My Favorite Books I Read in 2013

[threemeninaboat]

I've still got a few more to finish before the year is out... BUT!

Best Book of the Year
Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton

I knew it before the end of the first chapter, a woman was going win my opinion for the best book of the year. This book is riveting, compelling, beautiful, harsh, hilarious, and vivid. I felt as if I was with her through every step of her life.

Other Amazing Books
Smoke: New Firewood Cooking by Tim Byres
The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon
Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity by Andrew Solomon
Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss
Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant (Delilah Dirk, #1) by Tony Cliff
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Maddie on Things: A Super Serious Project About Dogs and Physics by Theron Humphrey
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
Full of Flavor: How to Create Like a Chef by Maria Elia
Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks
Fäviken by Magnus Nilsson
Come In, We're Closed: An Invitation to Staff Meals at the World's Best Restaurants by Christine Carroll
Extraordinary Leaves by Dennis Schrader
Salsas of the World by Mark Charles Miller


Let me know if you want me to talk about any of these!

Comments

[neslihan.livejournal.com]

I thought about ordering "Far from the Tree" from Amazon at one point but then decided not to solely because it seemed super-expensive compared to everything else I usually order! That is very nice to know that you liked it, I will re-consider it now! (I guess it is a long book, though. I should think of it more like a cost per page unit value!)

[manintheboat.livejournal.com]

It's very very good. You should get it. It's huge and makes you do a whole lot of thinking and re-considering your preconceived notions.

[malterre.livejournal.com]

Thank you for recommending these. I keep adding and subtracting Blood, Bones, and Butter from my wishlist.

[manintheboat.livejournal.com]

It's so so good! And not long either.

[grrlpup]

The Fault in Our Stars is the only one I've read. I might reread it sometime soon.

Is the book version of Maddie on Things just a collection of the photos, or is there more text? I like seeing Maddie on Tumblr.

[manintheboat.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen the Tumbler. It is photos and text.

[maribou]

I love your lists because you are so much more discriminating than I am!

Also if I want to hear about any of them I will ask you on SATURDAY when I actually get to see you and J for the first time in several ages.

PS I already started A Tale for the Time Being by accident like 2 weeks ago, and I liked what I read so far that I a) saved the rest for a day when I could just sit around and read it, b) wrote my friend who is traveling in Southeast Asia and told her to try and find a copy.

[manintheboat.livejournal.com]

You are kinder than I am! I work towards kinder!

YEAH!!

I can't believe that I read it July. I've been actively TRYING to do the zazen she talks about and MAN AM I TERRIBLE at meditating.