2007 Books Read and Remembered--Conclusion

Here follows the rest of my books remembered from the past year:

• · Twisted could easily be paired with London Calling, since both deal with bullying. But I do not think of them in the same way, because their subplots are very different. This story is one I listened to just a couple of weeks ago. It does a good job of presenting a main character that is believable and whose outsider status coupled with dreams of fitting in with the popular kids is common to so many kids. Again, I think the author does an impressive job of portraying a character of the opposite sex, this time with a woman writing from the point of view of a teenage boy.

• · I actually blogged about one of these books previously, Life as We Knew It. But it gets mentioned again since the story has really stayed with me. After a meteor hits the moon spot on, the resulting alteration of the moon’s path causes instant and ongoing catastrophic climate changes on earth. With our own concerns about climate change on the minds of many young reader, this book is a great springboard for discussion. The other post-apocalyptic title I really remember is one I listened to recently, which had a stellar cast of readers. It reads like a screenplay and the website indicates a movie is indeed in the works. This is no surprise since the author is Max Brooks, son of Mel Brooks. I am talking about World War Z. You will have to stretch your imagination and buy into the idea that plague victims turn into zombies who are out to get anything that moves. Once that bridge is crossed in your mind, you are in for a walloping ride of a story. Hear the book rather than read it, and do so before the movie. I hope the film lives up to the book!

• · The book, Bill of Wrongs, was written by a true Texas treasure, Molly Ivins. Sadly she died this summer and the book just came out around October. It was co-written with Lou Dubose, who finished it up, though he says that most of the writing was done before her death. She talks about the Bill of Rights and the controversies related to her perceived degradation of our rights in the last eight years. Again, it is an equal opportunity offender to readers. If you agree with her, you will be mad at the powers that be and the populace who have allowed us to get to where we are today. If you disagree, you will be even madder at her for the criticisms she levels at the present administration! Regardless, I believe the book will make you think.

• · The book I saved for last is a fun, delightful, light read or listen, and again I did listen to the audio. At the time I was enjoying it, my dad was in the hospital with fractured vertebrae, and I was not in the best of spirits. All the same, The Fourth Bear made me laugh out loud. Fforde’s Nursery Crime books require that you believe there really are nursery rhyme and story characters living along with “normal” people in modern England. Inspector Jack Spratt and his loyal assistant Mary Mary are back again. This time there is trouble in the forest involving bears (of course) and cucumbers. Telling more is hard to do without ruining the plot. Suffice it to say that I am waiting impatiently for the next book in the series, which I like much more than the Tuesday Next books. I am crossing my fingers for a 2008 title. If you need a lift of your spirits, try this fun read or listen, and also the first in the series, The Big Over Easy. Who knew Humpty Dumpty was such a womanizer?

I experienced many books this past year either by reading or listening, and could probably talk with enthusiasm about others that do not come readily to mind. But that was the game I made up: Only include those I could remember without looking back at my shelves or racking my brain too hard. I would love to have comments added from others who would be so kinds as to share memorable titles from the past year!