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Forum Listeners' Favorite Books

On December 22, 2008, Forum listeners called in and went online to share their favorite books. Below is a list of the books discussed on the show, but you can continue the conversation right here!

What was your favorite book of 2008? What book do you think would make a great gift? Or what book are you secretly hoping will end up with your name on it under the tree or menorah this year? Leave your picks or thoughts on others' recommendations in the comments section below.

The books mentioned on the program:

Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Crusades -- Robert Spencer

Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence -- Esther Perel

Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir -- Bill Bryson

Story of a Marriage: A Novel -- Andrew Sean Greer

The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism -- Andrew Bacevich

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.) -- Barbara Kingsolver

State of the Wild 2008-2009: A Global Portrait of Wildlife, Wildlands, and Oceans -- Ward Woods

The Forsaken: An American Tragedy in Stalin's Russia -- Tim Tzouliadis

How Your Child Learns Best: Brain-Friendly Strategies You Can Use to Ignite Your Child's Learning and Increase School Success -- Judy Willis

The Elegance of the Hedgehog -- Muriel Barbery

The Devil We Know: Dealing with the New Iranian Superpower -- Robert Baer

Once a Runner: A Novel -- John L Parker

The Progress Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse -- Gregg Easterbrook

Title Me... -- Ollie J Allen

Lies My History Teacher Told Me -- James W. Loewen

The Road to 9/11 -- Peter Dale Scott

A Mercy -- Toni Morrison

Flamingos on the Roof -- Calef Brown

Trickster's Choice -- Tamara Peirce

Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America -- Tom Friedman

Murder on the Ile Saint-Louis -- Cara Black

Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade -- James Reston

A Sense of the World -- Jason Roberts

Collateral Damage -- Paul R. Kimmel

Anna Karenina -- Leo Tolstoy

Outliers: The Story of Success -- Malcolm Gladwell

American Lion -- Jon Meacham

The Mystery of Rascal Pratt -- Robbie Scott

Father Malachy's Miracle -- Bruce Marshall

Four Plays -- Tennessee Williams

World War Z -- Max Brooks

Omnivore's Dilemma -- Michael Pollan

Handmaid's Tale -- Margaret Eleanor Atwood

The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao -- Junot Díaz

Healing Stories -- Jacqueling Golding

The Qur'an

Lies My History Teacher Told Me -- James W. Loewen

The Road to 9/11 -- Peter Dale Scott

A Mercy -- Toni Morrison

Tales From The Wild Blue Yonder LIVING DANGEROUSLY -- John Q Olson

If you are interested in buying one of the books mentioned on the show, you can support KQED by clicking on the title, which will take you to that book on Amazon.com. A portion of the profit will go to KQED. These titles are also available from your local independent bookseller. You can find the one nearest you at BookSense.com.

You can also listen to the original broadcast of this episode in the Forum archives.

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I'm currently reading "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz. A little late to the game, I know, but no less enjoyable!

This book caught me totally off guard. An incredibly fresh and original family epic, so timely, and a captivating exploration of the Dominican Republic-American experience. An unforgettable read.

My favorite book of 2008 was 'Murder in the Marais 'by Cara Black. It's a vivid mystery set in Paris with, sensory details, very vocative and layered by history. I don't usually read mysteries but this book is much more; a tale of the German Occupation of Paris, a hidden Jewish girl and a modern contemporary Parisienne computer security detective, actually she's half-American half French who uses her wits and wiles to solve a fifty year old murder and the links to the French government of the day. Murder in the Marais is evocative and brings Paris to life, the poignant stories of hidden Jews, modern day Paris, the chic and seedy, really the darker side of the city of light.

We read 'Murder in the Marais' in my book group this year and we rarely read genre fiction
but this book was our favorite book pick this year. For those who love Paris, history and want to 'travel' without the airfare,

Los Gusanos by John Sayles
Although Sayles is better known as a filmmaker, this reads like a true novel, not at all a script treatment. It's about a collection of folks, Cuban and Anglo-American, from two generations, seeking redemption in the context of the legacy of the Bay of Pigs invasion, forty-some years later. It's written with real empathy and art.

I read it years ago, and it remains on my shelf. You've reminded me to take it down and enjoy it again.

My pick would be "Warriors of God : Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade" (2002) by James Reston. It's wonderful and detailed account of the legendary battles between the Christian and Muslim forces during the Third Crusade. It reads like a fairy tale in parts, the story is so incredible. The book itself is a few years old, but the story is timeless.

Book Recommendation:

The Road to 9/11 by Peter Dale Scott

Regardless of what you think happened on that day, and regardless of who you think was behind the plot (this book assumes that it was Al Qaida), this book explains the long-term political events over the decades that could allow the US to become vulnerable to this type of attack, wherever it came from. Read it, and weep for how far the US has deviated from its constitutional origins.

Dana Carson
Oakland

Tony Morrison's "A Mercy" is an extremely beautiful book, especially when listened to as read by her (available from Audible.com). It takes you right to 1682 and is written from the point of view of people of color living on a small farm in Maryland. . .Morrison's writing is exquisite.

A must for your kids... Flamingos in the Roof by Calef Brown. This is a fabulous poetry collection with Brown's own illustrations. Poems are clever, whimsical, and so fun to read. Your kids will love them, and you will enjoy reading them to your kids.

Trickster's Choice by Tamara Pierce is a great fiction book.

My pick for 2008 is Tom Friedman's "Hot, Flat and Crowded"
It is a well researched and interesting set of recommendations of what the U.S. needs to do to fight Global Warming by taking a leardership role.

Norman Fischer's Sailing Home. Fischer is a first class writer with a masterly understanding of western literature and philosophy as well as Buddhism. Accessible and highly intelligent spiritual writing.

I've read earlier this year Banana Yoshimoto's "Kitchen". The book is about a young woman who loses her grandmother and makes friends with the young flowershop man her grandmother would visit frequently. She would eventually come to live with the young man and rediscover herself through the learning of cooking food.

What's remarkable about this book is the beautiful descriptions of the settings and the almost loose-but-tight demeanor that tends to capture Japan of the late-80's/early 90's.

I first read it while in high school and became a book that made me feel better when I was feeling blue back then. I recommend this book along with some Nirvana albums as it's soundtrack.

"A Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood. OK, this book was written in the 1980's but it is truly timeless. It's a science fiction story about what could happen if an ultra-relgious group gained controlling influence within a portion of America--taking with it the rights of the individual. A chilling read during the days of Sarah Palin. Now as we seem to have entered saner times, it seems less likely--still, it is full of insight and plausibililty. And even better yet, it's a valuable piece of American literature that any reader of great books should have under their belts.
Jana Barracks, Clear Lake, IA

Alcoholics Anonymous.

Timeless. If you don't need it, you know someone who does.

No way pal. AA is an absolute CULT! Stay away from this! They don't get people sober.

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks. I know it sounds like an odd pick being about Zombies taking over the world but it is so well written and really takes a deep hard look at the human condition (in the tradition of old style zombie movies). At times I found myself laughing and at other times I could not help but cry at the tragedy playing out on the pages. The book is in a word, human.

Two books about food by Michael Pollan:

The Omnivore's Dilemma
In Defense of Food

They both made me think about what I put in my mouth and feed to my children. In a lot of ways, these two books are a blistering indictment of 50 years of American "food science" and advocate for a return to a diet that is both healthier and more environmentally sustainable.

Ditto - But I'd also like to add that Pollan is a great writer and story teller. Even if you're not passionate about what you eat, you'll love his books. (I also recommend Botany of Desire by Pollan.)

Peter Block's book "Community" is a a fascinating challenge to the way that those of us who like to start things in our community procede. He suggests we begin with the gifts that people are willing to bring rather than our own goals and that we start with questions such as " How do you plan to participate in this inititial meeting?" "What is your own contribution to not reaching the goal we are considering?". Interesting examples of successes of this unusual approach.

Raymond Richard Neutra

correction: A must for your kids... Flamingos On The Roof by Calef Brown. This is a fabulous poetry collection with Brown's own illustrations. Poems are clever, whimsical, and so fun to read. Your kids will love them, and you will enjoy reading them to your kids.

Two wonderful books for finding the wisdom and compassion to deal with tough times are:

"The Wise Mind" by Jack Kornfield, PhD
"Dancing with Life" by Phillip Moffitt

"Team of Rivals" by Doris K. Godwin. Not only throughly readable biograghy of Lincoln and his rivals who seerved in Lincoln's cabimet, but also an argument for inclusiveness of differinig opinions while respecting the people who differ with you. Something truly needed now.

Predictably Irrational
by Dan Ariely

A great book that investigates the way in which humans behave and make decisions. Lots of interesting methods to test how we are influenced and "steered" towards decisions by marketers and others.

Enjoy.

Two books of short stories by UCSF physicians both available on Amazon:

The first is Fallen Angels by Chris Adrian, an amazing writer, a pediatrician, graduate of Harvard Divinity School. He writes about kids, damaged and their responses to the world that didn't care for them.

The second is Learning the Game by H. William Taeusch, a pediatrics professor, who has written 'stories of love' in locales from San Francisco, Brooklyn, to Israel and Venice. Edgey and not maudlin, with a medical slant.

Home, by Marilynne Robinson. A meditative fiction book on the nature of grace & forgiveness. I'm not a religious person but I found this book so compelling. Marilynne Robinson is one of the greatest authors of our time. (Also read Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson, which takes place at the same time as this book in the same town in Iowa.)

Yes! Although I preferred "Home", after reading library copies of both novels I was prompted to purchase them. I am especially happy to have read them while the same age as the two elderly Reverends who move the stories.

I'd like to recommend "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski to anyone who is a dog lover or just a fan of great old-fashioned storytelling. It's the story of a mute boy who grows up in a family that breeds a special kind of dog that has unique talents. The story mirrors that of Hamlet to some extent. It's so well written that you are completely transported and enveloped in the world that the author creates. It will be hard to tear yourself away from this book once you get into it.

Chris.

For those with recent losses:

In the Midst of Winter -- Selections from the Literature of Mourning -- Edited by Mary Jane Moffat

and of course

My Year of Magical Thinking -- by Joan Didion

"West With the Night" by Beryl Markham. Ms.Markham was an early aviatrix, and though the book is definitely about flying, it is also about life in colonial east Africa in the early part of the last century. Her writing is direct and beautiful, and I found myself transported to this other time and place.

I picked up a book in Australia, with the title "What is America?" by Ronald Wright. (don't know if it is available in the US yet.)

To quote from the back "Brimming with insight into history and human behaviour, (this book) is a passionate look at the world's most influential and contradictory nation. He talks about our great achievements and discusses why they are at risk from sinister forces within. (..... .it is deeply archaic, a stronghold of religious extremism, militarism and the delusion of endless growth.)

I just finished reading "The Disagreement" by Nick Taylor - fabulous book - must read from this year's crop of local author's. Mr Taylor has a crisp narrative of the civil war. The language style is what calls attention to this book which imbues the narrative with a timeless ageless quality - which is essential for great literature.

Robert Sapolsky "A Primate's Memoir"
Azar Gat "War in Human Civilization"
Claude Combes "The Art of being a parasite"
James L. Gould "Animal Architects: Building and the Evolution of Intelligence"
David Montgomery "Dirt, The erosion of civilization"
"Cop in the Hood My Year Policing Baltimore's Eastern District"
"The Most Important Fish in the Sea Menhaden and America"
The box : how the shipping container made the world smaller & the world economy bigger
David Berreby "Us and Them. Understanding Your Tribal Mind"
"Becoming Evil How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing"

too many more to list--why read fiction when non-fiction is so much more interesting and can be just as well written?

My preference is to give books as christmas gifts and i sometimes find it hard to choose books for 20 somethings that appeal to both male and females. My choice this year is Midnight in Rome by Michael Gyulai. It's a recounting of this UCLA grad's adventures when he took all the money he had earned working odd jobs during school to try and make a life in the eternal city. He had to make his way around restrictive laws regarding employment in this EU country, but managed to score a bartender job at a nightclub on Campo de Fiori. It's also an interesting insight into what guys think, about life, love, and adventure. s. ross, lafayette

Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace.

He died this year -- a terrible loss.

The Hakawati by Rabih Alameddine --I love the way this book moves through present day, the early 70s and ancient fables... Great storyteller..

It's more than 20 years old now, but with the movie coming out in March now is the time to read the 1986 graphic novel WATCHMEN if you haven't already. Though it is a story that features superheroes, famed comics author Alan Moore uses the hero story as a jumping-off point for a story that is suspenseful, beautifully realized, fiercely political, and ultimately deeply moral. The pacing that illustrator Dave Gibbons brings to the work is unrivaled in the world of comics.

Another great older graphic work is Alison Bechdel's memoir FUN HOME, in which Bechdel reflects on her small-town childhood, the development of her sexual identity, and her family's secrets. This deeply personal book has beautiful prose and seemingly simple but shockingly expressive pictures.

Jack
Berkeley Public Library

Updated: 12/22/2008 09:48:38 AM

This recommendation is for everyone who has dogs, or for that matter pets of any kind, in their household and/or needs to give a gift to someone who has dogs and other pets. The book is Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live Happy, Healthy, Longer Life written by Bay Area veterinarian Dr. Nancy Kay (www.speakingforspot.com).

Dr. Kay is passionate in her desire for animal lovers to be the best possible advocates for their pets when navigating the often complicated, confusing and expensive world of veterinary medicine. The book covers everything from vaccinations, diagnostic tests, cancer diagnosis and treatment and euthanasia to specific information on hundreds of illnesses and diseases. Her advice is particularly timely during these economic times as it provides animal owners with the necessary tools and skills to make the best healthcare decisions for their four-legged family members, especially when finances are a concern.

It is the best dog healthcare book I have read in 30 years of having dogs in my life.

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Curse of Chalion, by Lois McMaster BUJOLD (2001)
Reread for about the 7th of the 8th time recently last month. Fiction. Set in fantasy 13th-14th century spanish-like society and geography, but with multiple gods with real evidence of exidence.

Great moral story. Good feel good.

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