Books I Read in 2007
January, 2007
Tooth and Claw T. C. Boyle

Masterful. Fourteen stories.
February
The Best American Short Stories 2006

Twenty fine stories. Especially liked those by Katherine Bell, David Bezmozgis, Mary Gaitskill, Yiyun Li, Kevin Moffett, and Maxine Swain.
March, 2007
The Inheritance of Loss Kiran Desai

Man Booker Prize winner 2006. Good look at the postcolonial Indian immigrant angst and powerlessness of several rather interesting characters.
May, 2007
Effective Java, Programming Language Guide Joshua Bloch

Superb. 57 clearly explained items certain to enhance your Java programs.
Crash Diet Jill McCorkle

Enjoyable read. Funny, wry stories of life and love.
Difficult Conversations, How to Discuss What Matters Most Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen

Helpful, useful, clearly written.
The Road Cormac McCarthy

A merciless masterpiece. Powerful. Moving.
June, 2007
Simulation in Anesthesia Christopher J. Gallagher and S. Barry Issenberg

Super. Just the right place for anyone to learn everything about the theory and practice of simulation applied to anesthesia.
A Thousand Years of Good Prayers Yiyun Li

These ten delicious stories won the Frank O'Conner International Short Story award and the Hemingway/PEN award for distinguished first book of fiction. Keep up the good work.
August, 2007
Everyman Philip Roth

Who says you can't kill off your main character? The intriguing lead player in this drama - who amazingly remains unnamed - is dead before the novel begins - at his funeral. But somehow we still care. Well done, Mr. Roth.
The Rings of Saturn W.G. Sebald (translated from German by Michael Hulse)

Clothed as a walking tour of the eastern coast of England, a richly substantiated analysis of selected interesting, sometimes obscure, elements of English, European and world history. A fascinating history lesson.
September, 2007
Permanent Visitors Kevin Moffett

This collection of eight delicious stories by a gifted new writer won the John Simmons Short Fiction Award, judged by George Saunders, and was long-listed for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award.
November, 2007
Talk Talk T.C. Boyle

Cinematic adventure in identity theft.
The Photograph Penelope Lively

Superior story telling.
Things Kept, Things Left Behind Jim Tomlinson

Wow! Tomlinson's must-read short story "Things Kept" is near perfection! Tomlinson has the gift.
