Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. Fiction of course. This is the third book in the Twilight series and I liked it pretty well. Not great literature, but an interesting 600 pages so next I'll read the fourth book. Wonder how many there are...
The Tipping Point: how little things can make a big difference by Malcolm Gladwell. Ugh. Nonfiction, about 300 agonizing pages. Thought this would be good because I liked Freakonomics a few years ago, but this book was pretty painful. It seemed like lots of numbers and examples, but it never really got to the point. Definitely not recommended in general. It made a few points that I'd kind of recognize in everyday life, but not the best use of my time. Still wondering why I bothered to finish it, usually I give up if I'm not enjoying a book, but I kept waiting for this one to get better.
Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer. Non-fiction, about 370 pages, about an Austrian POW in India during WWII who escapes (multiple times actually, he gets recaptured) and flees to Tibet where he lives for ... wait for it ... seven years! This is one of those all-time-great books, makes it onto a lot of lists, and somehow I'd never read it. The underlying currents of racism and sexism are interesting, but not atypical of the time. Harrer for example talks about women "not making a big fuss of giving birth," repeatedly boasts of being the first European to do something there (climb a mountain) (but no explanation as to why it matters that he's the first white man...), and even comments on things like Tibetan children being "not inferior". One of the funnier quotes, "Of course, one cannot compare the productivity of Tibetan workers with that of Europeans." But for what it is, fleeing the war, meeting the Dalai Lama, living in Tibet, it was an absolutely amazing book. Highly recommended.
The Survivors Club (the secrets and science that could save your life) by Ben Sherwood. Nonfiction about 400 pages but goes by quickly. Fun book about random disaster survival. Mountain lion attacks to Holocaust concentration camps, and pretty much everything in between. My big take-aways were to always follow the safety briefing on a plane, to actually say out loud how many rows away I am from the nearest exit on a plane, and to figure out the evacuation plan from any hotel room.
Packing the Court. LOOONG. by James MacGregor Burns. Nonfiction, technically only 330ish pages, but feels much longer, about the history of the Supreme Court and its landmark decisions. It pretty much starts with Washington choosing the first Justices, covers Marbury, covers almost all the other notable decisions since (and some that didn't strike me as notable), talks about various changes (or attempted changes) to the number of Justices, almost each appointment to the bench, and even covered the nomination of Harriet Miers (what a joke -- I was appalled that Bush would nominate an SMU grad for the Supreme Court -- I may sound like a conservative here, but really, it's just me as a lawyer saying that someone who went to a school that is barely in the top 25 has no business on the Court) and the decision of Bush v. Gore and its impact.
The Racketeer by John Grisham. Fiction, about 340 pages. As with most of his books, a very quick and enjoyable read. This one is about an attorney in prison on RICO charges (which he claims were bogus) and his scheme to get a Rule 35 release. I think I read the whole thing in less than 2 weeks, and since I seem to have very little time to read on the average day, that's pretty quick for me.
The Confession by John Grisham. Fiction, about 525 pages. Quick and enjoyable, a desperate attempt to finish another book before the end of the year (to hit my resolution of 20). About an inmate who confesses to murder, and is sent to death row, and then someone else comes forward and confesses to the crime to a priest before the inmate is executed. Read most of this over Christmas vacation.
If I had to rank the second half of 2012 books in order, it would be:
Seven Years in Tibet
The Confession
The Survivor's Club
And my ranking from the first half of 2012 was:
Lost on Planet China
The Happiness Project
Retribution
The Drop
So if I had to combine the two and do a single ranking of all the books I read in 2012, it would be:
Lost on Planet China
The Happiness Project
Seven Years in Tibet
Retribution
I actually fell a bit short of my goal of reading 20 books, I think I came in at 19, but I keep thinking there was one I read over the summer or early fall but forgot to list (maybe something about running?). Anyway, I think this totals up to just over 4000 pages of nonfiction, and about 3300 pages of fiction. Not bad! My mind is stronger for the 4000 nonfiction pages, and perhaps more imaginative for the 3300 pages.
I decided not to make a 2013 resolution about a specific number of books since I don't want to encourage myself to read quick books that don't improve my life or mind at all. But maybe I'll aim for 7500 pages, at least 50% non-fiction? Either way, not an official resolution.
I always love to see what you've read because I get ideas for books I wouldn't otherwise choose on my own. Here's to happy reading in 2013!
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