the year in [book] review

[keryx]

Inspired (as I often am) by snidegrrl's book summary of the year, here are some highlights from my list of books I've read this year. There are times when I read 4-5 books in a week, so I can't even remember everything I've read, let alone everything that was good.


These are the books I've meant to read and probably will read at some point when I can devote the right attention to them. It's the colons in the titles, I tell ya.
Future Girl: Young Women in the Twenty-First Century
Abortion: The Clash of Absolutes
Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body
Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex
Nigger : The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word
Sexing the Body
Hip: The History



They're not exactly life-altering, but they're just really good books that I read for the first time this year. Surprisingly few of them are feminist books, but I think I've read all the feminist books that were going to have a major impact on me.
Mirror, Mirror
The Obesity Myth
Trickster's Choice
Complete Hothead Paisan
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
The Tipping Point
America



They're just good books I read this year, is all.
Big Fat Lies: The Truth about Your Weight and Your Health
Revolting Bodies
Oryx & Crake
Myths of Gender
Girls Guide to Taking Over the World: Writings From The Girl Zine Revolution
Four Spirits
Whatever, Mom



This book gets its own category at missmeridian's request. Because if marriage is all about "maturing" young people into good, conforming citizens, I don't want any of it.
Gay Marriage : Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America



These just kinda sucked.
Vanity Fair
Reviving Ophelia
Cryptonomicon



"Best" may be a strong word for these, but they're clever and not sexist, which is more than I can sometimes say for this genre.
Persuading Annie
Can You Keep A Secret?
Ghosts of Boyfriends Past
As Seen on TV
An Assembly Such as This
Born Confused
Goddess for Hire

Comments

[snidegrrl.livejournal.com]

You are quite the speedy reader!! I am envious. :)

[missmeridian.livejournal.com]

*betrayed*

i can't believe you put the book that broke up me and ben in the same category as neal "my new boyfriend - nyah nyah" stephenson's bestest ever novel!

[lil-ms-drama.livejournal.com]

The only one of the list above that I've read is The Obesity Myth which I absolutely LOVED!

I wish I had read as much as you have. Despite all of the books I buy, I end up giving a lot to Bookcrossing.

[puzzlement.livejournal.com]

My equivalent and much shorter list is on thecommonwealth: Best reading of 2004 (by which I meant "Best fiction reading"). It's clear from this post that it's time to pay off my library fines and get back into the swing :)