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I’ve always kept lists of the books I read. Maybe it started during  my childhood on Clement Avenue, walking to the library with Connie and proudly displaying my ‘read’ books to the librarian who added red or gold stars (OK my memories are a bit faded on that part).  I remember reading all the Mary Stuart mysteries…I remember reading All Quiet on The Western Front and crying for days as I read it. It’s still one of the most important books to me. Along with To Kill A Mockingbird.  Both books began to shape how I viewed the World. I’m sure books do that to you too.

I’ll sometimes provide a purchase link. But I hope more often to link each entry to something more useful than where to buy the book. I also have to add my plea here: please support the independent bookseller whenever you get a chance. I know that sometimes we are busy and dying for a book so maybe a quick fix on the computer in Amazon gets us a book.  But please try to balance it all out with trips to the ‘Independents.’

Since blogging is so interactive and personal at the same time, I hope this glimpse into my book list sheds some light on who I am. And maybe you can tell me when  you figure it out   This list starts in 2006.

Most important to me? Let me know if you have read these books, or any others for that matter. Books that have made an impact on you, books you hated and don’t think anyone else should waste their time on, you know, the whole ball of wax.

Chronicles - Dylan (do I have to say Bob?)  I felt as if I was in NYC right along with him during that whole folk scene.  It’s fascinating to hear him tell the stories of staying in someone’s apartment and beginning to read all the books in the guy’s library. Or how he and another singer sat at a table scouring the papers for news stories to help them with song topics. Read James Kunstler’s review (linked above).

Robin Quivers – Why? Couldn’t resist the urge to learn about a woman who could work beside Howard Stern all those years. The book was about a lot more than that. Her childhood, young adult years in Baltimore, her relationship with her parents…they say you can identify with anyone no matter how different you might think you are and I definitely found myself identifying with Robin’s story.

Malcolm: The Life of a Man Who Changed Black America – I’m not going to provide a link. The book was a disappointment overall. If you want to read a good bio read the Autobiography of Malcolm X. 

A Case of Need - Michael Crichton can write a book, yes? This was a satisfying medical/detective mystery. One of his earlier books from the 60’s.

Sacred and Profane- Kellerman has a series of books – I was intrigued with the Jewish theme to them. Sometimes nothing is better escapism than a good mystery. Sure beats television.

Don of the Dead- Casey’s first in the Pepper Martin series. Trust me, this is good! When I got to the last page I was pissed that I had to wait for the next book to come out lol.

Big Russ and Me- Tim Russert is just a big lug from my neck of the woods…well, Buffalo is a lot like Cleveland no? Always intrigued with how people get to where they are. This is a tale about his Dad, but it also chronicles how his career progressed. I liked it.

The Gentleman From New York- A bio of Daniel Patrick Moynihan. The author knew Moynihan for decades so there was good stuff in it, I was not as impressed with the writing style.

Conversations With God – The link is to the movie which I hope was better than the book. This year I took out a book on Buddha from the West Park library. When I snuggled into my bed and began reading I discovered it was a novel.  A novel! Who needs to read a novel about Buddha! Anyway, this book reminded of a novel.

Here Comes The Sun- Oddly enough I am listening to a Harrison CD as I type this. The book was interesting enough. Not sure I’d recommend it since it seems to me I’d like it better if George had written it or even his wife Olivia. The one fascinating part (and why I wanted to read it in the first place, besides the fact that it was about George), was the insight into George Harrison’s spiritual journey.  I’ll add a link if/when another book comes along I like better lol.

The Chick and the Dead – second book in the Pepper Martin Series by Casey Daniels. Just as good as the first and I love, love, love that it takes place (as they all do) in Cleveland. Just found out that Harper Lee of Gone With The Wind fame is still alive and being honored by The Prez this year.

A Book of Common Prayer – Joan Didion is both fabulously well written and unsettling to read. I loved The White Album and yes I read that one immediately afterwards. Both were on my bookshelf but it had been decades since I read them. A Book of Common Prayer was impossible to put down even though there was a growing sense of dread with every page turn. I could read everything she has ever written.

Hope Dies Last- Studs Terkel is possibly the last of the great oral historians.  I went to see Diane Rehm last week who espoused listening as the most important thing we can do. Well, Studs Terkel is one of the best listeners, that’s why his books are so good, IMHO. He interviews famous and not so famous people, all with stories to tell that show why hope is the best thing we all have. One interview frequently jumps out at me. Arlo Guthrie talked about when he felt grassroots efforts died. And it had to do with a shift from everyone picketing or marching for the same cause to everyone marching for their OWN cause. Boy do I believe that.

Realty Blogging- Nacht and Chaney run a blogging platform. This particular book was very good for me as a new blogger with less than perfect tech skills. It was one of the few with a real estate bent to it that made sense.  I still refer to it from time to time.

Yellow – Written by an Asian American, Frank Wu. Loved what he had to say, even though his writing style is verbose in the way a college tome can be. It took me a while to finish it. I think some of my favorite books are ones that give me first person perspectives on racism as it applies to them.

Truman - David McCullough has got to be one of the best writers of our time. This book is not for the weak…it’s about 1,000 pages. But trust me, I felt as if I was participating in every decade of Harry’s life, that is how well it is written.  Just the Korean War section alone was worth it to me (I loved all of it) because how much, really, has ever been written about the Korean War that you wanted to read? Or should I say was well written enough to read.

Going To The Territory – Ralph Ellison has an intellectual writing style that shined for me in these essays. And he talked about things like music and laughter and racism and common sense.

Devil in the White City – Erik Larson had me mesmerized.  History, a serial killer, a world’s fair and architectural intrigue all wrapped up into one. It’s a novel but it’s an historical novel. I learned so much. The guy who invented the Ferris wheel unveiled it at the Chicago World’s Fair and every time he started it up I held my breath. The inventions that came out of all the World Fairs were phenomenal and this was no exception. Also, did you know that Chicago is called the Windy City NOT because of the climate or weather patterns but it was coined due to long-winded politicians? Unreal!

The Death and Life of Great American Cities - Everyone has recommended I read this book, at least it seems that way; this past year alone, George from BFD and Manager Mark. So I finally read it. Jane Jacobs wrote it in the sixties and omg how it still applies today in so many ways. I am most intrigued with her chapter on housing that isolates people from the sidewalk and how that creates fear, crime and lack of sociability. She keeps using Boston’s North End as a great example of how TO build cities and poo poos all the ‘themes’ or methods of city planning touted. Of course in the 60’s there was massive urban renewal that wasn’t so much of a renewal after all and she was a layman critic of all that. Well ahead of her times and a fabulous read.

Ten Little New Yorkers by Kinky Friedman. If you want to read a book that defies truth from fiction, at least the telling of it, read any of his books, this is the one I have read in the last year. He will make you lol even if you are in bed at 2am.

Here, There and Everywhere, by Geoff Emerick who was an engineer at Apple Studios and did work with the Beatles. Technology is soooo advanced now but they worked with four track tape then (four track!) and I have to tell ya, the splicing must have been fast and furious.  Not as crazy about his interpretations about why each Beatle did what….unless he was talking about studio work and why John or any of the others played around with special effects…THAT was cool.  I’m gonna  link to Amazon so you can purchase the book and decide for yourself. On the tech issues it’s super. Or should I say, far out man

Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs was one of those books everyone told me to read. ‘You will laugh hard, he is SO funny.’  Or, ‘it’s mesmerizing you won’t be able to put it down.’ It’s autobiographical, and it felt truly voyueristic reading it. What a train wreck, if true, his adolescent experiences must have been. He lived with his mother’s psychiatrist, need I say more? There were times when I laughed out loud…I would say he uses humor well to get through difficult situations. It was insightful, painful and well written.

The Little Book of Connections, by Jeffery Gitomer. The word ‘networking’ always had negative connotations to me, when applied in the usual way. You know, go to meeting, meet someone for two minutes, ask for business card and give one in return. Finally a book that says networking is really all about relationship and trust-building. It’s really a discussion about how to be satisfied in life rather than a ‘how to’ business book…at least that is what I took away from it.  Judge for  yourself!