Jim's Book List
 I started to keep track of some of the better books I've read over the years

2011
 The Quest  Daniel Yergin *** Continuation of "The Prize" - Future of Energy Non fiction
 Boomerang  Michael Lewis **  How other countries reacted to the global financial meltdown. Non Fiction.
That old Cape Magic Richard Russo **  Not up to par. Characters are pathetic
 The Disappearing Spoon  Same Kean ***  Non Fiction - Stories surrounding chemical elements
 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks  Rebecca Skloot **  Non Fiction - The story behind HeLa cells.
City Of Thieves  David Benioff ***  Life in Leningrad durinig WWII
Unbroken Laura Hillibrand ***  Japanese POW story - Non fiction
Water for Elephants Sara Gruen ***  Depression era story of traveling circus
The Little Book Seldon Edwards **  Time travel to Vieanna in the 30's
State of Wonder Ann Patchett ****  Journey into the Amazon  


2010
 Juliet Naked  Nick Hornby ***  Funny novel about music obsessed groupie discovering rare  album
Life  Keith Richards **  Auto-biography of Rolling Stones guitarist/song-writer/druggist.
Death, Taxes, and Leaky Waders John Gierach **   Fishing trips in the west. This man loves fishing.
The Big Short Michael Lewis ****  I kind of understand what a credit default swap is now but wish  I didn't. Why investment banks are history. Non-fiction.
This is Where I  Leave You  Jonathan Trooper ***  Funny, well written acount of dysfunctional family coming  together for Shiva
Cutting for Stone Abraham Verghese ****  Twins growing up in Ethiopia and their amazing fate.
The Dead Hand  David Hoffman ****  Cold War account beginning with the collpase of USSR.  Inside look at the Soviet programs. Bio weapons/nukes. Doomsday machine for real. Amazing. Terrifying.
Straight Man  Richard Russo ***  Similar in stye to 'The Risk Pool' but funnier. Life as a college  professor facing a downsizing 
Half Broken Horses Jeannette Walls ***  Pre-cursor to 'The Glass Castle'. Life and times of authors grandmother.
The Lacuna   Barbara Kingsolver *** Slow developing.   Writer's life growing up in Mexico and U.S.


2009
 The Risk Pool Richard Russo ****  Similar to 'Nobodys Fool' only better
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle David Wroblewski ***  Mute boy and his relationship with dogs and murder.  Parallels with  Hamlet?
The Nuclear Express Reed/Stillman ***  Non fiction. Nuclear weapons proliferation. Scary.
Horse Soldiers  Doug Stanton **  Non fiction. Soldiers in Afghanistan
The Angel's Game Carlos Ruiz Zafon **  Confusing story, but well written book.  Mystery in  Barcelona
The Things They Carried  Tim O'brien **  Non fiction. Stories from  the Vietnam war
 The Graveyard Book  Neil Gaiman ***  Ghosts raise a child in a graveyard.  Quick read.
A Man on the Moon  Andrew Chaikin ***  Non fiction.  Historical recap of each Apollo mission.

Let the Great World Spin
 Colum McCann ** Lives of various people interwoven together  using twin towers tightrope walk as the catalyst
Polar Star Martin Cruz Smith ***  Another episode of Renko the Russian detective


2008
The Book Thief  Markus Zusak **** Nazi Germany through the eyes of a child. Narrated by Death
Ghost Wars  Steven Coll *** Afghanistan history through the eyes of the CIA. Leading to the Taliban
My Fathers Secret War  Lucinda Franks ** Author unveils the life of her father during WWII
The Shadow Catcher  Marianne Wiggiins ** The life and times of Edward Curtis, Indian Photographer
The Gatehouse  Nelson DeMille *  Disappointing sequel to the 'Gold Coast'


2007
The Audacity of Hope Barack Obama *** Barack expresses hope in America.  Refreshing
A Long Way Gone Ishmael Beah ** Life as a child soldier in Serria Leone
The Places in Between Rory Stewart ** Non Fiction. Walking across Afghanistan alone.
A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini **** Life in Afghanistan between the Soviet occupation and Taliban.
The Worst Hard Time Timothy Egan ** Non Fiction. Life during the dust bowl.
A Look over My Shoulder Richard Helms ** Non fiction. CIA director memoirs. Cold war - Vietnam
The Looming Tower Lawrence Wright **** Non fiction. History and rise of Al-Qaeda. Sad turf battles between the CIA and FBI and dreadful consequences
Three Cups of Tea Greg Mortenson *** Non fiction.  Amazing story of one mans quest to build schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Stalins Ghost Martin Cruz Smith ** Another Russian detective Renko book 
The Prize Daniel Yergin ** The history and politics of oil. Kind of laborious to read
The Road Cormac McCarthy ** Journey of father and son through postapocalyptic world
The Glass Castle Jeanette Walls *** Memoirs of tough childhood with bizarre parents
A Dirty Job Christopher Moore *** Picture a comic version of 'Neverwhere'. Death merchants in San Francisco
Arsenals of Folly Richard Rhodes *** Non fiction. The making of the nuclear arms race and the end of the cold war.  
The River of Doubt Candice Millard *** Non fiction. Roosevelt journey down an uncharted amazon tributary
Bridge of Sighs Richard Russo *** Small town story centered on convenience store as home

 2006
2006
The March  E.L. Doctorow ** Civil War Novel.
A Crack in the Edge of the Earth Simon Winchester ** Non fiction. 1906 Earthquake.
Collapse Jared Diamond * What I did trying to read this. Boring.
A Team of Rivals Doris Kerns Goodwin *** A little long, but well written book on Lincoln
Nobodys Fool Richard Roussos **** If you liked Empire Falls...
Shadow of the Wind Carlos Ruiz Zafon **** Fun mystery. Similar in style to Da Vinci Code
Marley and Me John Grogan ** Rowdy dog.
The Tender Bar J.R. Moehringer ** Growing up in a bar.
American Theocracy Kevin Phillips ** Non fiction.  Bush Administration and the role of religion in the white house
Charlie Wilson's War George Crile *** Non fiction. CIA backed Afghanistan war against the Soviets in the 80's. Amazing but true
Iron Coffins Herbert Werner *** Non fiction account of U2 boat during WWII
The Time Traveler's Wife Audrey Niffennegger *** A love story in a time paradox
One Percent Doctrine Ron Suskind *** Non fiction. What drives Dick Cheney to act
Acts of Faith Philip Caputo *** Missionaries and gun runners in war torn Sudan
Fiasco Thomas  Ricks ** Non fiction. War in Iraq. Unplanned occupation. Not turning out so well :-(
Wildfire Nelson DeMille ** Suitcase Nuke.  Thriller. Similar to Plum Island
Lay of the Land Richard Ford ** Slow read. Life as a real estate agent

   
2005
2005
The Rule of Four Ian Caldwell *** 'Da Vinci Code' -lite at Princeton
1776 David McCullough **** Talk about a tough year for Washington
John Adams David McCullough ** Adams/Jefferson/Franklin
Truman David McCullough ** A good editor would have helped
The Survivor John Harris *** Bill Clinton
Anaszi Boys Neil Gaimen *** Science Fiction/Fantasy. 'Neverwhere' is better
The Five People You Meet in Heaven Mitch Album *** The people you meet on the way up...
The Killer Angels Michael Shaara *** Battle of Gettysburg
The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini **** Growing up in Afghanistan
Saturday Ian McGregor ** Simple day in the life of average Joe
Blink:  The power of thinking without thinking Malcom Gladwell ** Non fiction. A book about trusting your instinct

   2004
Wolves Eat Dogs Martin Cruz Smith *** Murder mystery in Russia
Prey Michael Crichton ** Biotech thriller
Whiteout Ken Follett *** Biotech thriller
A Short History of Everything Bill Bryson *** Comical description of science
Empire Falls Richard Roussos **** Small town life in Maine
The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown **** Great summer read
Angels and Demons Dan Brown **** Not quite as good as Da Vinci
Being Dead Jim Crace ** A view of death from the rear view mirror
American Gods Neil Gaiman ** Science fiction


Other favorite books from the past
Addicus Ron Hansen **** A father in search of his son
A Man Called Intrepid William Stevenson **** Non Fiction. British agent during WWII
Gorky Park Martin Cruz Smith *** Murder mystery in Russia
Shoeless Joe Ray Kinsella **** Go the distance.
Billy Bathgate E.L. Doctorow **** Young teenager joins Dutch Schultz gang
Eye of the Needle Ken Follett *** WWII novel
Plum Island Nelson Demille *** Long Island murder mystery
Up Country Nelson Demille *** Journey back to Vietnam
Gold Coast Nelson Demille **** Living next to a Mafia Don
Blind Mans Bluff Shelly Sontag **** Non fiction. Nuclear subs during the cold war
The Company Robert Littell **** CIA. Fictional (?) look at historical events
The Power of One Bryce Courtney **** Boxing/Africa.
Tandia Bryce Courtney *** Follow up to Power of One. Good luck finding this one
Postcards Anne Proulx ***
The Shipping News Anne Proulx ***
Into Thin Air Jon Krakauer **** Non fiction. Tragedy on Mt Everest
Crazy in Alabama Mark Childress ***
The Miracle of Edgar Mint Brady Udall ***
A Thousand Acres Jane Smiley ***
Cold Mountain Charles Frazier ** Civil War Novel
Life of Pi Yann Martel ***
Snow Falling on Cedars David Gutersand **
Prodigal Summer Barbara Kingsolver ***
Animal Dreams Barbara Kingsolver ****
The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver **** Missionaries in Africa
The Bean Trees Barbara Kingsolver ***
Lost in Place Mark Saltzman **** A look back at the teenage years
Fly Fishing Through the Midlife Crisis Howell Rains **
The Sportswriter Richard Ford ***
Independence Day Richard Ford ***  Mid-life Crisis
Fountainhead Ayn Rand **** It's Howard Roark vs Peter Keating
Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand **** Who is John Galt?
The Making of the Atomic Bomb Richard Rhodes **** Non fiction. Physics of the bomb
Dark Sun Richard Rhodes **** Non fiction. Hydrogen bomb. Spying
Endurance Alfred Lansing **** Non fiction. Journey of Shackleton
Cadillac Desert Marc Reisner **** Non fiction. Water politics in the west
A Confederacy of Dunces John Kennedy Toole ***
Neverwhere Neil Gaiman *** Science fiction. London underground
Surely you're joking, Mr Feynman! Richard Feynman **** Stories of famous physicist.