2010 Reads

Having reached the end of 2010, I'd like to reflect on the books I've read, nay, experienced, this past year - since those best books give so much more than just a "good read."  I love to read, and get through a book a week on average.  As a general rule, I prefer to read fiction and listen to non-fiction in audiobook format when available.  In 2010 I came across several books that were life-changing and/or landed on my favorites list: a great personal year for literature, if you will.

A brief note: I'm a member of Shelfari, a social networking site for book lovers; I use it as a place to host books I've read, am reading, or plan to.  You can find overviews, details and reviews of just about any book there, as well as add your own.  So I'll refrain from posting links to each individual book and encourage you to explore my shelf (get it? Shelf + Safari = Shelfari!), and hopefully join, on your own. 

My chronological reading list for this past year (notables in bold, with brief notes):
1. The Shadow of the Torturer, by Gene Wolfe
2. 50 Spiritual Classics, by Tom Butler-Bowdon (audio) - I just loved the format: 10 minute overviews of spiritual classics which gave just enough insight to encourage deeper reading into the originals themselves
3. 50 Self Help Classics, Tom Butler-Bowdon (audio)
4. Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu (audio)
5. Anathem, by Neal Stephenson - one of my favorite authors, I still think Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon" was his best work.  "Anathem" is another of his 900-page wonders, and though at times long and grinding (like most of Stephenson's books), the ideas and concepts presented are fascinating, novel and thought-provoking (again, like most of Stephenson's books)
6. Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill (audio) - I don't think I'll ever get over the narrator's voice and his pronunciation of "riches"
7. Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Alex Haley
8. The Power of Intention, by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer (abridged audio)
9. A Deepness in the Sky, by Vernor Vinge - one of the most sweeping, exhilarating, disturbing, and grandiose science fiction spectacles I've been absorbed into yet.  The character development, dramatic arc, and exploration of good, evil and alien is immense, intense and amazing to behold.  Breathtaking in its scope.
10. The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh, Mai Vo-Dinh
11. The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle (audio) - this book changed my life
12. The Power of Myth, by Joseph Campbell (audio) - an absolute treat to hear from this great professor and scholar of myth
13. Rainbows End, by Vernor Vinge
14. Good to Great and the Social Sectors, by Jim Collins
15. A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle (audio)
16. Journey of Souls - Case Studies of Life Between Lives, by Michael Newton - made me reexamine my beliefs about death, reincarnation and our ultimate purpose in life
17. The Wealthy Barber: Everyone's Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent, by David Chilton - remarkable not for its at-times strained storyline and dialogue, but the absolutely practical advice contained within.  Had I read this years ago I could've avoided many financial pitfalls along the way.  My children will read and learn from this book.
18. The Rainmaker, by John Grisham
19. The Art of Happiness, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama (audio)
20. Claw of the Conciliator, by Gene Wolfe
21. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind - Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice, by Shunryu Suzuki and Trudy Dixon
22. Excession, by Iain M. Banks
23. The Seat of the Soul, by Gary Zukav (audio)
24. The Wheel of Time - Shamans of Ancient Mexico, Their Thoughts About Life, Death and the Universe, by Carlos Castaneda
25. Abundant Peace, by John Stevens
26. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (abridged audio)
27. Inversions, by Iain M. Banks - Mr. Banks and his Culture novels have become a serial fave of mine, with their space-operatic exploration of the intersections between an advanced, utopian civilization and those less developed.  "The Player of Games" is still my favorite, but "Inversions" comes close by exploring this dynamic from the inside out
28. The Golden Ocean, by Patrick O'Brian
29. How to Know God, by Deepak Chopra (abridged audio)
30. The Eastern Way, by Joseph Campbell (audio) - for those of us who wished we could've been in Mr. Campbell's classes, audio recordings of them are the next best thing
31. Look to Windward, by Iain M. Banks
32. Lord of Light, by Roger Zelazny
33. Becoming Enlightened, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama (audio)
34. Practicing the Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle (audio)
35. Creating True Peace - Ending Violence in Yourself, Your Family, Your Community, and the World, by Thich Nhat Hanh (abridged audio)
36. Galileo's Dream, by Kim Stanley Robinson
37. Training the Mind, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama (audio)
38. Sword of the Lictor, by Gene Wolfe
39. A View from the Wolf's Eye, by Carolyn C. Peterson - an intimate and loving portrait of a better part of a lifetime spent on or in the service of Isle Royale National Park, and a spiritual and familial counterpoint to her husband's long-running wolf-moose predator-prey research
40. Citadel of the Autarch, by Gene Wolfe
41. Magical Mind, Magical Body, by Deepak Chopra (audio)
42. The Sabbath - Its Meaning for Modern Man, by Abraham J. Heschel
43. The Power of Kabbalah: The Art of Spiritual Transformation - How to Remove Chaos and Find True Fulfillment, by Michael Moskowitz (audio)
44. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card - What an incredible book.  A truly amazing work of fiction, all from the viewpoint of a small child.  Thanks for the recommendation Mandy!
45. Patterns in the Sky, by Julius D. W. Staal
46. Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs (audio), by Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan - a great overview of the new marketing environment and practical tips for transitioning into
47. Sundiver, by David Brin
48. Matter, by Iain M. Banks
49. Speaker for the Dead, by Orson Scott Card - the sequel to "Ender's Game," and an even more amazing book.  This was immediately added to my Favorites List because of its depth of emotion, humanity and character development
50. The King of Torts, by John Grisham
51. The State of the Art, by Iain M. Banks
52. V for Vendetta, by Alan Moore & David Lloyd (graphic novel)
53. Book of Secrets, by Deepak Chopra (abridged audio)
54. Charlie Sanders' Tales from the Detroit Lions, by Charlie Sanders with Larry Paladino
55. Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius - deeply moving and profound.  Even though I read this over the course of several months and two separate wilderness sojourns, it still feels I did myself a disservice by trying to read it cover to cover.  This is one to take in just a page or a paragraph at a time, and dwell upon; as meditations.

Reading this list makes me want to go back and reread several of these!  But alas (or thankfully!), there are so many more wonderful books to explore.  Onwards to 2011!