Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner is hosting her 2nd annual End of Year Book Survey, and I thought answering the questions in part one would be a good way to round out my bookish year.
1. Best Book You Read in 2011:
Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry (You know how hard it was to narrow this down to only one!)
2. Most Disappointing Book/Books You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?
A Watershed Year by Susan Schoenberger
4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
5. Best series you discovered in 2011?
The Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness – Yes, I did read the first book at the end of 2009, but I finished the series this year, and it was awesome.
6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?
Melanie Benjamin
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?
The Death Cure by James Dashner – I still haven’t read it yet! I’m rereading book two aloud to my boys, and we’ll dive straight into book three as soon as we finish.
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?
The Sherlockian by Graham Moore
11. Most memorable character in 2011?
Lavinia Warren Bump, aka Mrs. Tom Thumb, from The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?
What Good is God? by Phillip Yancey
14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011?
Good artists are people who can stick things together so that they stay stuck. They know how to gather things into formal arrangements that are intelligible, memorable, and lasting. Good forms confer health upon the things that they gather together. Farms, families, and communities are forms of art just as are poems, paintings, and symphonies. None of these things would exist if we did not make them. We can make them either well or poorly; this choice is another thing that we make. ~ from Life is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition by Wendell Berry
16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?
Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry – plan to reread via audiobook
17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
The end of Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – I’m still reeling!
Twitter: bookjourney
says:
Ooh this is fun!
Sheila (Book Journey)´s last post ..Morning Meanderings… are you up for a little challenge?
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Sheila – it is fun – especially to look over the past year and remember some of the books I read at the beginning that were sooooooo good.
Twitter: youvegottaread
says:
This is awesome. I would agree, Unbroken is a book I recommend to EVERYONE. It crosses all the barriers. As for some of these others, I’m going to have to do some looking around at my library. You have my attention with this Wendell Berry person… (hee hee)
Sandy´s last post ..Not So Wordless Wednesday: Wroclaw #5
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Sandy – I keep waiting to hear about a movie deal for Unbroken – it would make a fantastic film, if done correctly. And I’m glad Mr. Berry is now on your radar….
Twitter: bermudaonion
says:
I haven’t read a single one of the books you mentioned. Sometimes I feel like I’m never reading the right book.
bermudaonion (Kathy)´s last post ..Wondrous Words Wednesday
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Kathy – I feel like that all the time! LOL
This is fun. I might do it, too!
Kailana´s last post ..Merry Christmas to All Who Celebrate!
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Kelly – I look forward to reading your answers!
Twitter: bookfanmb
says:
I really liked The Winter Sea!
Mary – Bookfan´s last post ..Trouble at the Wedding by Laura Lee Guhrke
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Mary – me, too – I plan to read more of Susanna Kearsley in 2012.
Twitter: Vasilly
says:
Great questions! I think the hardest question to answer would be “book that made the greatest impact”. I need to go through my list and see what book could I name. Hope you’re having a great day.
Vasilly´s last post ..Favorites of 2011: Graphic Novels
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
V – That one took some time for me, too.
Twitter: MargReads
says:
I recommended Unbroken to several fiction only readers this year! I haven’t read Wendell Berry. Sounds like I need to.
Marg´s last post ..Library Loot: December 28 to January 4 2012
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Marg – Unbroken is really a book that will appeal to a wide range of people.
Twitter: Trish422
says:
I’m so excited to see the Chaos Walking series on so many people’s lists of faves this year. Such a great story.
Trisha´s last post ..Super Mini Reviews of the Forgotten
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Trisha – yes, it will definitely be remembered as one of my most favorite series ever.
Twitter: avidreader12
says:
Hannah Coulter is high on my list for 2012. I can’t wait to read it now.
Melissa´s last post ..The Paris Wife
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Melissa – I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!
Twitter: unfnshdprsn
says:
So I take it that you like this Wendell Berry fellow, huh?
I might have asked you this previously, but forgotten what you said if you did answer. Can you tell me again, which book would you recommend I start with if I’m interested in reading Berry?
unfinishedperson´s last post ..From old skool to new skool: My top 10 favorite albums of 2011
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Bryan – Well, that’s not as easy a question as it appears. He writes in so many different genres. If you’re looking for non-fiction, I would suggest his book-long essay Life is a Miracle or his essay collection The Art of the Commonplace. I don’t remember you mentioning reading poetry, but his Sabbath Poems (it sounds religious, but they’re not – it’s a collection of poems that he wrote while on his Sunday rambles on his property) collection is very good.
His fiction mostly centers around the fictional community of Port William, Kentucky. The books aren’t necessary to read in any order – they each simply dip into the lives of one or more of the people in the community. My first introduction to Port William was the short story collection That Distant Land, and if you like short fiction, that is a really good place to start. If not, I would recommend either A Place on Earth or Hannah Coulter of the ones I’ve read. Of the ones I haven’t read yet (but plan to in 2012), people rave about Jayber Crow. Hope this helps!
So glad A Watershed Year surprised you — in a good way! Thanks for the support and happy New Year!
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Susan – Happy New Year to you as well! Looking forward to your next book….