The best books I read in 2008
2008 was an eventful year for really big books. Most of you who know me know that I flatly refuse to enter a bookstore, the books found in these dens of iniquity are either in production in the achievement of the brothers of New York Times Bestsellers, or publishing giant Wal-Mart. I prefer to find more satisfactory rates. No I do not know how many books I read in 2008, but I guarantee that is at least 100 more the average reader!
I'm not sure that a favorite book of the year, but they certainly have a favorite author, so were his books that I recommend all three. The Last spring, I was invited to review the Prophecy by Paul Mark Tag. It was a great read, a thriller with a touch of science fiction. What if ESP was found a genetic trait? A quick tour of some of our DNA. A government sees this as a potential weapon? Would it be a form of the gene create the force last fight? I'm usually not a fan of Sci Fi items, but Paul Mark Tag hovers in the gray area that science meets science fiction. I found the book compelling.
After an interview with him, I asked if I would be interested in reading his first book in Category 5, a thriller of hours an Again, a book that plays on the very edge of space science. This book has been superbly designed, trapped on one page and keep you at your fingertips, until he reached the back cover. The bad guys were pure evil, hero, heroic, a classic thriller, scoring two of Paul Mark Tag.
Late summer he contacted me again, I would be interested in his next book soon Errant Ricochet. I said "of course." But I said, is not as Cat 5 or prophecy, is a collection of short stories, most of which were written some time ago. Apparently, the media stories have been used Paul to perfect his art. Frankly, I would say that the title was "How to prevent diaper dermatitis and still read it, I love the style script author.
The Errant Ricochet had a flaw, it's really short! The stories are wonderful. In the early 70's, children's author Roald Dahl has produced a series adult stories, which formed the basis for 'Tales of the Unexpected "television series success. The stories were themselves same in the compact frame, but in the end, and each had a sting in the tail. The errant rebound nicely sums. If ever I have the opportunity to teach a class brief history test, the rebound Errante is on my list to read.
The rest of my decisions are not in any order of importance, however, tried to keep the order I read them. All are beautiful, and everyone is a winner in my eyes. Leo because I like, and these authors represent the best of the best!
My Favorite No Turchi fiction writing team is Terry and Kathleen Puckett, two wheels of the former FBI wrote a wonderful book Hunting American terrorist "in 2007, a book whose timing was perhaps not quite right. He hit right when the market a lot of books on terrorism have been published, and not advertising it deserved. Their new collaboration is internal insecurity. It takes a long hard look at how the political machinery, and some household names to Capitol Hill took advantage of homeland security to achieve their political ends, rather than securing our borders. My good friend Don Bracken of the editorial history of the company has allowed me a glimpse of a few months before his release. That meant I had to sit in my mind for weeks! More difficult "thing" I think I did! This book should be read by anyone who is interested in the American political system.
Those of you who know me know that when I'm buried in a book I'm willing to listen to music. I have not counted, but I bet I wrote more than 250 comments in 2008. My favorite musical period was the decade of 1970 and the rise and fall of progressive rock. One of my musical contacts sent me a CD of Ken Hensley Ken was one of the forces behind the 70's prog band Uriah Heep. Although they have not reached the importance of Yes or PDA, were certainly a force to be reckoned with. Blood in the CD of the road was very well done, and did not take a lot of brain power to understand it was a biographical work, which covers the life of Ken yesterday and today.
When I spoke to Ken Guy PR United States said, "If you wish, you should also read his book titled" Blood On The Highway ". I do. To me I liked it. This is a wonderful personal adventure that chronicles the life of Ken. Everything I've heard of super stars and excess are true. All had, but was it really them? What happens when the Rolls Royce have disappeared? What happens when your name is not on the billboard and Sun spots? You enter the center the long age of the fading star. The steps are very similar to those facing an alcoholic or drug addict, that is denial. In the case of many rock stars, it takes how to travel constantly, but gradually we realize that the sites are smaller, the crowds are smaller, the brightness is gone.
In the past two years, interviewed more than a dozen stars from the 70's and the story remains fairly constant. Blood On The Highway was my first opportunity to really understand the process. It is also rich in photography, like any music lover covet this book in your collection.
Sometimes I do not want to wrap my head around a complex book. Aspect with hundreds of characters and interwoven plots, both need a notebook to track what is happening. Sometimes you just want to read a "feel good" books, Dean Whitney and delicious Pinch Hitter child. A media manager forties years of Mega Mart has long dreamed of playing baseball as a professional, but his aspirations were destroyed in an accident that changes your life in the field 16 years baseball when his brother was seriously wounded by an accidental collision. His love for the game has not diminished, nor has the natural ability to bat, but now his at-bats are limited to pay as the batting cages. By a strange coincidence, your life can change at any ever. Personally, I like baseball, no I see the attraction in it, but I can see the attraction of Pinch Hitter, if you have a baseball fan in your family, get a copy, is a bit of fun to read.
And stimulating a much more serious work is Paul Miller A place to belong. Paul wanted to write this book 40 years ago, but did not dare to commit pen to paper. The memories are so traumatic for him and his family everything that could result would be to open old wounds. I am very pleased that Paul has found the courage to write a place to belong. This is a sad and too small, well spent learning how to survive on the streets, while children age must have a warm and loving family environment. In a way Paul did. I spent over 6 years with Calgary homeless, the street is a place and ruthless. If you have a teenager at risk, they need to read a place to belong.
Everyone needs a little humor in their lives, and when it comes to humor books in 2008 which is head and shoulders above the rest is Bill Seaton asked his book with my seven years in captivity. This is charming story time the bill to the head of the San Diego Zoo, the public relations department. San Diego Zoo has been one of my favorite when my children were small, and knowing the layout of the place, and animals often funny, I laughed until I could not laugh more!
Bill really captures the humor of situations I'm sure of anything, but funny when they happened.
Sometimes I dive in the area of historical fiction, which tends to be only a matter of luck. The credibility of the author, the forces of a set of circumstances that are well documented, the fiction must be woven into the fabric of the existing situation. Sometimes it works But mostly it is not, is the story line is far from real events credible or factual events are folded, again causing a deficit credibility. This is not the case of El Tigre by John Manhold. Created a magnificent work of fiction that weaves in and out of the facts perfectly. Our Hero Johann Heinrich von Manfred young man born of Prussian aristocracy is without friends or refugees who move to the New World and blends with the establishment Republic of Texas. History lovers and people who enjoy a good story will love El Tigre.
My final selection for the year Unholy Dan Ronco's domain. I mentioned at the outset that I am not a lover of science fiction, but it stands out. Maybe it's because the Internet is the blood critical of what I do, or maybe it's because the plot contains topics that we are aware. The terrorists could wreak havoc on the Internet? Not to send spam, but to take control parts of our infrastructure? Power plants, telecommunications, transportation, the list goes on and vulnerability. Already the world has become dependent on a small number of technology companies, Microsoft, Cisco, Intel, to name just three, what would happen if one of them deliberately set up a kind virus?
Unholy Domain is in the very near future, so the technology is definitely a scientific fact, the company that uses science fiction, but the story is disturbing. For fans of science fiction in his Christmas list, you can not go wrong with this book.
My Great Books of 2008 list could go on and on. But I think I should stop here, that or that I find my own editor and write a book about books! It was a great year for big books. if the book has not received a mention, not because I did not because I'm out of space in this column. 2008 was also the year I can honestly say I have not read a "son of a bitch ", usually a joke or two books that should never have seen the light of day. Oops, I'm wrong, there was one, I forget the name of the author not or title, but it was the JFK conspiracy, if I remember the clones and the instance of marriage, hatches on the roof of the limo JFK was open, and there was some connection with the alleged UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico. I would go for the title of it, but I keep these books in a dark corner Special and until I have afraid to come!
Have a happy new year everyone and adopt a resolution for 2009, feed your brain, read some books.
(Originally published at Blogger News Network Reprinted by permission of the author, Simon Barrett).
About the Author
Simon Barrett is the senior editor for
Blogger News Net
and maintains a personal blog at
Simon B
. Now semi retired in the depths of Mississippi he has plenty of time to read books by up and coming authors.
CHURCH!! “Time To Wake Up”!! Are we lukewarm or on fire ?
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