What's he on about now?

In case the articles, essays and opinions throughtout this site just weren't enough for you, here's my online diary (a.k.a. 'blog'). It's as close as you'll come to the inside of my head, so don't say I didn't warn you
(and remember, you can always e-mail me if you love or loathe anything you're about to read)...


   Sunday, December 18, 2005

   ANOTHER END-OF-YEAR LIST!

Apologies for the lack of posts -- the reason why later tonight -- but, in the meantime, a little something I was asked to whip up for the bookstore...

THE TEN BOOKS I LOVED MOST IN 2005 – NEW, OLD, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER…
Scott Dagostino

COMING TO OUR SENSES
Jon Kabat-Zinn
Ten years after his definite book on mindfulness, “Wherever You Go, There You Are,” Kabat-Zinn both refines and expands his premise, teaching peace and health both inner and global. A huge but rewarding read.

THE PRESTIGE
Christopher Priest
This wildly inventive novel about the lifelong rivalry between two Victorian-era magicians is finally in paperback after winning the 1996 World Fantasy Award. Will the upcoming movie version retain its puzzle-box plotting?

WHEN THE BODY SAYS NO
Gabor Maté
A Vancouver doctor presents a fascinating exploration of the links between emotional distress and bodily disease using new medical research and case histories of patients. Alternately inspiring, intriguing and unsettling, the book might just save your life

THE FUTURE DICTIONARY OF AMERICA
Jonathan Safran Foer et al.
Horrified at the prospect of “four more years,” members of the McSweeney’s clan created a lexicon of words and phrases we’ll be using in the better decades to come. Plus there’s a terrific accompanying CD, featuring R.E.M., Death Cab for Cutie, Sleater-Kinney, Tom Waits and many more!

1984
George Orwell
The classic nightmare of dehumanization, government control, endless war, media manipulation and torture – how could it possibly be relevant today?

UNITED STATES: ESSAYS 1952-1992
Gore Vidal
Another classic, returned from out-of-print status this past year. Vidal sees himself as an imperious defender of the original American values and this massive collection of witty and elegant musings on government, religion, sex and media proves him right.

EX MACHINA: TAG
Brian Vaughn
The most intriguing comic book in years features a retired superhero as the latest Mayor of New York City, dealing with the political backlash of his support for gay marriage and a strange force making New Yorkers “more insane than usual.” It’s “The West Wing” meets “Green Lantern”!

THE END OF FAITH
Sam Harris
War on Christmas? That’s nothing -- Harris delivers a much-needed and long-overdue critique of the influence of religion on world affairs. Whether you’re devout, atheistic or agnostic, you’ll find yourself agreeing and disagreeing in equal measure with his provocative stance on ethics.

PARIS 1919
Margaret MacMillan
A gripping account of the months following WWI, in which the Paris Peace Conference redrew the map of the world and inadvertently set the stage for a century’s worth of conflict.

IRON COUNCIL
China Mieville
The most talked-about fantasy writer in years delivers a stunning blend of politics, horror and western tropes featuring intelligent monsters and a gay hero. It’s “Battleship Potempkin” meets Clive Barker!

Labels: comic books