Best Books of 2009: YA and J-Fiction

I read Young Adult (YA) and J(uvenile)-Fiction novels for two reasons: (1) I want to know what kids are reading and which books to recommend at the library and (2) I like them. I also find that a lot of other adults read YA for enjoyment. There's lots of good stuff out there. Here are some of the best ones I read this year.


What I Saw and How I Lied (2008) - Judy Blundell (YA)

It's entirely possible that this novel could singlehandedly change teens' minds about reading historical fiction. Winner of the National Book Award, which I didn't discover until after I'd finished the book.


The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (2007) - Sherman Alexie (YA)

A great novel about friendship, being different, ethnic identity, and so much more. Also laugh-out-loud funny.


The Hunger Games (2008) - Suzanne Collins (YA)

The biggest danger in reading The Hunger Games is in finishing it: You're going to immediately want to read the next book, Catching Fire. Then you're going to want to read the third book. As soon as you find out it won't be published until August 24, 2010, you're going to want to hurt someone.

I absolutely could not put The Hunger Games down. In this futuristic setting, children from the 12 districts are chosen by lottery to participate in a fight to the death, a real "Survivor" scenario. Very compelling, although at times you must suspend disbelief. (If child-on-child violence bothers you, stay away.)


Bog Child (2008) - Siobhan Dowd (YA)

Eighteen-year-old Fergus McCann finds a dead body buried in the mountains of Ireland, a body that may be hundreds of years old. This novel did not go at all where I expected it to, but Dowd's story is hard to put down, touching on friendship, family, responsibility and love. Highly recommended.


Deadville (2008) - Ron Koertge (YA)

For some reason, this quiet little novel really connected with me. Ryan is a high school kid that's basically sleepwalking through life two years after his little sister died of cancer. When a senior girl named Charlotte (who doesn't even know Ryan's alive) has an accident and falls into a coma, Ryan is there by her side everyday. He spends less and less time around his slacker friend Andy (No comparisons, now....) and begins his own awakening. It's much better than I'm making it sound.


Unwind (2007) - Neal Shusterman (YA)

Perhaps my favorite YA read of the year. Previous thoughts on Unwind here.


Graceling (2008) - Kristin Cashore (YA)

Thoughts on Graceling here.


Stormbreaker (2001) - Anthony Horowitz (J-Fiction)

I must admit I wasn't expecting much from this, the first book in the Alex Rider series, but I was pleasantly surprised. Alex Rider is sort of a James Bond-in-training (only without the sex and martinis). Exciting with lots of gadgets and a few surprises. A good book for reluctant readers, especially boys.


The Giant-Slayer (2009) - Iain Lawrence (J-Fiction)

It's 1955 and Laurie Valentine goes to visit her friend Dickie, who is in an iron lung hospital ward suffering from polio. She meets other kids there, also in iron lungs. To take their minds off their awful situation, Laurie begins to make up a story, the story of Jimmy the Giant-Slayer. This book could easily have descended into sappiness, but Lawrence does an admirable job of pulling off the story-within-a-story.


Leviathan (2009) - Scott Westerfeld (YA)

Okay, so I'm not quite finished with this one, but I'm still including it! Leviathan is sort of an alternate history of World War I. In this war we have two factions: Clankers, who fight with (and in) machines, and the Darwinists, who have developed a hybrid of machines/living creatures. Prince Aleksandar (whose parents have been assassinated) flees those who would seek his life via a Cyklop Stormwalker, a two-legged fighting machine. The other half of the story involves Deryn Sharp, a girl trying to pass for a boy as an airman in the British Air Service. Deryn is assigned to the hulking flying/living battleship Leviathan, which is part whale and many other species. Of course, Aleksandar and Deryn will cross paths.

It's rare that books fill you with a jaw-dropping sense of wonder, but Leviathan is one of those books. It's also a very handsome-looking book, beautifully illustrated. (Two more books to follow in the series.)

There's still two categories to cover - Mystery and other Fiction. Both will probably have to wait until after the New Year. Merry Christmas, everyone, and Happy New Year!

Best Books of 2009: Collections

Well, this is unusual. I only read a handful of short story collections this year, possibly because I spent a good amount of time working on The Great Short Story Collection Purge, reading one or two stories from my unread collections. (And there are an awful lot of them. I'm currently still on authors whose names begin with D.)

So here's what I can recommend to you from this year's completed collections:


Last Evenings on Earth (2006) - Roberto Bolano

Chilean writer Bolano died in 2003 at age 50, but not before writing what many consider his magnum opus, 2666. I still haven't read 2666, but wanted to get a taste of Bolano's writing before diving into a 900-page novel, so I was pleased to find Last Evenings on Earth in our library.

Like Bolano, most of the characters in these stories suffer early deaths and nearly every story has something to do with writing poetry or literature. The stories also center on an intense desire by these characters to be something more than they are. These are haunting stories, sometimes featuring elements of the fantastic. Seek this one out.


Pretty Monsters: Stories (2008) - Kelly Link

If you've never read Kelly Link, this is a good place to start. Several of these stories have appeared in other collections, but even if you're a seasoned Link fan, don't let that put you off. No two Kelly Link stories are alike and she's unlike any other writer you've ever read. Link's stories are filled with hilarity, absurdity, fantasy, myth, weirdness, horror, uncertainty, unexpectedness, delight, humanity... Just read the collection, okay?

Pretty Monsters is marketed as YA, but don't let that stop you either. Buy it. Read it. Loan it out to friends. Then buy it again. (Because you won't get it back.)


Secret Lives (2008) - Jeff VanderMeer

An absolutely delightful collection. I read this one in anticipation of VanderMeer's new Ambergris novel Finch, which I hope to get for Christmas (subtle hint). As the title implies, these are short little biographies of fictional people, their secret lives that the author graciously allows us to peek into. Often beautiful, often laugh out loud, these stories are filled with VanderMeer's wonderfully rich imagination, a true gift to readers everywhere. Each story is excellent, but the final two are stunningly beautiful.

Three categories left:

Mystery
General/Speculative Fiction
YA/J-Fiction

Best Books of 2009: Christianity and Culture

The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment (2007) - Tim Challies

Tim Challies takes the reader on a full-scale, yet highly readable journey through all aspects of biblical spiritual discernment: its definition, uses, practices, and yes, even its dangers. Each well-constructed chapter builds on a solid foundation of Scripture. I’ve encountered very few books this concise and yet this thorough. Challies is an excellent writer who has given Christians a book we really can’t afford not to read.


Why We’re Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be (2008) - Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck

Maybe you haven’t heard the term “emergent,” but you’ve probably heard of some of its people. Names like Rob Bell (author of Velvet Elvis), Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz), Brian McLaren (The Secret Message of Jesus) and others crop up in discussions of emergent leaders. Authors Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck are not emergent and although they see much good in the movement, they also see much danger. For anyone who wants to know what the emergent church is all about, or for anyone who wants to engage the culture in a biblical manner, Why We’re Not Emergent is an excellent book.


The Sacredness of Questioning Everything (2009) - David Dark

Nobody writes on Christianity and culture quite like David Dark. According to Dark, when religion refuses to tolerate questions, “it obstructs our ability to think, empathize, and live lives of authenticity and genuine engagement.” Dark’s works are always challenging, yet always rewarding.


Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God (2008) - Francis Chan

“Because when you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.” Christianity isn’t about a list of do’s and don’ts. It’s about a passionate relationship with God. If you sometimes feel that you’ve lost that relationship or that it’s not what it used to be, Crazy Love is for you. It’s a book you’ll want to read again and again.


Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters (2009) - Timothy Keller

God has given us so many good things. The problem comes when we turn those good things into idols. Keller takes a biblical look at our culture’s idols and why they are so destructive to our walk with God.


The Fine Line: Re-envisioning the Gap between Christ and Culture (2008) - Kary Oberbrunner

We often see two extremes in the church: Christians who withdraw completely from the culture around them and Christians who embrace every aspect of the culture with no discernment whatsoever. Oberbrunner calls Christians to be relevant to the culture by walking the fine line between the two extremes.


unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity...and Why It Matters (2007) - David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons

Christianity has an image problem. A study of sixteen to twenty-nine-year-old nonbelievers (or unChristians) reveals that most feel Christians no longer represent what Jesus had in mind. “Find out why these negative perceptions exist, learn how to reverse them in a Christlike manner, and discover practical examples of how Christians can positively contribute to culture.”

Next time, it'll be one of these:

Collection
YA/J-Fic
Mystery
General and Speculative Fiction

Best Books of 2009: Non-Fiction

I love making lists and always look forward to listing what I thought were the best books of the past year. These are the best I read in 2009, although they don't necessarily have to have a 2009 publication date. Today I cover the best Non-Fiction of the year. Here they are:


Outliers: The Story of Success (2008) - Malcolm Gladwell

What is it that makes some people succeed? Is it talent alone? Gladwell doesn't think so. Outliers takes a fun, somewhat scattershot approach to what makes people successful, but much of the material consists of information you may have read in other places. Even so, Gladwell is always a fun, thoughtful read.


Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose (1968) - Flannery O'Connor

If you become a fan of Flannery O'Connor, you'll want to read everything she ever wrote, both fiction and non-fiction. Her thoughts on writing, the South, and Christianity contain gems that I already look forward to revisiting.


Making Movies (1985) - Sidney Lumet

Lumet is one of my favorite film directors, so it's no surprise I devoured this memoir of films and how they are made.


Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference (2009) - Warren St. John

I first heard of this book on a podcast and was intrigued enough to seek it out. I'm glad I did. I have little interest in soccer, but great interest in how people from other cultures behave in unfamiliar environments. Further thoughts here.


Strange Telescopes: Following the Apocalypse from Moscow to Siberia (2009) - Daniel Kalder

This was one wild ride! Initially I thought this was a work of science fiction, but it's got more imagination and strangeness than most sf stories I've run across. More here.


The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership (2009) - Bill Walsh, Steve Jamison, Craig Walsh

Being a Cowboys fan, I never rooted for the 49ers, but after reading this memoir/leadership book, I have a whole new respect for Walsh and his philosophy. More here.


Columbine (2009) - Dave Cullen

Thoughts here.

That's it for general non-fiction. Next: the Best Books on Christianity and Culture

Books Read November

The Space Between: A Parent’s Guide to Teenage Development (NF 2009) - Walt Mueller

I read this book in preparation for a Sunday School class I’m co-teaching soon. Mueller is one of the leading guys on youth culture and this slim book serves as a good introduction to what’s going on in the life of teenagers.


Audrey’s Door (2009) - Sarah Langan

I started my 2009 “Halloween Read” a little too late to finish it before the end of October, so it eased into early November. Langan’s a talented writer and Audrey’s Door contains several wonderfully creepy scenes, but overall there were too many elements and concepts at work. Overall quite good, but just a bit disappointing.


As I Lay Dying (1930) - William Faulkner

“My mother is a fish.” Oh boy. Faulkner loves multiple points of view, stream of consciousness and dark, dark humor. He also loves strange and does it well. I haven’t read tons of Faulkner (at least not yet), but As I Lay Dying seems to me one of his more approachable novels. One by one, we meet the family of Addie Bundren as they seek to honor her wish to be buried in a nearby town. As with much of Faulkner’s work, the novel is set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi.


Await Your Reply (2009) - Dan Chaon

An amazing novel. Read about it here.


This is For the Mara Salvatrucha: Inside the MS-13, America’s Most Violent Gang (NF 2009) - Samuel Logan

A mostly disappointing look at the gang in question. Here’s why.


Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters (NF 2009) - Timothy Keller

Like Dylan once said, you’ve gotta serve somebody, or in this case, you’ve gotta live for something. Is it money? Sex? Power? Whatever it is, ask yourself if it satisfies you on a consistent basis. Does it let you down? It’s probably a counterfeit god or, to use a more biblical term, an idol.


Odd and the Frost Giants (J-Fic 2009) - Neil Gaiman

If Gaiman had published this relatively quiet, short tale before the enormously popular novel The Graveyard Book, it might have slipped under the radar. Based on Norse mythology, this little tale is full of wonder, humor and adventure. In short, pure Gaiman.


Stormbreaker (YA 2001) - Anthony Horowitz

How I describe this book to kids at the library: “Fast-paced. Lots of spy stuff. Action. Danger. Way cool.”
How I describe this book to parents at the library: “James Bond for kids without the sex and martinis.”


Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye (J-Fic 2004) - Geronimo Stilton

Lots of silly fun, filled with puns, wordplay and goofy characters. The book contains lots of color, cool fonts, and wacky images. The audiobook is filled with great voices and an entire plethora of sound effects. Lots of fun for kids, but not something I’d want to read in mass quantities.


The Film Club (NF 2008) - David Gilmour

A father makes a deal with his teenage son: You can drop out of school as long as you watch three movies a week with me. Maybe not the best parenting advice in the world, but Gilmour does describe some good movie moments and a glimpse at a touching father/son relationship.


Good People (2008) - Marcus Sakey

A couple rents out part of their house and one day finds a dead tenant and $400,000 in cash. From that moment, the accelerator is pushed to the floor as Tom and Anna Reid try to evade a drug dealer and a robber, both of whom have their eyes on the money.


Pobby and Dingan (2000) - Ben Rice

Delightful, funny, sad and celebratory short novel about Kellyanne, a young girl who loses her imaginary friends Pobby and Dingan. The story is narrated by Kellyanne’s brother Ashmol, who believes in none of the products of Kellyanne’s imagination. But he does care about her. Seek this short book (only 94 pages) out. You won’t be sorry.


Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity (NF 2006) - David Lynch

As I suspected, I learned almost nothing of any consequence about Lynch’s films, many of which I’ve admired. I learned more about Lynch himself and his philosophy, most of which can be linked to transcendental meditation, the chief focus of this short book. I don’t know much about transcendental meditation, but I think I practice some of the same concepts through prayer. All in all, this was a mixed bag. Just know that if you’re looking for insight into Lynch’s films, you won’t find it here.

That's it for November. Get out there and read something!

Huge Book Sale for a Good Cause

One of my favorite writers, Kelly Link, gave birth to a beautiful girl named Ursula on February 23, 2009. Ursula, who was due on June 16, weighed 1 lb. 9 oz. Ursula has been greatly helped by the staff at Boston's Franciscan Children's Hospital. (You can read about the ordeal that Ursula and her parents Kelly Link and Gavin Grant have been through here.)

There are a few things you should know about Kelly and Gavin:

1) They're great people. (Kelly was one of my instructors at Clarion 2004. Gavin was there, too.)

2) They run Small Beer Press, a press that has published some great books by authors such as Elizabeth Hand, Ellen Kushner, John Crowley, John Kessel, Geoff Ryman and many others, including, of course, Kelly Link.

3) They're having a huge sale over at Small Beer Press. Read about it here. Proceeds go to the Franciscan Children's Hospital. Please consider donating!

Books Bought November

Things were fairly sedate until Cindy and I went to the Green Valley Book Fair last weekend. Even then, I believe I practiced remarkable restraint. You be the judge. Here are the books I bought in November with the reasons why.

NOVEMBER BOOKS BOUGHT


Encyclopedia of Fantasy And Horror Fiction (NF 2006) - Don D'Ammassa

Normally $22, this one was on sale at Amazon a few weeks ago. Since it's fairly current (2006), I thought this would be a good reference book for my desk at work.

Trade Paperback; Price = $9.68


The Fine Line: Re-envisioning the Gap between Christ and Culture (NF 2008) - Kary Oberbrunner

This book examines two types of Christians: those who isolate themselves from culture and those who embrace all aspects of culture with little or no discernment whatsoever. A fascinating concept; I couldn't say no, especially not at this price.

Trade Paperback; Price = $3.99



Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue (NF 2006, 2nd edition) - Robert Johnston

Awhile back I read a book called Eyes Wide Open about Christianity and the arts. I've been looking for books specifically on Christianity and film and this one seemed to be on everyone's must-read list. And the price was right.

Trade Paperback; Price = $10.43


Holy Superheroes! Revised and Expanded Edition: Exploring the Sacred in Comics, Graphic Novels, and Film (NF 2008) - Greg Garrett

I'm doing some preliminary research on an upcoming project and hope this book will be helpful.

Trade Paperback; Price = $8.86


The Engine's Child (2008) - Holly Phillips

I absolutely love Holly Phillips's beautifully stylized short fiction and although this novel has gotten generally poor reviews, I'm a big enough fan to give it a try, especially at this price.

Trade Paperback; Price = $4.00


Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity (NF 2006) - David Lynch

I remember this book coming out about the same time that Lynch's most recent film INLAND EMPIRE was released. I wanted to buy the book then, but didn't want to spend $20 on it. Plus it's pretty slim; I read nearly the whole thing in Borders one day. I figured it wouldn't give a whole lot of insight into Lynch's films, but thought it might reveal a little about what makes this weird dude tick.

Hardcover; Price = $5.00


Writing and Selling the YA Novel (NF 2008) - K. L. Going

There are some good Writers Digest books out there, especially Nancy Kress's Beginnings, Middles & Ends. I don't know if this is necessarily one of them, but since it does deal with YA novels and I have written (but not yet published) one, I thought, what the heck?

Trade Paperback; Price = $4.00


The 3 A.M. Epiphany (NF 2005) - Brian Kiteley

Another Writers Digest book that I'd heard about a few years ago. And here it is, falling right into my lap. How opportunistic!

Trade Paperback; Price = $4.50


Things That Fall from the Sky: Stories (2002) - Kevin Brockmeier

Brockmeier has successfully combined weird and literary over the course of his career. I've loved several of his stories and loved his novel The Truth about Celia even more, so I'm really looking forward to this collection.

Trade Paperback; Price = $3.50


The Real Festivus (NF 2005) - Daniel O'Keefe

Our staff this year is having something of a Festivus-themed celebration, so I thought this book might give me a few ideas on some hijinks to conjure up in the coming weeks. Gather 'round for the Feats of Strength!

Trade Paperback; Price = $3.00


Zahrah the Windseeker (YA 2005) - Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu

Okorafor's The Shadow Speaker was one of the most delightful YA books I've read over the past few years. I've been looking for Zahrah for awhile and was delighted to find it just as I was making one last sweep of the YA novels at the Green Valley Book Fair.

Trade Paperback; Price = $2.75

Total Expenditures for November = $59.71

That's it for November. Now get out there and read something.