Best reads of the year

Reardon reminded me recently that I read a lot of books. I looked over the list this year and was a little suprised myself. And what a lot of dreck in there, I wonder why I plow thru some of this.

But to save others from plowing thru the dreck, here is my short list of good reads this year. Some new, some quite old.

Fiction:

* The Glass Bead Game by Hesse. 3/4s of a year later and I can still recollect vast swathes of the book as well as particular scenes. Well worth the time. * The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Totally expected to hate it, thought it was just trendy, but this was a solid and memorable story. * A Confederacy of Dunces by Toole. Great great characters, dying to be a movie. * Musashi from which I picked up my favorite quote of the year.

Non-fiction:

* The 9/11 Commission Report. Again, every US citizen should read this. * And while you are at it, read Imperial Hubris. At the very least, thought-provoking and internally consistent. * And lest these two depress you too much, read At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig for a view on a country and culture that is really screwed up.