Year in Books: 2009
1. Bone: The Dragon Slayer (Book 4) by Jeff Smith (graphic novel): 184 pages.
Great and fast read, on par with the rest of the series. I can't wait to finish them... I have the fifth one, but I'll have to go out and get 6-9 soon!
2. The Good Neighbors: Kin (Book 1) by Holly Black (graphic novel/fantasy/young adult): 144 pages.
A beautiful book. The story and the graphics were beautiful in an unsettling sort-of way. I can't wait to find out what happens in the next volume!
3. HTML: A Beginner's Guide, Second Edition by Wendy Willard (HTML/web design): 550 pages.
This edition is a little outdated, but still extremely useful. It covers all the basics, of course, so that's helped in my understanding of coding. It wasn't a book I read cover-to-cover, but the parts I've read were straightforward and useful.
4. Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons (graphic novel/sci-fi/literature): 416 pages.
Seriously one of the best books I've ever read, though it took me ages to get into. I often felt stupid or like I was missing something at the beginning of the book when Rorschach was narrating, but I powered through at the request of friends who loved this book and am glad they pushed me into it. Once I was able to get through that part and move on, I really became totally engrossed in the story. It was beautifully written with many memorable lines, some funny, some ironic, some poignant. The exerpts from fictional media and the song lyrics and quotes enhanced the storylines in subtle, but important ways. I enjoyed the fact that not all superheroes were even extremely good-looking, just as they weren't necessarily the most morally superior. The development of the characters was as valuable as the plot itself. If you haven't read this graphic novel yet, go DO IT NOW.
5. Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates (literature): 480 pages.
Heart-achingly wonderful. Yates writes with the simplicity of Hemingway and the grace of Fitzgerald. His prose is fast-paced and terribly, wonderfully honest. A look at what any intelligent, motivated, real, living couple feels, thinks, and does through the lens of a non-judgmental storyteller. A cautionary tale and wonderful assessment of normalcy versus the desire to be extraordinary.
6. Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli (nonfiction narrative/memoir): 356 pages.
A fascinating romp through the landscape of Harry Potter fandom, Melissa Anelli lays out what it means to be a fan in the truest sense of the word. When a book or series like this touches your life and augments your desire to be fully human, do well by your own legacy, and have fun while you're at it, what is there to be ashamed of? Absolutely nothing. From wizard rock to shipping wars, from a reluctant first-time reader to ultimate authority on all things Harry Potter, Melissa Anelli takes the reader inside the anatomy of the Harry Potter phenomenon through an enjoyable, mysterious, and uplifting decade-long journey.
7. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (fantasy/children's): 176 pages.
(currently reading)
8. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett (fantasy/sci-fi/comedy): 352 pages.
(currently reading)
9. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (travel/memoir): 352 pages.
(currently reading)
10. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel (historical fiction): 495 pages.
(currently reading)