It's that time of the year again.
December has become list season on my blog, and before I compile my list of Top 10 TV shows and Top 10 movies, I thought I would start with books. I've made an effort to pick up my book consumption this year.
Not all the books listed below actually came out this year, and there's an unusual number of Canadian novels. But rest assured, I loved every single one of the books below.
#10. Irma Voth by Miriam Toews
Irma Voth isn't my favorite book by her. That would be A Complicated Kindness, which I've read about ten times. It's not even my second favorite book by her. That would be The Flying Troutmans, which is an awesome little road trip comedy book.
But Irma Voth has the same voice, the same sense of humor and absurdity. It tells the story of a young Mennonite woman growing up in Mexico with a shitty husband and a crazy family.
The story lags a little in the beginning, and gets a little repetitive at times, but anyone who has enjoyed Toews' other books while dig this one.
#9. Deloume Road by Matthew Hooton
This is a beautifully rendered book. The setting is as important as any of the characters, and it makes the Island sound like a mystical, magical place. There are a number of stories going on at once, with a variety of perspectives. I liked the way Hooton experimented with voice.
I found the ending really shocking and heart-breaking. But don't worry, I won't ruin it for you.
#8. Where I'm Calling From by Raymond Carver
I bought What We Talk About When We Talk About Love first, and loved it. So I bought a Carver biography and Where I'm Calling From, which is a collection of stories he'd published throughout his career in magazines and literary journals all over North America.
I know this won't be news to most people, but Carver really is a master of the short form. His stories are sometimes brutal, often disturbing and always a little unsettling. His characters are miserable, drunk and violent. But somehow, the world he creates is beautiful.
#7. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt
This book was nominated for pretty much every literary award that exists, and it deserved every one. Not to mention: it's a Western, a genre that doesn't usually garner much attention.
This book tells the story of Eli and Charley Sisters, a pair of hitmen making the trip from Oregon to California. It's narrated by Eli, who is a sad, sensitive poet/cowboy.
The book is sometimes hilarious, sometimes disturbing and always awesome. It's just a great story.
#6. Palo Alto by James Franco
But I, for one, loved this book. A lot. And if he spends the rest of his career writing, that would be just fine with me.
Franco mostly writes about teenagers. They drink a lot, and do quite a few drugs. Sometimes they kill each other. They watch too much TV and don't seem to have any morality.
I would love to write a book of short stories like this one day.
#5. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
No one seems to write them anymore, except for Franzen. As attention spans go down, so do word counts. His newest book is called Freedom, and it's thicker than the phone book. But I haven't read it yet.
The Corrections is about an ultra-dysfunctional family. I read it on the way up to Whitehorse, and read passages aloud to Gemma. There were a few parts of the book I found a bit cheesy and over-the-top, but for the most it was brilliant.
I've never read a book like this. Chances are, neither have you.
#4. Once You Break A Knuckle by D.W. Wilson
D.W Wilson went to school at UVic, so I was really interested to read his book. I interviewed him a few months ago, and you can read that HERE.
Wilson's short stories all take place in the Kootenays, and his characters are hyper-masculine, truck-driving, hard-drinking hicks. It's an alien world to me, but I can picture it well. And he writes really unique sex scenes.
One of these stories even made me cry.
#3. The Beggar's Garden by Michael Christie
Michael Christie is the author I most want to emulate. I like that his writing is accessible, but also beautiful. He writes about the Downtown Eastside (a topic I'm passionate about) and finds beauty in horrific circumstances.
My favorite story: "Goodbye, Porkpie Hat". It's about an addict who sees a vision of J. Robert Oppenheimer and does crack with him.
This is the quote that sums up Christie's writing for me:
"Don't tell me the moon is shining. Show me the glint from broken glass." -Anton Chekhov.
Christie said he likes "weird" and "cracked" perspectives. That's something I'd really like to capture with my work, too.
#2. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
If you don't even bother reading the whole book, just read that one.
A Visit From the Goon Squad inspired the form of my thesis novel. It's told in interconnected stories that all revolve around a single character, in this case a record label executive. It goes thirty years into the past, and about twenty years into the future. There's a huge cast of hyper-real, bizarre characters in ridiculous and hilarious situations.
This book is fucking awesome. Read it.
#1. Barney's Version by Mordecai Richler
I saw the movie first (three times) and then decided I needed to read the book. It's phenomenal, and when I say it's way better than the film (duh) that's a total understatement.
I love the voice of the main character, Barney Parnofsky. I love the Montreal setting, the wry humor and the ridiculous situations. I love each and every one of his three wives, who are all amazing in their own way. And I love, love, love the ending.
Please, I'm begging you. Read this book.
...
Well, that's it for now. Like I said, there will be more lists on the way. But right now I need to go pay attention to my girlfriend. (She was kind enough to pose for the top picture. Thanks, Darby!)
Will!!
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