Top 10

The end of the year is approaching, which means that Top Ten lists are everywhere. List-making is one of my favorite activities, so I am going to do my own Top Ten list, of the best books I read this year. Most of these were not actually published this year, so the list has no real link to 2007, but that’s OK. Here they are, in no particular order:

Fiction:

“The Inheritance of Loss,” by Kiran Desai
A sad but lovely story of life in rural India (and the lives of Indian immigrants in the U.S.).

“The Voyage of the Narwhal,” by Andrea Barrett
The story of an ill-fated trip to explore the Arctic circle.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” by J.K. Rowling
The best possible ending to the series.

“Suite Francaise,” by Irene Nemirovsky
A very poignant and beautifully written story of life in Nazi-occupied France.

“The Road,” by Cormac McCarthy
Compelling and grim portrayal of a fictional but entirely believable post-apocalyptic world.


Nonfiction:

“Moneyball,” by Michael Lewis
You might not think that a book devoted to the dealings of the Oakland A’s front office would be all that fascinating. You are WRONG.

“Eat, Pray, Love,” by Elizabeth Gilbert
This book made me want to follow in Gilbert’s footsteps as she traveled to Italy, India and Indonesia.

“My Life in France,” by Julia Child and Alex Prud’homme
A lovely account of Child’s life.

“Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage,” by Alfred Lansing
A real life adventure story that kept me entranced, even though I already knew how it ended.

“A Walk in the Woods,” by Bill Bryson
A hilarious account of Bryson’s attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail.


Here’s to many more good reads in 2008!