry Prize Stories 2009 ed. Laura Furman

Good stuff. Especially liked the stories by L.E. Miller, Caitlin Horrocks, Judy Troy, and Junot Diaz. The Happiest Toddler on the Block, How to Eliminate Tantrums and Raise a Patient, Respectful, and Cooperative One-to-Four-Year-Old Harvey Karp

Clear, detailed explanations and examples of how to help your toddler into civilization. Basic principles useful for all ages: first listen with RESPECT, echo strong emotions, talk at the appropriate level, provide lots of positive guidance. Always respect the dignity of your toddler as an individual. August
CivilWarLad in Bad Decline George Saunders

Six very good stories and a novella. Original, funny, at times scary. The Last Lecture Randy Pausch

For everyone, including his wife and three kids. September
The Crimson Petal and the White Michel Faber

Faber gently seduces us into the story of Suger, an 1870's London prostitute, who keeps us entranced without disappointment for over 800 pages. Great story, very well told. Oxygen Carol Cassella

Exciting medical adventure involving a mysterious operating room anesthesiology mishap that kills a child. Well thought-out by real insider Dr. Cassella, a practicing anesthesiologist. Beethoven Was One-Sixteenth Black Nadine Gordimer

Good stuff. Especially liked Alternative Endings. Unique story-telling style. Nobel prize winner. October
The Garden of Last Days Andre Dubus III

An irresistible page-turner all right! Potty Train Your Child in Just One Day Teri Crane

We're gonna have a Potty Party! November
Fine Just the Way It Is Annie Proulx

Super fine stories. Hooray for the gem, 'Tits-Up in a Ditch' - very powerful, moving anti-Iraq-war Wyoming story! Detective Story Imre Kertesz, translated from Hungarian by Tim Wilkinson

Outer Dark Cormac McCarthy

Great story-teller. Creepy story. December
The Humbling Philip Roth

Super story-telling, as always, from Mr. Roth. Indignation Philip Roth

Funny, sad, powerful. 2010
January
The Toss of a Lemon Padma Viswanathan

Well-told epic tale of an Indian woman and her family's struggles with life and the caste system in a changing society. Olive Kitteridge Elizabeth Strout

Pulitzer Prize winner. Insightful stories about the citizens of small-town coastal Maine, especially wonderful, big, old, mean, kind, hating, loving Olive. Preventing Sibling Rivalry, Six Strategies to Build a Jealousy-Free Home Sybil Hart

Interesting read. Let the Great World Spin Colum McCann

Super job. New York City in well-told stories that share a wide spectrum of intriguing characters and a day in 1974 when a tightrope artist walked a wire connecting the tops of World Trade Center Towers. March
The Case for God Karen Armstrong

Excellent review and analysis of the history of our thinking about God and religion from ancient times to the early 21st century. Religion's task is to help us live well, even joyously, with realities for which there are no easy explanations and with problems we can't solve (e.g., mortality, pain, grief, despair, injustice and cruelty). Religion is a practical discipline that requires significant effort in a dedicated lifestyle - a "compassionate lifestyle that allows us to break out of the prism of selfhood." The Conservationist Nadine Gordimer

Strong work. Character portraits and paintings of South African apartheid. A Mercy Toni Morrison

Powerful portrayal of slavery and indentured servitude in 17th century America. April
The Women T.C. Boyle

Wow. Very good stuff. Superbly told tale of the women of Frank Lloyd Wright. May
The Best American Short Stories 2009 ed. Alice Sebold

Fine collection. Especially like those by Victoria Lancelotta, Karl Taro Greenfield, Annie Proulx. June
About Grace Anthony Doerr

Almost, but not quite. The Fire Gospel Michel Faber

Yes! A real page turner. Publishing a newly discovered Gospel that contradicts the old can be profitable but disastrous. Zoli Colum McCann

Wow! Another McCann masterpiece. Gets right inside the beating heart and mind of Romani Gypsy Zoli and her culture. Lost City Radio Daniel Alarcon

Very well constructed first novel. Unique, attractive characters whose lives are critically impacted by an impossible war. Under the Skin Michel Faber

Amazing, weird, engrossing tale. What sacrifices and soul-searchings might be experienced by a handful of fascinating beings from another world who hunt and butcher us for profit as rare culinary delicacies? Somehow Faber pulls this one off beautifully. Have to wonder if he is vegan. The Blind Assassin Margaret Atwood

Very well told and put together mysterious story within a story or stories, connected in interesting and unexpected ways. Going Away Shoes Jill McCorkle

Eleven stories, told with sensitivity and humor, about women and men trying, failing and maybe sometimes succeeding to connect meaningfully to each other and their families. July
The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood

A classic. The Ministry of Special Cases Nathan Englander

Fine piece of work. Outcast Jew, hijo de puta, Kaddish Poznan and wife Lillian deal with loss of their son, "disappeared" by Argentina's new government. American Woman Susan Choi

Wow! A masterpiece second novel by an awesome talent. Exciting page-turner centered around four young American radical terrorist fugitives in the 1970's. (Shades of Patty Hearst.) Irresistible character development exceeds expectations. Although the tragic heroine, Jenny, planted a bomb that blew up part of a building (as planned, no one was killed), you understand her and want her to somehow find peace and happiness. Powerful. Unforgettable. The Thing Around Your Neck Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Twelve stories. All good. The Courage Consort Michel Faber

Three fine novellas. The Foreign Student Susan Choi

Entirely superior work. Gripping. Tragic. Powerful. Insightful. Hopeful. Enlightening. Fulfilling. Awesome. Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut

Classic. Casual, funny, imaginative, strong anti-war statement, based on the adventures of Billy Pilgrim who was a POW in Dresden, Germany, when U.S. and British bombers killed 135,000 people there. The Sound and the Fury William Faulkner

Tale of the tragic fall of an early 20th century southern family plagued by greed, promiscuity, sickness and suicide. Faulkner uses some wonderful, challenging streams of consciousness starting with one from the disorganized mind of the very retarded Ben. August
Confessions of a Shopaholic Sophie Kinsella

Fun read. Sons and Lovers D.H. Lawrence

Classic tale (1913) of Paul Morel's difficult, conflicted relationships with his mother and his lovers. Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel

Booker prize winning study of the mind and heart of Thomas Cromwell in the time of King Henry VIII. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter Carson McCullers

Classic tale of connection and isolation in a small southern U.S. town in the 1930's. How to Paint a Dead Man Sarah Hall

Wonderful. In rotation, Hall introduces us to four appealing artists in four powerful, moving stories, connected in so many ways. September
Darkness at Noon Arthur Koestler

Darkly disturbing look at the last days of Comrade Rubashov, victim of the 1930's Moscow trials. Under the Volcano Malcolm Lowry

Classic, timeless masterpiece set in 1938 Mexico. Magnificent control of the language. Rich use of literary allusions. Powerful portrayal of the agonies of alcoholism. One cannot live without love. The Electric Michelangelo Sarah Hall

Interesting biography of early twentieth century English tattoo artist. Little Bee Chris Cleave

Good, moving story, well told alternately by two interesting narrators: Little Bee, a teen-aged Nigerian asylum-seeker, whose life was saved in a tense scene by the other teller - editor of a London fashion magazine, the about-to-be widowed young mother of a four-year-old who believes he is Spiderman. Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West Cormac McCarthy

Bloody masterpiece. Very bloody. Kid joins traveling gang of ruthless, vicious scalp hunters in mid-nineteenth-century wild, wild western U.S. In the end, what horrible thing did the Judge do to the kid? No one will ever know for sure. October
Daughters of the North Sarah Hall

Fine piece of speculative fiction. Of Human Bondage W. Somerset Maugham

Classic masterpiece. The unforgettable story of Philip Carey. Toilet Training: the Brazelton Way T. Berry Brazelton M.D.

Let the child be the leader. You be the helper. Incendiary Chris Cleave

Letter to Osama bin Laden from working class London gal describing her struggle to re-build her life after the sudden violent deaths of her husband and 4 year-old son in an Al Qaeda suicide bombing. Interesting twists: some sad, many hilarious. The Moviegoer Walker Percy

Excellent. Young, New Orleans stockbroker searching for meaning, love. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Stieg Larsson

Irresistible page turner. Intriguing, unique characters. November
Ulysses James Joyce

Classic tour de force. Joyce proves the master of multiple styles as we spend June 16, 1904, in Dublin, Ireland, getting up close and personal with Leopold Bloom. The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini

Superior, gripping tearjerker. Wabash Robert Olen Butler

Very good. Builds smoothly to gripping climax. December
The Girl Who Played With Fire Stieg Larsson

Second of the trilogy. Even better than the first. Gripping. Couldn't put it down. War Dances Sherman Alexie

Collection of poems and good stories. Good sense of humor. The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger

Classic tale of selected misadventures of the young Holden Caulfield. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest Stieg Larsson

Trilogy finale. Another real page-turner. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Robert A. Heinlein

Classic (1966) science fiction tale of how determined and resourceful Lunar patriots achieved independence from mother Earth in 2076. Tanstaafl! Stranger in a Strange Land Robert A. Heinlein

Classic (1961) story of the Man from Mars, Valentine Michael Smith who was born on Mars of human parents, and brought back to earth to learn our ways and then teach us all a better way. Thou art God. Grok it, man. 2011
January
Getting Back to Even James J. Cramer and Cliff Mason

Inspirational. Good ideas. The Finkler Question Howard Jacobson

Superior. Excellent examination of the struggles of two recently-widowed English Jews and their would-be-Jew friend, dealing with life amidst growing anti-Semitism in the face of the shameful and violent mistreatment of Palestinians by Zionist Israel. Real Money James J. Cramer

Learn and be inspired by a stock market guru. Buy and sell stocks right by spotting bottoms and tops. Make money. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother Amy Chua

Excellent read for every serious parent by Yale law professor and "Chinese mother" of two musically very prodigious daughters. Well-written, moving story of Ms. Chua's relentless determination to push her daughters to excellence, and her eventual surrender to her younger (13-year-old) one. February
Stay Mad for Life, Get Rich, Stay Rich (Make Your Kids Even Richer) James J. Cramer and Cliff Mason

Filled with great, practical financial advice based on Cramer's years of study and experience in the investing business. The Spiral Staircase, My Climb Out of Darkness Karen Armstrong

Moving. Honest. Inspiring. Ms. Armstrong, escaping a convent and overcoming temporal lobe epilepsy, finds that the study of meaning in religion and God are her true passions. "...look into your own heart, find out what distresses you, and then refrain from inflicting similar pain on other people." This is the essence of religious life. Everything else is commentary. The Year of the Hare Arto Paasilinna

Disenchanted journalist drops out of his old life in chase of an injured hare; becomes wandering woodsman, bear hunter. Adventurous. Imaginative. Fun. Anna Karenina Leo Tolstoy, translated by Constance Garnett

Classic. Tragic tale very well told. Poor Anna. Nurtured by Love, the Classic Approach to Talent Education, Second Edition Shinichi Suzuki, translated by Waltraud Suzuki

Suzuki describes the development of the philosophy of his method of music education of young children. The Grand Design Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow

Fascinating. Inspires one to study physics. Is M-theory the complete theory of the universe? A universe that creates itself? March
When the Killing's Done T. C. Boyle

Boyle just keeps getting better. One of our best story-tellers ever. Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life Karen Armstrong

http://charterforcompassion.org

World on Fire, How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability Amy Chua

Cogent argument, well documented and annotated, by Yale law professor. History has taught us that free markets favor already market dominant minorities. Adding democracy is likely to be disastrous, resulting in cruel, even genocidal, attacks on those minorities from the newly empowered majority. The Hidden Reality Brian Greene

Mind expanding. Is ours just one of many universes? The Investment Answer, Learn How to Manage Your Money and Protect Your Financial Future Daniel C. Goldie and Gordon S. Murray

Good well-referenced explanation of the classic conservative approach to investing. Confessions of a Street Addict James J. Cramer

Quite a tale. Good read. A Visit from the Goon Squad Jennifer Egan

Masterful, magical picture of how that Goon, time, subtly completely changes everything. A collection of uniquely charming stories woven together across the years with irresistible characters like you and me. April
The Prize, The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power Daniel Yergin

Awesome piece of work! Thoroughly documented with over 80 pages of references. Brilliantly written historical narrative of the essential role oil has played in the lives of we "hydrocarbon" people. Filled with anecdotes, quotes and vivid character portrayals that keep the reader unforgettably right in the midst of the action. How the West Was Lost, Fifty Years of Economic Folly - and the Stark Choices Ahead Dambisa Moyo

Sobering look at how U.S. policy and the behavior of its people is causing its downfall as a leading economic power in favor of other rapidly rising countries, especially China. Look at Me Jennifer Egan

Superior. Couldn't put it down. Netherland Joseph O'Neill

Well told. Thoughtfully introspective winner of 2009 PEN/Faulkner. May
Model Home Eric Puchner

Gem of a novel. LOL hilarious and heart wrenching sad, just like life. Cutting for Stone Abraham Verghese

Interesting, well-written first novel by Dr. Verghese. Lots of accurate, detailed medical knowledge and experience evident; but overall story feels just a wee bit too fantastic. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle Haruki Murakami, trans (Japanese) by Jay Rubin

Super story telling by a great talent. An irresistible adventure. Take One Candle Light a Room Susan Straight

Not bad. The Caprices Sabina Murray

PEN/Faulkner award winner. Nine powerful stories of repercussions of WW II in Asia. New best anti-war book. June
Sister Carrie Theodore Dreiser

Riches to rags intersects rags to riches, but nowhere happiness. Well told. Flourish, A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being Martin E. P. Seligman

www.authentichappiness.com

The Collected Stories of Deborah Eisenberg Deborah Eisenberg

A glorious collection of 27 wonderful stories, artistically crafted and told in deliciously poetic prose by the inimitable Eisenberg. After Dark Haruki Murakami, trans (Japanese) by Jay Rubin

Short novel looks at scenes of one Tokyo night. Appealing. Imaginative. July
Kafka on the Shore Haruki Murakami, trans (Japanese) by Philip Gabriel

Wow! What a mind-bending trip! Extraordinarily imaginative metaphysical adventure in growing up, life, death, sex, violence, raining fish and talking with cats. In Cold Blood Truman Capote

Gripping true story of the murderers of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, November 1959. The Keep Jennifer Egan

Masterful, elegant, irresistible story within a story. Raising Confident Happy Children, 40 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed Anthony Gunn

Forty practical tips from psychologist Gunn. John Adams David McCullough

Amazing piece of work. Superbly referenced, detailed, sensitive, moving biography of one of our greatest Americans, the voice of our Declaration of Independence - the reason it got done and approved when it did. Enjoyed life-long, deep, spiritual and inspirational relationship with the amazing Abigail Adams. Best friends at the end, Adams and Tom Jefferson both died on the same day, July 4, 50 years after the signing of the Declaration! August
Blood Dark Track, A Family History Joseph O'Neill

Wonderful. Better than his award-winning fictional Netherland. O'Neill researches, reveals and carefully analyzes the stories around the World War Two imprisonment of both of his grandfathers. Illustrado Miguel Syjuco

Masterful. Clever. Funny. Man Asian Literary Prize winning first novel! Recommended reading for everyone but especially for Filipino expatriates, balikbayan, or U.S. Philippines aficionados with some Tagalog skills. Readers will wonder: Is this fiction? Who is really telling this story? Who is it really about? Turn of Mind Alice LaPlante

Superior first novel. Get inside the head of Jennifer White, demented retired orthopedic surgeon accused of murdering her best friend. Hard to put down. Positive Discipline for Preschoolers Jane Nelsen, Cheryl Erwin, and Roslyn Ann Duffy

www.positivediscipline.com

www.positivediscipline.org

Henderson the Rain King Saul Bellow

A deliciously imagined adventure. iCon, Steve Jobs, the Greatest Second Act in the History of Business Jeffrey S. Young and William L. Simon

Spellbinding, unauthorized but authoritative, well-documented revelation of some of the misadventures and incredible achievements of the unique genius that is Steve Jobs. September
Wild Child and Other Stories T. C. Boyle

Fourteen imaginative, intriguing, satisfying short stories. Boyle can write a great short story about anything, anybody, anywhere. October
Truman David McCullough

Definitive masterpiece. Tells one of the greatest American stories, that of President Harry S. Truman - ordinary, small-town midwestern citizen with no college education who became president almost accidentally and, using the Bible, a deep knowledge and understanding of history and his profound personal integrity as guides, successfully faced some our country's most important decisions: whether to use the atomic bomb, creation of the United Nations, dealing with post-World War II Europe (Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan), the Berlin Airlift, recognition of Israel, formation of NATO, committing our armed forces to Korea, and helping ensure civilian control over our military. Proved that each of us is capable of greatness, and that Presidents are regular people. Hell Robert Olen Butler

Dead news anchor finds himself in Hell. Wondering what put him there and seeking to escape if possible, he works in Hell as a TV news anchor interviewing famous others, asking why they think they are in Hell. Turns out everyone is there. Teaming with horrors, but also full of funny, even hilarious, moments. Beyond Time-out, From Chaos to Calm Beth A. Grosshans Ph.D. with Janet H. Burton L.C.S.W.

Use Grosshans 5-step Ladder to be an effective parent and avoid or repair any imbalance of family power (IFP). Successful method based on lots of clinical experience. Well-explained with lots of good examples. Blink, The Power of Thinking Without Thinking Malcolm Gladwell

The power of first impressions. How they hurt us; and how they can be honed to help us. Very interesting read. Love Medicine Louise Erdrich

Powerful stuff. National Book Critics Circle Award winning first novel from a Minneapolis, Minnesota, gal who grew up in North Dakota as a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe Indians and became a gracefully artistic and deeply sensitive storyteller. Nanjing Requiem Ha Jin

Fine piece of work. Story of the Goddess of Mercy, Minnie Vautrin, and the last years of Jinling Women's College, Nanjing, China - all tragic victims of Japanese war atrocities in the late 1930's to early 1940's. November
The Plague of Doves Louise Erdrich

Powerful, superior story-telling by an artist who uses language that not only paints, but also sings and dances. A collection of beautifully interwoven stories told by irresistible characters, through which the truth behind an old family murder gradually emerges. Oh, yeah, and there's lots of great sex in it, too. 1Q84 Haruki Murakami

Reality and fantasy are cleverly brought together in this unique, irresistible page-turner. The Small Hotel Robert Olen Buter

Wow! That's some powerfully moving stuff from a very gifted story-teller. Don't hesitate to say "I love you." The Painted Drum Louise Erdrich

Very fine story-telling. December
Steve Jobs Walter Isaacson

The definitive biography, the real Steve Jobs story. Fine piece of work. The journey is the reward. The Master Butchers Singing Club Louise Erdrich

Very superior, sensitive story telling. The 50 Funniest American Writers Andy Borowitz

LOL. Some seriously funny; others funny-serious. Shadow Tag Louise Erdrich

Powerful sad tale. When the Emperor Was Divine Julie Otsuka

Fine debut novel tells the story of one Japanese American family held in captivity for years and permanently, deeply scarred by the irrational, paranoid racism that flared up after the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. 2012
January
Man with a Pan ed. John Donohue

Delicious, inspirational book. Collection of fun stories and recipes by men writers who cook for their families. Do men who cook have more and better sex? This Side of Brightness Colum McCann

Gripping, heart wrenching story of the New York subway tunnels: the men who dug them and the people who live in them today. Autobiography of a Yogi Paramahansa Yogananada

Incredible stuff. February
The Tiger's Wife Lea Obreht

Wonderful story from great new talent. 2011 Orange Prize winning first novel. Woven with great loving care and a tantalizing pinch of fantasy. A girl and her grandfather. Buy High Sell Higher Joe Terranova

Respected professional investor and TV Fast Money panelist shares his successful experience.

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