(symptom: being excessively engaged in tasks that require exquisite attention to detail, such as list-making)
Summary
70 books by 56 authors (having read 3 each by Donna Andrews and Isabel Allende, and 2 each by Ilona Andrews, Margaret Atwood, Nadeem Aslam, Stephen Baxter, Sandi Ault, Kingsley Amis, Robert Littell, Kate Atkinson, and Carol Berg) from 10 different countries (including Chile, Sweden, Portugal, Italy, Pakistan, and Russia).
Genres
Short stories, 1%
Nonfiction, 4%
Young adult, 4%
Romance, 4%
Alternate history, 4%
Action & adventure, 6%
Humor, 10%
Scifi, 13%
Fantasy, 13%
General & literary fiction, 16%
Thriller/ suspense, 17%
Historical fiction, 17%
Mystery & detective, 31%
(total greater than 100 due to some books fitting multiple categories)
45 of the 70 (64%) won a major award or were named to a Best Of list in their year of publication
My Ratings (out of 10)
9 or 10, 7%
7 or 8, 35%
5 or 6, 47%
4 or less, 11%
Top 10 Reads of 2010
- The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus, by Margaret Atwood (2005 - literary mythology)
- Winterton Blue, by Trezza Azzopardi (2007 - romantic literary fiction)
- Case Histories, by Kate Atkinson (2004 - literary mystery & detective)
- The Wasted Vigil, by Nadeem Aslem (2008 - contemporary literary fiction)
- The Yiddish Policemen's Union, by Michael Chabon (2007 - mystery & detective in an alternate history)
- Zorro, by Isabel Allende (2005 - historical action & adventure)
- Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA, by Tim Weiner (2007 - nonfiction)
- The Convalescent, by Jessica Anthony (2009 - contemporary literary fiction)
- The Algebreist, by Iain M. Banks (2004 - scifi)
- Little Bee, by Chris Cleave (2008 - contemporary literary fiction)
Least Favorite Books of 2010
- Wild Inferno, by Sandi Ault (2008 - mystery & detective)
- On the Edge, by Ilona Andrews (2009 - fantasy)
- The Seven Sins: The Tyrant Ascending, by Jon Land (2008 - thriller)
- Wild Indigo, by Sandi Ault (2008 - mystery & detective)
- Flood, by Stephen Baxter (2009 - scifi)
- In Cold Pursuit, by Sarah Andrews (2008 - mystery & detective)
- Bury Me Deep, by Megan Abbott (2009 - historical mystery & detective)
- Human Capital, by Stephen Amidon (2005 - contemporary fiction)
- Flesh and Spirit, by Carol Berg (2007 - fantasy)
- Devil May Care, by Sebastian Faulks (2008 - spy thriller)
The Chronological List
January
The Wasted Vigil, by Nadeem Aslam
Brasyl, by Ian McDonald
Emissaries from the Dead, by Adam-Troy Castro
Flesh and Spirit, by Carol Berg
Breath and Bone, by Carol Berg
Powers, by Ursula K. Le Guin
Too Close to Home, by Linwood Barclay
February
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
The Seven Sins: The
Tyrant Ascending, by Jon Land
Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri
Envy the Night, by Michael Kortya
A Welcome Grave, by Michael Kortya
Case Histories, by Kate Atkinson
When Will There Be Good
News?, by Kate Atkinson
March
Passage of Arms, by Eric Ambler
House of the Stag, by Kage Baker
April
London Fields, by Martin Amis
Daughter of Fortune, by Isabel Allende
Wild Indigo, by Sandi Ault
The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus, by Margaret Atwood
Wild Inferno, by Sandi Ault
Winterton Blue, by Trezza Azzopardi
Missing, by Karen Alvtegen
End of Story, by Peter Abrahams
The Visiting Professor, by Robert Littell
May
Zorro, by Isabel Allende
Devil May Care, by Sebastian Faulks
Vicious Circle, by Robert Littell
The Ethical Assassin, by David Liss
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
June
Ines of My Soul, by Isabel Allende
Magic Burns, by Ilona Andrews
A Superior Death, by Nevada Barr
The Savage Detectives, by Roberto Bolano
July
A Treasury of Regrets, by Susanne Alleyn
Hide My Eyes, by Margery Allingham
August
The Old Devils, by Kingsley Amis
Human Capital, Stephen Amidon
In Cold Pursuit, by Sarah Andrews
The Alteration, by Kingsley Amis
Murder with Peacocks, by Donna Andrews
You’ve Got Murder, by Donna Andrews
Fearless Fourteen, by Janet Evanovich
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA, by Tim Weiner
The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman
September
Skylark Farm, by Antonia Arslan
The Inquisitors’
Manual, by Antonio Lobo Antunes
The Age of Spiritual
Machines, by Ray Kurzweil
The Mercy Seat, by Rilla Askew
October
Crouching Buzzard,
Leaping Loon, by Donna Andrews
Maps for Lost Lovers, by Nadeem Aslam
Flood, by Stephen Baxter
The Yiddish Policemen’s
Union, by Michael Chabon
November
Bury Me Deep, by Megan Abbott
War Dances, by Sherman Alexie
On the Edge, by Ilona Andrews
The Year of the Flood, by Margaret Atwood
Bitter Angels, by C. L. Anderson
Devil’s Garden, by Ace Atkins
Death and Restoration, by Iain Pears
December
The Convalescent, by Jessica Anthony
A Loyal Spy, by Simon Conway
Little Bee, by Chris Cleave
Await Your Reply, by Dan Chaon
The Algebraist, by Iain M. Banks
