YEAR EIGHT OF READING

It's that time again. Another year of my life has passed. From my birthday in 2017 (April 22) to my birthday this year, I read 111 books. These were my favorites. Included are the date of first publication and the date of my review. I recommend all these without reservation.

A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by AMOR TOWLES
A deliciously charming book about a Russian aristocrat under house arrest in a hotel in Moscow from 1922 through 1954, as he befriends people from all walks of life, including a child whom he comes to love. It is not very believable, but the telling of it is elegant and gently humorous and life affirming. A welcome departure from most current "problem" novels. (2016, reviewed May, 2017)

THE WAY WEST by A.B. GUTHRIE, JR.
The story of the Western Migration, following one family and their wagon train from Missouri to Oregon. Guthrie writes so believably that one can suppose that he took the trip with them. He is a wonderful writer, realistic and poetic simultaneously. A Pulitzer winner.(1949, reviewed June, 2017)

THE LONG GOODBYE by RAYMOND CHANDLER
I love everything Raymond Chandler ever wrote. He is so stylish, so good at dialogue. He is proof that genre stories can be Literature, with a capital L. This is typical Chandler, with private detective Philip Marlowe involved in the twists and turns of a mystery which includes betrayals and sexy women and, of course, dead bodies. (1953, reviewed June, 2017)

A PERFECT SPY by JOHN LE CARRE'
More than a spy thriller, this is a psychological examination of a man who became a master spy, capable of self-justification for his betrayal of those who trust him. Another example of genre fiction which has achieved Literature status because of the writing skill of its author. (1986, reviewed August, 2017)

THE NORTH WATER by IAN McGUIRE
A harsh and brutal tale of the sailors on a whaling ship in the hunting waters of the Arctic Circle. Despite its violent subject matter, this is a beautiful book, almost mythic in its portrayal of human corruption. Not for everybody, maybe, but it really impressed me. Short-listed for the Booker Prize. (2016, reviewed August, 2017)

NEWS OF THE WORLD by PAULETTE JILES
The story of an old man's journey to return a girl rescued from capture by Kiowa Indians to her white family, taking place in Reconstruction-era Texas. Although the plot is somewhat derivative, the writing is poetic, and Jiles's portrayal of the landscape and the vernacular of Texas are spot-on. It is also pleasurably heart-warming without being too syrupy. A finalist for the National Book Award. (2016, reviewed Sept. 2017)

HISTORY OF WOLVES by EMILY FRIDLUND
A coming-of-age story in which a girl does not grow up to be a wiser and happier adult, in contrast with reader expectations. There is a mystery, but it is secondary to the character development and the use of the harsh landscape of Minnesota as an integral part. Disturbingly fascinating. Short-listed for the Booker Prize. (2017, reviewed November, 2017)

EXIT WEST by MOHSIN HAMID
What begins as the realistic story of a young couple caught up in the chaos of a civil war in their unnamed country suddenly switches to magical realism, as they embark on a quest to find a safe home where they will be welcomed. The result is a fable of the emigrant experience, particularly relevant today in light of the plight of the Syrian people. Short listed for the Booker Prize and winner of the LA Times Book Prize. (2017, reviewed November, 2017)

SING, UNBURIED, SING by JESMYN WARD
A 13-year-old black boy and his little sister take a surrealistic road trip with their mother to bring his white father home from prison. They are accompanied home by ghosts from the past, both figuratively and literally. I believe this book is destined to become a classic. Winner of the National Book Award and finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. (2017, reviewed January, 2018)

PACHINKO by MIN JIN LEE
A highly entertaining multi-generational family saga following a Korean family who are immigrants in Japan. While telling a fascinating story it also points to the experience of any immigrant who finds himself devalued because of ethnicity. Finalist for the National Book Award. (2017, reviewed January, 2018)

THE POWER by NAOMI ALDERMAN
Imagine a world of the future when women have become dominant over men, because they have developed the power to deliver electric shock unaided by any device. If you imagine a kinder, gentler world, you would be wrong. As it turns out, power corrupts. What a surprise! This slyly humorous satire has much to say about power and gender and stereotypes. (2017, reviewed January, 2018)

THE MEMORY OF RUNNING by RON McLARTY
A 40-something overweight, beer drinking, chain smoking loser impulsively embarks on a cross-country bicycle trip, and finds himself along the way. I developed a great fondness for this character because the author presents him with such compassion. (2004, reviewed March, 2018)

THE GRIP OF IT by JAC JEMC
First rate psychological horror about a couple who buy a house that is (or might be) haunted. The title accurately describes the hold the book took of my mind. I have seldom read a creepier story. (2017, reviewed March 2018)

Contrary to my usual reading habits, I read several non-fiction books this year, primarily histories and presidential biographies. The best were APRIL, 1865 by JAY WINIK (history, reviewed October, 2017) and WASHINGTON, A LIFE by RON CHENOW (biography, reviewed February, 2018)

I read only one book this year that I would not recommend to anyone: AMERICAN PSYCHO by BRET EASTON ELLIS (1991, reviewed September, 2017).

So I'm off for another year of reading adventures. Onward through the fog.