The Twelve Days of Lists: My Favorite Books, The Books I Didn't Actually Read, And A Book I Disliked But Everyone Else Liked, Of The Year

Every day for the next 12 days prior to the  birthday of the Zombie King, I'll be posting a list of some kind. Some of the lists will list favorites. Some will list things I hate. Some will list places where I've had boils lanced from my body. Some will list the number of words I have left to write to make my February deadline for my first Burn Notice book -- only 50,000 to go!

First up, in no particular order, my favorite books released in 2007:

Remainder by Tom McCarthy (my review of which placed it among the LA Times top picks of 2007, too)

God is Dead by Ron Currie Jr., which I also reviewed in the LA Times, but the text is no longer available, but here's a little snippet.

O Street: Stories by Corrina Wycoff. Corrina's book was the second released by OV and it's a stunner.Sad, affecting, disarming, true. Powerful stuff.

The Collaborator of Bethlehem by Martin Beynon Rees. Hands down the best crime novel I read all year. The sequel comes out in 2008 and I'm practically salivating.

The Interloper by Antoine Wilson. A constant surprise -- never mind the biggest surprise.

Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo. Not the equal of Empire Falls, but still an excellent novel filled with a tremendous insight.

Dead Boys: Stories by Richard Lange. Daniel Woodrell recommended this book to me nearly a year ago and he was right: It's a visceral masterpiece that bridges dirty realism and noir.

The Farther Shore by Matthew Eck. I reviewed this in my regular Las Vegas CityLife review column a few weeks ago and it's still in my head.

Still Water Saints by Alex Espinoza. Alex is my friend, but I have no problem whatsoever declaring his debut one of the best of the year. Alex writes with tremendous heart and compassion for his characters, turning the Inland Empire into a place rich with life and heartbreak. 

Hollywood Station by Joseph Wambaugh (technically, this came out on Dec. 31st of 2006...but whose counting, it's my fucking list...)

The Savage Detectves by Roberto Bolano. An excellent translation of the late author's novel.

Then We Came to the End by Josh Ferris. Funny, observant and smart.

Cheating at Canasta: Stories by William Trevor. Buy this for "The Room" alone, one of the finest short stories I've read in many years.

My favorite books not released in 2007:

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. How did I ever not  read this before?

The Moviegoer by Walker Percy. I'd read this before -- in college -- but read it back to back with Revolutionary Road and nearly gave up writing afterward.

Stern by Bruce Jay Friedman. Another gem from about the same time period as Revolutionary Road and The Moviegoer. A bizarre, comic masterpiece.

My favorite books I didn't read this year and told people I did and what I told people I thought of them:

Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson. "Totally worth the wait...the words...so powerful."

The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. "Even better than Wonder Boys [which I haven't read]...really captures the Jewish experience...so moving."

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. "All of the promise of Drown is on display here...the power, the sadness...so palpable..." [I actually intend to read this, but he was a dick to a friend of mine about five years ago, and so I have an ethical responsibility not to read it, at least not until the hype dies down.]

The one book I really didn't like at all but everyone seems to love:

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan. How can someone read Atonement and then read this over-long short story and think it's better?

Comments

[Bill Crider]

I've practically memorized THE MOVIEGOER. I'm glad to know someone's still reading Percy's work.

[Debby G]

That's really big of you to include a woman writer on your list.

[linda woods]

I didn't even have to read On Chesil Beach to know I hated it.

[Sarah]

Why should Todd have to include any more women than he did? It's so silly when people get upset about other people's favorite things if there's not enough fill in the blank about what you are represented. If Todd only thought one book by a woman was best, who cares?

[Jane]

Here's what I care about: The word "actually" is misspelled in the title. I can't move on, I can't get past it. It's blinding me. Oh for Pete's sake, please fix it.

-Pete

[tod goldberg]

Thanks, Pete.

[Edan]

I hated The Remainder, and everyone else loved it! What is wrong with me?

[Celeste]

Hi Tod,

Love all the lists (of course). The Junot Diaz book is worth it, I promise, even if he was a jerk to your friend. Plus, he's been helping a friend of mine get a non-profit publishing project off the ground featuring the writing work of former gang members (a very good thing), so---hey--- maybe the good/bad behavior evens out. At least it could work as a rationalization if you'd like to borrow it in order to read the book.

[elizabeth]

Everything I read by Bolano indents itself onto my brain. So sad to know that he won't be writing any more.

[elizabeth]

Everything I read by Bolano indents itself onto my brain. So sad to know that he won't be writing any more.