So, I am stockpiling books like the death of printing presses is coming. I can’t even begin to tell you how many books are on my to be read shelves and, yet, I’m still greedily eyeing the books at the local book shop like I’m looking for the crucible. I guess that’s because I am. The books that usually grab my throat and make me take notice come to because of my persistent book searching. And then they crack my head open, make me stay up way too late, cause me to tell BF I am going to the bathroom just so I can close the door and read for a few minutes in silence in the middle of a Saturday afternoon when I am supposed to be cleaning out the attic. This is the place that reading has always had in my life, even as a girl with her hiddren flashlight who would read into the wee hours but then hit the off switch if she heard her Mamacita or Papito approaching to check on her. It consumes me. It’s my guilty pleasure, my addiction, my safe space, my get away, my homecoming.
All that to say that I’ve spent some time thinking about my favorite book from last year’s batch and the winner is The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Seriously, read it. You must. And then come tell me what you thought.
In other news, I am wondering which book will most keep me up nights this year. There are already contenders– previous winners of the favorite book of the year title have books coming out this year: Elizabeth Gilbert (need I tell you that she is the author of Eat, Pray, Love), Kelly Corrigan (the author of the funny, smart, touching The Middle Place) and Jodi Picoult (oh, I sobbed at the end of My Sister’s Keeper). And then there is the reality that I had never heard of any of these authors when I read those books that took me by storm (and Stockett was a first time author with The Help) so it is very possible that the book that most grabs my throat this year will be by someone whose name I don’t currently know. I am making my list so I am sure to find that book. Maybe even sooner rather than later.
Hence, here’s the question: What was your favorite book in 2009?
I am just about to start The Help for my book club and I am excited!. My favorite books of 2009 were Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and The Crowning Glory of Calla Lilly Ponder by Rebecca Wells. The first touched my life and the second was more light hearted and fun but still had some definite thought provoking situations.
I wrote a post about my faves of 2009, you can get a list of about 10 awesome books there. Into the Wild, by Krakauer was probably the one that lingered and haunted me the most though.