Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Books 2010

Every year I set a goal for myself to read 12 books. This year I failed big time. I would blame it on Ironman training, but the honest truth is it's the daggone handheld solitaire game my mom bought me. That thing is ruining my life!

Here are the books I read in 2010:
  • Born to Run by: Christopher McDougall. I loved this book, but I think I am the only person who read this book who did not think it was about barefoot running or even advocate it. I thought it was about our physiological natural abilities for running. I found the book to be motivating and dreaming of venturing into ultras.
  • My Horizontal Life by: Chelsea Handler. Funny. Lighthearted. Cute.
  • Angles and Demons by: Dan Browne. Love, love, love. I can't wait to read the next adventures of Robert Langdon. Of course, I spread out the books so I have something to look forward to if Dan Browne continues the stories.
  • Eat, Pray, Love by: Elizabeth Gilbert. That damn Oprah! She sucks me into her book selections and then leaves me with crap! This book started out so promising. I loved the parts on Italy. But then I got to the second section on India and it dragged on FOREVER! Finally I gave up once I reached Indonesia. Yep, I didn't finish this book. Nor have I seen the movie.
  • Running Dark by: Jamie Fravelleti. Somehow I got on the publishers' list and they have been sending me Jamie Fravelleti's books to read and review. This one continued the adventures of Emma Caldridge but moved the story to Africa and a cruise ship. Her stories read really well, almost like you're watching them on a movie screen. This was a great read, but I liked the first one better.
  • 90 Minutes in Heaven by: Dan Piper and Cecil Murphey. This book was given to my grandma from a friend who was dealing with grief and found this book reassuring. I found this book boring, monotonous, and poorly written. This book is less than 200 pages and, I kid you not, it took me nearly four months to read.
  • I'm Proud of You by: Tim Madigan. This is a true story about the author's personal relationship with Mr. Rogers. It's a beautiful story and I might have shed a tear or two.
  • Devoted: The Story of a Father's Love for his Son by: Dick Hoyt. My brother-in-law got me this book for Christmas. I'm half way through it already. I was very fortune to have an up-close-and-personal moment with Dick and Rick Hoyt when I passed them in Boston 2009. It was magical, as is this book thusfar.
My solitaire game is almost out of batteries. I'm going to let them run out and not put new ones in. Hopefully I can do some more reading in 2011. Any book recommendations?

7 comments:

Karen said...

LOL Oprah sucked me into one of her book cllub suggestions a couple months back - that one by Jonathan Franzen - Freedom. UGH. Couldn't finish it. I think Oprah and I don't have the same taste in books...

Betsy said...

You are not the only one who thought that Born to Run was about something other than barefoot running! I think I even blogged about it awhile back...maybe it was that we read it in the heart of IM training? Because I got the same thing out of it....that our bodies can go longer and harder than we probably even imagined. And I quickly realized that there are actually things waaaay harder than Ironman!

I don't think you failed miserably. I'm trying to remember how many books I read in 2010 & I'm only coming up with 2 maybe 3more besides Born to Run & at least 2 of those I read during the 10 days I was in Costa Rica.

Maggs said...

I got the book What's Inside A Dog for Christmas. It's a really good book by someone who studied dogs. Highly recommend it. And every year I read Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Another great book (there's a movie too, and it my pre-ironman movie, but the book is better)

Velma said...

Ohh. I have a ton of suggestions. Andre Aggasi's book is good. I am reading Meb's running book right now. I also read the tipping point. I have a ton of suggestions if you need them!

Anonymous said...

Gah, I couldn't finish 'Eat, Pray, Love' either. For the exact same reasons. And I purchased it! Damn myself! Also, I unfortunately went to the movie theater and watched the movie. And it was a huge disappointment. Damn it again! I should have just lit my money on fire.

Andrea Hill said...

>Devoted: The Story of a Father's Love for his Son

I just bought that myself!

Unknown said...

I am going to have to check out Devoted as well. I assume you have already read "Its Only a Mountain" It is by Sam Nall, but he worked with the Hoyt's to write it.