what i read in december.

Happy new year. 2011 was a good one for me, until the 4th quarter. Then things kind of sucked.

Anyway. Here’s what I read in December. I’m doing this on my phone, so no links, too complicated. Maybe I’ll put them in later.

Three Cups of Deceit by Jon Krakauer. this is a short book (I think it was originally a long magazine article) about the Three Cups of Tea guy, Greg Mortensen, and how his books may be less than truthful (the evidence is pretty overwhelming). I haven’t read Mortensen’s books and have never really cared to (someone I can’t stand just gushed about Three Cups of Tea, and right or wrong, I just had zero interest in reading it after that). I wish Jon Krakauer would publish his grocery lists. I’ve never read one thing by him that didn’t have me completely riveted.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. A really entertaining young adult book about Junior, who lives on a reservation with his family, and decides to go to the white school (I don’t think it was actually a “white” school, but I’m pretty sure that’s what Junior calls it) 22 miles away. Junior is caught between the reservation and his desire for a better life.

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf. I bought this one because I liked the cover. The book, not so much.

The Basement by Stephen Leather. I bought this as an inexpensive Kindle book. The story of a writer suspected of being a serial killer. A lot of reviewers seemed to find it disturbing. I don’t think I got invested enough to be disturbed.

When Parents Text, by Sophia Fraioli. Another Kindle Daily Deal. I don’t normally read things like this, but my kids had been sending me a bunch of things from Damn You Autocorrect! and I thought this would be funny. It seemed like it was mostly examples from the author’s family, and not all that funny.

Model Home by Eric Puchner. I bought this one because I liked the cover and because I thought it was a book I’d heard about on This American Life. It wasn’t the book I was thinking of, but what a great book. It’s hard to even describe what this book is about: a family that goes broke, experiences tragedy, and tries to recover. But it’s about much more than that. It’s definitely depressing, but also funny and sweet. I loved this book.

All She Ever Wanted by Barbara Freehy. Another interesting-sounding Kindle Daily Deal. I read to the end. Didn’t care for it and I wonder about the people who gave it positive reviews.

Up From Down by Ted Adamson. A memoir about drug addiction. I didn’t think it was all that well written, and I didn’t think the story was that interesting.

Blindsided by Richard M. Cohen. About the author’s life with MS. I really wanted to like it, and I did, sort of.

Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger. About high school football in Odessa, Texas, and the inspiration for the movie and TV show. I don’t think you have to like football to like it. This book is a masterpiece. One of the best books I’ve ever read.

The Proving Ground by G. Bruce Knecht. Another Kindle Daily Deal, but better than most of those. About the 1998 Hobart yacht race in Australia, when crews encountered bad weather, and some sailors were killed, many had to be rescued. In a way, reminiscent of Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, THE best book I’ve ever read. Bad decisions based on bad information based on poor communication…an interesting book, might have enjoyed it more if I knew anything about boats.

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. A love letter to food, to cooking. I’ve long thought Anthony Bourdain was the coolest guy in the world. This book didn’t do anything to dissuade me. Loved it.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. A Kindle Daily Deal, surprisingly. I neglected to read this when it was assigned to me in college. It was written in the 1980s, and is definitely relevant to to our society today. This is an amazing book–just read it, if you haven’t already. Or if you have.

Well. That’s what I read.

Happy New Year.

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