2013 reading list -- 170 books in all

Final total for books read in 2013 – 170.

Previous highs were 160 in 2008 and 161 in 2009. That works out to a book read about every 2.1 days – not bad when I recall the days in 2013 when I didn’t read at all. There weren’t many days like that mind you. Reading is like oxygen, something I can’t go without for very long.

Here’s my favorite fiction from the past year:

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
TransAtlantic by Colum McCann
Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Tenth of December by George Saunders

Five other novels worthy of your perusal:

Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon
The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly
Dirty Love by Andre Dubus III
Harvest by Jim Crace
Joyland by Stephen King

In non-fiction, I especially liked:

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
The Unwinding, An Inner History of the New America by George Packer
The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Double Down by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann
The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane
The Great War by Joe Sacco

Sacco’s book falls under the broad category of a graphic novel. It’s actually a history – a panorama of the first day of the Battle of the Somme – and just an incredible work by this talented journalist.

My biggest thrill came in reading Minecraft by Daniel Goldberg and Linus Larsson. My oldest son, Brandon Reinhart, is mentioned twice. Yeah, that’s cool. Very cool.

“You always read too many books . . . That can’t lead to any good.”

January
1. Under the Bright Lights, Daniel Woodrell. Noir
2. Married Love, Tessa Hadley. Stories
3. Hunting Badger, Tony Hillerman. Mystery
4. A Wrinkle In Time, Madeleine L’Engle, adapted and
illustrated by Hope Larson. Graphic Novel
5. Winterkill, C.J. Box. Thriller
6. The Best American Short Stories 2012, ed. Tom Perrotta
7. L.A. Outlaws, T. Jefferson Parker. Thriller
8. The Polish Officer, Alan Furst. Espionage
9. Vietnamerica, G.B. Tran. Graphic Novel
10. Bad Signs, R.J. Ellory. Thriller
11. Extraordinary People, Peter May. Mystery
12. The Aliens of Earth, Nancy Kress. Stories
13. Muscle for the Wing, Daniel Woodrell. Thriller
14. Trophy Hunt, C.J. Box. Thriller
15. The Patriarch, David Nasaw. Biography
16. The World at Night, Alan Furst. Espionage
17. The Leopard, Jo Nesbo. Thriller

February
18. Suspect, Robert Crais. Thriller
19. Watching the Dark, Peter Robinson. Mystery
20. Fax From Sarajevo, Joe Kubert. Graphic Novel
21. The Critic, Peter May. Mystery
22. Speaking From Among the Bones, Alan Bradley. Mystery
23. Edge of Dark Water, Joe R. Lansdale. Thriller
24. 38 Nooses Lincoln, Little Crow and the Beginning of the
Frontier’s End, Scott W. Berg. History
25. The Chess Men, Peter May. Mystery
26. Bordersnakes, James Crumley. Thriller
27. Out of Range, C.J. Box. Mystery
28. Final Account, Peter Robinson. Mystery
29. The Book of Magic, Neil Gaiman. Graphic novel
30. Red Gold, Alan Furst. Thriller

March
31. Tenth of December, George Saunders. Stories
32. The New Yorker Stories, Ann Beattie. Stories
33. Vampires in the Lemon Grove, Karen Russell. Stories
34. The Dream Hunters, Neil Gaiman. Graphic novel
35. The River Swimmer, Jim Harrison. Novellas
36. Harvest, Jim Crace. Fiction
37. The Old Ways, Robert Macfarlane. Walking
38. The Tiger’s Wife, Tea Obreht. Fiction
39. Marvel 1602, Neil Gaiman. Graphic novel
40. The Death of Bees, Lisa O’Donnell. Fiction
41. Ghostman, Roger Hobbs. Thriller
42. Benediction, Kent Haruf. Fiction
43. Will Eisner, A Dreamer’s Life in Comics, Michael Shumacher. Biography
44. Seating Arrangements, Maggie Shipstead. Fiction
45. The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists, Granta. Stories
46. Intervention, Richard Russo. Stories
47. Joyland, Stephen King. Thriller

April
48. Joe Simon, My Life In Comics, Joe Simon. Biography
49. The Antagonist, Lynn Coady. Fiction
50. Paris Review Winter 2012, literary journal
51. The Fruit of Stone, Mark Spragg. Fiction
52. Life After Life, Kate Atkinson. Fiction
53. The Interestings, Meg Wolitzer. Fiction
54. The Paris Review, Spring, 2013. Literary Journal
55. Capital, John Lanchester. Fiction
56. The Burgess Boys, Elizabeth Strout
57. The Moonstone, Wilkie Collins. Fiction
58. Eminent Outlaws, The Gay Writers Who Changed America, Christopher Bram. Literary history/criticism

May
59. Dark Lies The Island, Kevin Barry. Stories
60. Red Planet Blues, Robert Sawyer. Science Fiction
61. Bad Monkey, Carl Hiaasen. Fiction
62. Seduction of the Innocent, Max Allan Collins. Thriller
63. Punk Rock Jesus, Sean Murphy. Graphic Novel
64. Cooked, Michael Pollan. Food/Natural History
65. A Delicate Truth, John le Carre. Thriller
66. Instructions for a Heatwave, Maggie O’Farrell. Fiction
67. In Plain Sight, C.J. Box. Thriller
68. The Book of My Lives, Aleksandar Hemon. Memoir
69. Life After Life, Jill McCorkle. Fiction
70. Complete Essex County, Jeff Lemire. Graphic Novel
71. The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards, Kristopher Jansma. Fiction
72. Mint Condition, Dave Jamieson. Baseball/Collecting
73. With or Without You, Domenica Ruta. Memoir
74. Bossypants, Tina Fey. Memoir/Humor
75. A Thousand Pardons, Jonathan Dee. Fiction

June
76. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, Anthony Marra. Fiction
77. Rage Against the Dying, Becky Masterman. Thriller
78. King Rat, China Mieville. Fantasy
79. The Hound of the Baskervilles, Edington & Culbard. Graphic Novel
80. The Killer (Vol. 1), Jacamon & Matz. Graphic Novel
81. Free Fire, C.J. Box. Thriller
82. Cairo, Willow & Perker. Graphic Novel
83. Pride of Baghdad, Brian K. Vaughan. Graphic Novel
84. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling. Fantasy
85. The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, adapted by I.N.J. Culbard.
Graphic Novel
86. Mickey and Willie, Allen Barra. Baseball/Biography
87. Little Green, Walter Mosley. Thriller
88. Donnybrook, Frank Bill. Thriller
89. The Complete Maus, Art Spiegelman. Graphic Novel
90. The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde, Edginton and Culbard. Graphic Novel
91. TransAtlantic, Colum McCann. Fiction
92. The Wilding, Benjamin Percy. Fiction
93. Nightwoods, Charles Frazier. Fiction
94. The House at Belle Fontaine, Lily Tuck. Stories
95. The Story of Roberto Clemente, Wilfred Santiago. Graphic Novel

July
96. How To Read The Air, Dinaw Mengestu. Fiction
97. Hothouse, Boris Kachka. Books on books
98. Al Capp, Michael Schumacher and Denis Kitchen. Biography
99. Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Fiction
100. Bobcat and Other Stories, Rebecca Lee. Stories
101. The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman. Fantasy
102. The Murder Mile, Paul Collicutt. Graphic novel
103. The Panopticon, Jenni Fagan. Fiction

August
104. This Town, Mark Leibovich. Non-Fiction
105. The Son, Phillipp Meyer. Fiction
106. Raven Girl, Audrey Niffenegger. Graphic Novel
107. The Illusion of Separateness, Simon Van Booy. Fiction
108. Let It Burn, Steve Hamilton. Mystery
109. The Rules of Wolfe, James Carlos Blake. Thriller
110. Blood Trail, C.J. Box. Thriller
111. My Bookstore, edited by Ronald Rice. Books on Books
112. City Primeval, Elmore Leonard. Thriller
113. Tin House #56, Literary Journal
114. City in the Desert, Moro Rogers. Graphic Novel
115. Brewster, Mark Slouka. Fiction
116. Will Eisner’s New York. Graphic Novel
117. In the House Upon the Dirt Between the Lake and the Woods, Matt Bell. Fiction

September
118. Snow Hunters, Paul Yoon. Fiction
119. The Paris Review #205. Literary Journal
120. Interworld, Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves. Fantasy
121. Swann’s Way, Book 1, In Search of Lost Time, Marcel Proust. Fiction
122. St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, Karen Russell. Stories
123. Night Film, Marisha Pessl. Fiction
124. Nom De Plume, Carmela Ciuraru. Books on Books
125. Maigret and the Wine Merchant, Georges Simenon. Mystery
126. Bicycle Days, John Burnham Schwarz. Fiction
127. Zeitoun, Dave Eggers. Non-Fiction

October
128. How the Light Shines In, Louise Penny. Mystery
129. Granta #122, Literary Journal
130. Never Go Back, Lee Child. Thriller
131. Boxers, Gene Luen Yang. Graphic Novel
132. Saints, Gene Luen Yang. Graphic Novel
133. Sweet Thunder, Ivan Doig. Fiction
134. The Double, George Pelecanos. Thriller
135. The Unwinding, An Inner History of the New America, George Packer. Current Events
136. 100 Things Kansas Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die, Ken. Davis. Basketball
137. Claire of the Sea Light, Edwidge Danticat. Fiction
138. The Maid’s Version, Daniel Woodrell. Fiction
139. Persepolis 2, Marjane Satrapi. Graphic Memoir
140. MaddAddam, Margaret Atwood. Fiction
141. The Good Lord Bird, James McBride. Fiction

November
142. Someone, Alice McDermott. Fiction
143. Palestine, Joe Sacco. Graphic/Current Events
144. Campy, The Two Lives of Roy Campanella, Neil Lanctot. Baseball/Biography
145. Straight Herblock, Herbert Block. Graphic/Current Events
146. The Lowland, Jhumpa Lahiri. Fiction
147. Archangel, Andrea Barrett. Fiction
148. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi. Graphic/Biography
149. Children of the Revolution, Peter Robinson. Mystery
150. Dissident Gardens, Jonathan Lethem. Fiction
151. The Childhood of Jesus, J.M. Coetzee. Fiction
152. The Death of Santini, Pat Conroy. Memoir

December
153. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt. Fiction
154. Legends of the Blues, William Stout. Blues/Bios
155. The Circle, Dave Eggers. Fiction
156. Saints of the Shadow Bible, Ian Rankin. Mystery
157. Jeeves and the Wedding Bells, Sebastian Faulks. Fiction
158. The Great War, Joe Sacco. Graphic/History
159. Death of the Black-Haired Girl, Robert Stone. Fiction
160. The Embassy of Cambodia, Zadie Smith. Fiction
161. The Bully Pulpit, Doris Kearns Goodwin. History
162. Bleeding Edge, Thomas Pynchon. Fiction
163. Minecraft, Daniel Goldberg & Linus Larsson. Gaming
164. The Gods of Guilt, Michael Connelly. Mystery
165. Dirty Love, Andre Dubus III. Fiction
166. The Wild Party, Joseph Moncure March. Poetry
167. Double Down, Mark Halperin & John Heilemann. Politics
168. Brown Dog, Jim Harrison. Fiction
169. The Boy Detective, Roger Rosenblatt. Memoir
170. Spirit of Steamboat, Craig Johnson. Fiction