Here’s a list of the books I read in 2009, with quick reviews of each.
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: by Betty Smith
One of those incredible books that you buy hardbound and keep in your family for as many generations as possible. It’s a fantastic story of one family that manages to simultaneously provide great insight into immigrant communities, life in Brooklyn at the start of the 20th century, and more.
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: I saw a theatre production of this before I read the book. It took some of the suspense out for me, and left me with a lot of tedious Wilde-isms ( I love Wilde– I just found him tedious here). In general, a good book. If you’ve never seen the play, and are reading the book for the first time, you’ll love it.
- In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar: Interesting book that made me ever so grateful for growing up in a democracy and living in one now.
- Indignation by Philip Roth: Quick read, reasonably satisfying.
- Jude the Obscure By Thomas Hardy: What can I say– I love a good weepy, dismal Victorian tale, lovingly etched by the master himself. I really enjoy Hardy.
- The Bridge Over San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder: didn’t expect to love this one, but it was addictive and amazing.
- A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth: Incredible. That is all. A 1,400 page opus that I couldn’t put down. I spent two weeks sleepless, and detached from my computer and spending all my free time inhaling this book. Oh the glory.
- The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie: Reasonably good, but not amazing. I’m not a big Rushdie fan in general. To me, he’s prominent for things other than good writing.
- The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai: The scenes in Darjeeling are compelling, the colonial narrative dated and dull.