Has anyone read any of the books on King’s list? I generally trust his judgment. He liked the out-of-print The Ideal Genuine Man by Don Robertson so much that he published it himself. Awesome book.
Here’s his list (from Entertainment Weekly):
Case Histories - Kate Atkinson
This Book Will Save Your Life - A. M. Holmes (not published yet, King got an ARC – imagine that)
Saturday - Ian McEwan
No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hot Kid - Elmore Leonard
The Lincoln Lawyer - Michael Connelly
Drama City - George Pelecanos
The Mad Cook of Pymatuning - Christopher Lehman-Haupt
The Godfather Returns - Mark Winegardner
What was your favorite read this year? Mine was (hands down) The English Passengers by Matthew Kneale, recommended by koeeoaddi (thank you again). I’d be tickled pink to read something in 2006 that I liked as much as that one.
I’ll try that one. I like the other John Connelly books I’ve read, although I keep confusing him with Michael Connolly, who is also good, so I guess it doesn’t matter if I confuse them.
I’ve ordered the Atkinson book as well.
I wondered why there was no horror on his list, but then I’m a horror fan and I haven’t found anything to praise for awhile either.
Twickster, I’m sorry! Faulty memory, and too lazy to check to see who recommended it first.
I made a resolution last year to keep book notes, including who recommended what. I even bought a 3-ring binder, paper, alpha tabs, and a new pen! It’s blank, except for my bitching about the Strange & Norrell book.
Okay, I’m definitely feeling like a jerk. I’m glad you enjoyed the book, regardless of who gets credit for recommending it.
(BTW, I’ve started using the “notes” thing on my Amazon wish list to mark “sdmb” for books and CDs that I’m adding because someone here recommended them – but not by specific user. Heh.)
Matthew Kneale owes you, twicks. I just checked and based on your recommendation, I’ve hand-sold over 60 copies of a book we normally stock just a few of and the madness ain’t over yet. It’s a regular English Passengers phenomenon at the bookstore – all because of you. Bask in that.
My book of the year, English Passengers (duh) by Matthew Kneale
Originally Recommended by Twickster
I’ve learned from past experience that a Stephen King blurb on a book’s cover almost always guarantees it will suck. There are a few exceptions, but not many.
I agree. I think some of those blurbs are cheats though. King may have said something nice about the author or one particular book, and that same blurb gets used over and over. Or it’s taken out of context.
So far, only koeeoaddi and I have mentioned our favorite read in 2005. At this point, I guess I can say that 100% of the people who responded listed The English Passengers as their favorite. Maybe Kneale can use that as a blurb on his next book.
My favorites in 2005:
Fiction - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susannah Clarke
Non-fiction - The Commitment: Love, Sex, Marriage, and My Family, by Dan Savage
