So here they are, my favorite books of 2012! Enjoy!
10. Judging a Book by Its Lover by Lauren Leto
While this book does have its issues with sexist language, it is an incredibly funny book by the writer who brought us "Stereotyping by Your Favorite Writers" (which is in this book too, by the way). Love the dating tips too, may actually try them out... XD
9. Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album by Ken Caillat with Steven Stiefel
Yeah, another book about one of the most important records in history, but now told in the POV of one of its producers, a then-young man named Ken Caillat (yes, he is related to Colbie Caillat, he's her father). An engaging storyteller with a fun personality (his love of cars and early use of answering machines is the stuff of funny comics), he is brutally honest and passionate. You may not understand every word he writes, but you'll enjoy the ride either way.
8. Distrust That Particular Flavor by William Gibson
Mr. Gibson delights the world with his thoughts on everything from science fiction in general to the adaptation of his story "Johnny Mnemonic". His essay on Singapore ("Disneyland with the Death Penalty") is hugely problematic, though. Enjoy a glimpse into the man we call the cyberpunk king.
7. The Fox Effect by Media Matters for America
Fox News is actually a propaganda station? Say it ain't so! Okay, end of the sarcasm. Whatever your thoughts on the news station, there is no doubt that it has changed the face of the media. You can safely think of this as a sort-of sequel to the media watchdog's excellent documentary Outfoxed. The book covers the beginnings of the Obama administration Be prepared for the inevitable sequel...
6. Drift by Rachel Maddow
If I didn't love this wonderful news personality now, this book made me love her even more. Take a look into her smart look into America's obsession with the military and why the exorbitant defense spending was something we've been dealing with for a long time (and why the problem with it these days shouldn't be a shock).
5. How Should A Person Be? by Sheila Heti
At first hearing that this was similar to the HBO hit Girls (my hatred for this show knows no bounds. More on this another day...) made me avoid it big time. While the book does has some problematic language choices, it is much more intelligent than Girls. The characters here sound like people I know, they are fully aware of themselves and not quirky just because. They just... be. (Ba-dum-tish!)
4. Fear of Music by Jonathan Lethem
Of all the people in the world to write a 33 1/3 book on the groundbreaking Talking Heads album, thank the gods and saints it was Lethem. Spoken not only like a true fan, but also a non-pretentious one (a rarity, I might add), the book is a break down of the album's pieces and trying to solve its inner puzzles. It is a celebration, but also an honest dissertation. A must-read!
3. Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith
Fun fact: I read this on and off throughout my shifts at my job (it was short!). I loved this book. It was sad, brief, but so beautiful. It captured the day in the life of a young woman going through the motions. It is, like Heti's book, the characters are honest and are just themselves. No pretension here.
2. girlchild by Tupelo Hassman
A shame to all the book lists for not including this future classic! The book follows a young girl living in the outskirts of Reno, trying to form her own Girl Scout troop. It does contain some disturbing elements (e.g. sexual abuse), so do read with caution. It is heartbreaking, but it's also engaging and told wonderfully. A Girl Scout salute from one Brownie to another!
And drum roll please...
1. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
This one surprised me with how great it ended up getting. At first, it started off kinda slow, but the story twists into an epic adventure involving e-books, New York City, and cults. Yes, cults. It is that wonderful. The narrator is a good ol' guy who happens to start working for a strange San Francisco bookstore. The rest, as they say, gets more interesting than that. Don't always the best stories start out like that?
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Thanks to all the wonderful writers and their creations for gracing us with their presences in 2012. May their futures be filled with more fantastic creations that continue to delight readers.
This post was (later) brought to you by Jerry Harrison dressed like a hipster... for some reason.
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