2007: My Year in Books

I didn't challenge myself to 25 books for 2007, and good thing, since I didn't get near 2006's 24 books.

But, I did finish a healthy 18, which, given the whole first-year lawyer thing and the two marathons in one year makes me think I must really enjoy reading, and, that despite my fears, I am semi-balanced (if a wee-bit over-extended).

1. How to Work a Room by Susan Roanne: 20% useful, 80% drither. Not recommended. Left it on a plane as a non-gift to the next passenger.
2. Cosmic Banditos: A.C. Weisbecker. A hilariously whole-circle story of: travel, drug use, quantum mechanics, piracy, bananas and banditos.
3. The Rain of Gold: Victor Villasenor Amazing.
4. The People's Guide to Mexico by Carl Franz & Lorena Havens: Very Good.
5. The Diamond Cutter by Geshe Michael Roach: a bit too detailed for the length. More like an admonishment to take on a more serious study of Tibetan budhism. But, many great lessons and suggestions for being balanced in the work world.
6. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom: Cheesy and trite but true. Sad and beautiful. A perfect cross-country plane read if you enjoy sappy emotional books that make you cry and grateful for your life.
7. Little White Lies: A Novel of Love and Good Intentions by Gemma Townley: Brit Chick Lit. Guilty pleasure, all the way. A very fast read. Recommended only for women and men who like fashion and love-story dramas.
8. The Lives of John Lennon by Albert Goldman: Great story of a fascinatingly troubled man. Excellent pop history education.
9. The Tomato Festival Cookbook by Lawrence Davis-Hollander: 150 recipes. Tips on growing. History. A great reference book but not the cover-to-cover all inclusive Tomato book I was hoping for.
10. You Suck: A love Story by Christopher Moore: Brain Candy. Irreverant. Fast. Enjoyable. Fluff. San Francisco.
11. For One More Day by Mitch Albom: my review.
12. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie: Very educational on Chinese re-education.
13. A dirty Job by Christopher Moore: My review and this review, which is much better.
14. The Average American Male by Chad Kultgen.
15. The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult: a good graphic novel, with great artwork.
16. Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult
17. Founders At Work by Jessica Livingston
18. Everyday Zen: love and work by Charlotte Joko Beck: Life, as it is, is perfect. How annoying is that? And yet… how beautiful. I probably read this book every year. I just read one vignette every week or so. I've been doing that for years and I never stop learning from it. In fact... if I count it for 2006 then I just barely met my 25-book challenge.

As for 2008. Well, I'm at 0.5 for the moment. But, I only have 1 marathon planned instead of two. So perhaps I should shoot for 20 books? I think it's ambitious, but what the hell.