Comments on: Best of 2008?

By: Book Group Buzz - Discussion of Book Clubs, Reading Lists, and Literary News - Booklist Online » Blog Archive » A Unified List of the Best of 2008

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:18:34 +0000

[...] books were really the best of last year? As I wrote in an earlier post, that’s a very subjective question, but to make it a little less so, I compiled a unified list of [...]

By: Rudolph

Rudolph — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:40:55 +0000

We often attempt to determine the best books of the past week, month, year etc. Virtually all are the products of so-called standard publishers. But many superb writers have finally begun to see a light at the end of the tunnel. And it is not just another train coming in the opposite direction! The technology leading the way to self publishing has been both a god-send, and a mixed blessing. We are flooded with books. Now the questions have become: Which books about American life will forever remind us of who we are, and who we will become? Which books will become like the classics of the past? Which will guide us? Which will uplift? Which will be passed on to the next generations? I know of one such recently published book, already being embraced: Finding Grace on a Less Traveled Road: A Cancer Doctor Reflects on Living and Dying. But this is just one book among many. What books do you think will uplift and inspire like this one? What books really matter to you, and us all?

By: misha

misha — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:29:32 +0000

Hear, hear, Neil! Very well spoken!

By: Holly Wehmeyer

Holly Wehmeyer — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:00:35 +0000

I’m happy to report that my book group does often choose mystery or science fiction novels. Admittedly, that’s because two of us in the group are fans of those genres, so we make a concerted effort to suggest them. I do think book groups need to avoid the trap of only choosing those novels with the “book group suggestion” sticker (or similar indicator) on them. One problem that does arise: availability. If the book is not “popular,” some members have difficulty getting it from the library in enough time. (Several of our members do not have money in their budgets to buy books.) You’d think the Chicago library system would have multiple copies of even obscure titles, but it’s just not so. I often want to suggest an offbeat mystery, but I know it won’t be available at the library.

By: Kerrie

Kerrie — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:32:18 +0000

I’ve been running an activity at http://paradise-mysteries.blogspot.com/2008/12/your-best-crime-fiction-reads-in-2008.html that will go for another couple of days yet, inviting readers to pick their best 10 crime fiction reads in 2008. So far over 350 titles suggested by 35 readers. Making the lists up will be fun. Participate if you like.

By: Annalisa

Annalisa — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:54:05 +0000

Along the lines of grassroots book reviews, one site I’ve found helpful has been GoodReads.com, a sort of simplified FaceBook for books, where users post, rate, and review books they’ve read, including many from less publicized and “officially” reviews categories. It’s been a great resource for me to find recommendations about what to read next (as well as what to pass on). I would definitely recommend it as a resource for librarians and book group leaders looking to find interesting and well-written books for their collections.

By: Friday Finds! | BOOK CLUB CLASSICS!

Friday Finds! | BOOK CLUB CLASSICS! — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:53:01 +0000

[...] Check out an interesting article on why the end of the year “Best” lists shouldn’t focus so exclusively on literary fiction. [...]