pagesofjulia

My year-in-review post is coming, but first, as the year ends, let’s take a look at the very BEST books I read in 2013. Not necessarily published in 2013, you understand, although several were that, as well. Others were quite old. And while we’re at it, do check out Shelf Awareness’s best-of list, which has three books in common with mine. The Shelf and I, we continue simpatico.

Those that received a rating of 10:

• The Norman Maclean Reader (nonfiction)
• Young Men and Fire, Norman Maclean (nonfiction)
• Dirt Work, Christine Byl (nonfiction)
• Flight Behavior, Barbara Kingsolver (fiction)
• Endgame, Derrick Jensen (nonfiction)
• NOS4A2, Joe Hill (fiction)

Those that received a rating of 9:

• Stretching, Bob Anderson (nonfiction)
• The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman (fiction)
• Fairyland, Alysia Abbott (nonfiction)
• She Got Up Off the Couch, Haven Kimmel (nonfiction)
• A River Runs Through It, Norman Maclean (fiction)
• The Solace of Open Spaces, Gretel Ehrlich (nonfiction)
• The Used World, Haven Kimmel (fiction)
• The World’s Strongest Librarian, Josh Hanagarne (nonfiction)
• The Solace of Leaving Early, Haven Kimmel (fiction)
• A White Heron, Sarah Orne Jewett (fiction)
• Iodine, Haven Kimmel (fiction)
• Something Rising (Light and Swift), Haven Kimmel (fiction)
• Ines of My Soul, Isabel Allende (fiction)
• Speaking Truth to Power, Anita Hill (nonfiction): here and here
• Still Alice, Lisa Genova (fiction)
• Drinking with Men, Rosie Schaap (nonfiction)
• A Garden of Marvels, Ruth Kassinger (nonfiction)

There were lots of 8s, too – it’s been a great year. For example, late in the year I’ve discovered a love for Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, which hasn’t gotten a 9 on an individual book lately – but I wonder why, because I’m certainly enjoying the series that much! My, I’ve read so many books that it’s difficult to think back this far; but this list helps me remember the very best of my reading year.

What did YOU read this year that’s blown you away?

Filed under: musings | Tagged: best of, best of the year, lists |