Best Books I Read in 2011

Of the 69 books I read last year, these were the most memorable. They're ordered according to when I read them.

1. The El Bimbo Variations by Adam David - Adam's a valued co-worker, but before he was a co-worker, I'd already read and loved this poetry collection of his. A year after reading it, I still count it as one of the most memorable books I read last 2011. Its humor, wit, and intelligence haven't faded with time for me.
2. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill - At a time I was looking for satisfying ghost stories after reading a few disappointments, I came across this one. Sadly, I haven't gotten around to watching the movie version with little Danny Radcliffe, but if you're looking for a slow-burn scary read, I highly recommend this.
3. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver - This book has been in my TBR for a while, and I picked it up because, well, I don't really know. I think I was looking for a lyrical Oprah book. This one gladly fit the bill. It was beautiful and peopled with strong and highly intelligent female characters. And maybe the fact that I'm a mother also had something to do with my connection to the book. Oh, God. I'm exactly Oprah's audience.
4. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls - To paraphrase Anna Karenina, every dysfunctional family is dysfunctional in its own way. Walls' memoir of her life with her dysfunctional family could have become maudlin, but she wrote it with such sensitivity and acceptance. Takes a big woman to do that--make us love her highly irresponsible and fucked up parents in spite of all their dysfunction.
5. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd - You should know that I'm a big fan of Patrick Ness, if you don't already. I have waxed poetic about all of his work. So, yes, I was predisposed to like this. But I have been predisposed to like many things, though didn't. I'm glad Ness still has the same magic for me. It's a simple story, began by Siobhan Dowd. Even the revelation is simple. But, of all the books I read this year or in recent memory, this is the only one that has finally made me cry.
6. The Long Tail by Chris Anderson - Many of my former co-workers had mentioned this book, so I finally decided I should read it. Of course I found it revealing and very logical. And now, very, very relevant to what I do. I haven't gotten to the point that I preach about it, but I do mention it a lot during presentations.
7. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell - I read Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad this year, too. Though I liked it, reading Cloud Atlas soon after Goon Squad really made the first book pale in comparison. I like Math. I like order. Naturally, if there are multiple voices and toying around with form, I appreciate a clear structure, which is what I found in Cloud Atlas. Not to mention that the voices were more distinct and compelling for me. If you like literary fugues, read this. I think it counts as my best read this year.
8. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin - And if I were to judge best reads based on how much I wanted to scream at the book, this would be it. The scream would have been in surprise, anger, and frustration, which are not necessarily bad things when one is reacting to a book. The way I see it, if you do that with a book, it means it has involved you. As long as you don't scream at the author. Anyway, if you've read the book, then you might know the context of the scream. In any case, George R.R. Martin has gotten me hooked.
9. Surgeons Do Not Cry by Ting Tiongco - I read this because it was part of my job, but I ended up loving the book. Ting Tiongco's memoirs of going through med school in the University of the Philippines were funny, touching, and tinged with a bit of rebellion. I feel bad that this book wasn't given as much recognition as it should have. It's not merely meant for people in the medical industry, although I've heard people giving it to med students as a gift. Nevertheless, I honestly think it should get the mainstream recognition it deserves. Help it out?:)
10. The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman - I'd been following the Walking Dead series up until the first few episodes of Season 2 when a friend offered me copies of the comics. So, of course I snapped up the offer. Started reading issue 1 on a Friday. Finished issue 71 or 72 on Sunday. Yes, it's gripping, unputdownable, and all those other cliched words that people use when writing reviews. After reading it, I thought I should have a new goal when it comes to my children's education, and that is to educate them so that I'm sure they'll survive a zombie apocalypse. That'll mess them up for sure, but at least they'll survive.

I've been looking again at the list of books I read last year, and I realized that I seem to have expanded my reading to include more Filipino titles (partly because of my job, partly because I just wanted to) and more comics or graphic novels (thanks to the generosity and thoughtfulness of both Carl Javier and Adam David. And, again, partly because of my job.). And I have decided that this expansion in reading taste trumps failure of meeting my avowed reading goals. Hurray for new frontiers in reading! 

And for Oprah.:P