Well, here it goes for 2009. Besides 50 books, no big goals other than to knock out as much as I can from my To-Read List.

I'm starting with The Time Traveler's Wife. I have to admit that I actually started this a few days ago after I finished my last book of 2008 (The Road, by Cormac McCarthy.) I figure I can try and finish 2009 a few days sooner to make up for it, but I'll jump over that bridge when I get there.

#1. Finished The Time Traveler's Wife and
#2. Water for Elephants. I can see why this book is really popular, but I didn't much care for it.

#3 If On a Winter's Night a Traveler
#4 The Once and Future King
#5 Watchmen. Really freakin' good. If you love moral ambiguity, you'll love Watchmen.

#6 Revolutionary Road
#7 Coraline

I am waaay behind.

#8 The Witches of Eastwick

I'm really impressed at the diversity of your list...and no worries about being behind. I'm only at 6 but since I'm a teacher I figure I can make up for it over the summer...

#9 The Terror Dream Fear and Fantasy in Post-9/11 America

#10 Rebel Angels

Yay for 10!

Aprile wrote: "Yay for 10!"

Thanks Aprile! I looooooovvve the Gemma Doyle series! I wish they had been around when I was a teenager. It's a relief to see young adult lit with strong female roles.

a tip of the hat for 10!

Did you like Rebel Angels and had you already read A Great and Terrible Beauty?

Kate wrote: "Did you like Rebel Angels and had you already read A Great and Terrible Beauty?
"

This is my first time reading the series, and I read the first book last fall. I really liked Rebel Angels for its complexity and how Gemma learned not to trust everything at first glance. It was also like watching a Guillermo del Toro movie (I'm a fan) in that there was a real world and a fantasy world and facing the real world was infinitely more horrifying than anything Gemma faced in the fantasy world.

#11 The Little Stranger. I won a copy of this book through the First Reads Giveaway. You can read my review here http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60651... It contains a small spoiler, so I'll give an unspoiled, abridged review here.

The writing is excellent, but the story is more about an estate is dire decline and a dying way of life than it is about the ghost story. When the ghost comes out, it's, really creepy, but as someone who likes her ghost stories, it left me wanting more. Don't read it for the ghost story, or you'll be disappointed. Read it for Waters' exquisite writing, the somewhat tragic fate of the Ayres family, and the social commentary.

Just put down Guns, Germs, and Steel. I was a hundred pages in and either falling asleep or thinking about what I face at work tomorrow. I like the concept and the ideas. But it was just too dull, and I bet he could sum it up in 200 pages. It's not easy for me to put down a book, either.

#12 The Iraq Study Group Report The Way Forward - A New Approach. I had to keep reminding myself that this is two years old and probably a lot has changed since then. But it also struck me what hasn't been done since then, such as attempts at reconciliation between the different groups and strengthening diplomatic relationships with Iraq's neighbors. The surge was all well and good, but it's high time for the U.S. to stop screwing around and start working on diplomacy both inside and outside Iraq.


#13. Gilead A Novel A masterpiece, but I had a really hard time getting into it.

#14. Magic In Vienna This is the first time I have read a pulpy romance novel, so I'm branching out. Clearly a lot like Jane Eyre, a story line I will always love, but I feel like there's better romance novel out there.

Jane, I love the fact that you're branching out into romance reading by trying Betty Neels. ;-) Hers are kind of 'old skool' romance novels and clean (my Mom let us read them as pre-teens) but the domineering males are vaguely abusive feeling to a modern reader.

If you want to try more romances, you might try Georgette Heyer. I'd recommend Devils Cub, or Frederica, or Venetia to start. If you want a gothic feeling, like Jane Eyre, you could try 'The Reluctant Widow', 'The Toll Gate', or 'The Quiet Gentleman'.

Sorry for butting in with recommendations--I hope you don't mind. I just want you to know that there are are a lot more than 'just' Betty Neels out there.

Thanks MB! I'll definitely check those out. You're right about Betty Neels, too, because they NEVER do anything naughty in the book, just kissing on the lips. I thought that was interesting. It made me think about something my mom told me about, which was that there are different sub-genres of romance, like historical, and...oh, I can't think of them, but they made me realize there's a lot more to the genre than meets the eye.

A romance novel virgin--I love it! ;-)

BTW, what'd you think of "The Once and Future King"? It is one of my favorites from childhood and is still comfort re-read for me.

The Once and Future King is also an old favorite of mine. I read it in high school and remember being enchanted by the story, and I loved it just as much the second time around. I think it has a lot to teach about tolerance, forgiveness, and peace.

How true! I love the aspect of the animals teaching Arthur how to rule.

#15 I Am Legend. Ho-ly crap, this book was good. Loved the ending. It was really hard to read though. After I got through the part with the dog, I put it down and didn't think I would pick it back up. The other stories in the book were kind of ho-hum, though I liked "Person to Person."

#16 Assassination Vacation
Really tragic and humorous at the same time. Vowell writes with her usual wit, while at the same time being respectful of the loss of life.

#17 Buddha in Your Rearview Mirror
Interesting for-beginners guide.

#18 Little Children A Novel
#19 Methland The Death and Life of an American Small Town
#20 One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest I LOVED THIS BOOK!! I devoured it, ate it right up. Goddamn it was good...So was this...
#21 The Book Thief
#22 Jesus' Son Stories I'm cheating a touch here, because I actually have 12 pages to go, which I plan on finishing before bed.

#23. The Ayatollah Begs to Differ The Paradox of Modern Iran Interesting survey and intro to Iranian culture, but I was hoping for something more in-depth.
#24 New Moon I can see why people like these books. It's a fun, trashy read. However it really bothers me that there are thousands of young girls reading this, when Bella is such a disgrace of a female protagonist. I really wish Meyer would give Bella's codependency more perspective than what I've seen, so here's hoping the next two books surprise me.
#25 The Meaning of Night A ConfessionThe Meaning of Night A Confession Long.
#26 The Invention of Everything Else A lovely book, but not exactly a page-turner.