What was the best book you read this year?

I know we have a book thread, but that seems to be about the last book someone read. We're coming to the end of the year. What was the best book you read?

My selection:

"Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk," by Ben Fountain.

If you aren't familiar with it, it's a novel about a member of an Army unit that rises to fame when their heroics are captured on film and broadcast on cable news. That leads to a "Victory Tour" around the U.S., culminating in an appearance at the Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day game. With the exception of one flashback, the entire novel takes place on the day of the game, at the old Texas Stadium. It's a terrific commentary on how war is marketed in this country, without being preachy and (too) heavy-handed.

 

Running Blind by Lee Child edges out Instant Replay.

 

I've had a bad run on books this year. I've enjoyed very few.

I read an interesting bio of Aleister Crowley, 'Perdurabo,' but it was interesting because of the subject. The book itself was very dry.

I read a good bio of Frank Zappa - 'Electric Don Quixote.'

I read a couple of weird-detective genre novels I really liked. Pendergast novels by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child - 'Cabinet of Curiosities' and 'Brimstone.'

But mostly I've disliked almost everything I've read.

 

Crash and Burn by Artie Lange.

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan is pretty hilarious.

 

I read Sarah Silverman's book, but I didn't like it.

 

Reading that right now, Dick. NO SPOILERS!

I finally got around to reading "Room" and liked it, but my two favorite books I read this year were (nerd alert!) "The Name of the Wind" and "The Wise Man's Fear" by Patrick Rothfuss.

 

Yeah, I really like books by comics, but I didn't really like hers either.

 

"When Pride Still Mattered," the bio of Vince Lomardi. It's been out for a while but I never read it until this past year.

 

Enjoyed Billy Wynn.

Not sure if its the best book I read this year, but I thoroughly enjoyed Tampa by Alissa Nutting. It's a farce about a middle school teacher who sleeps with her students. Some very descriptive scenes, that's for sure. But it reads like a Monty Python farce. Very hilarious scenes wiyh a bit of social commentary.

Best book I read was The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer. Superbly written.

 

In the middle of The Prime Ministers and enjoying it a lot.

 

"A Higher Call," which I recommended on the other books thread, has been the best so far. Loved it.

There's another, more acclaimed book that I'd like to get to by the end of the year, but it looks like I might not make it. (I've been sidetracked recently by a string of "Star Trek"-related novels. I'm addicted to them and can easily lose myself in those worlds).

But they're for "Trek" fans, and I'd never recommend them in the same way to a general reading audience.

 

The Circle. At least I liked it but the best book I read this year was The Things They Carried.

I thought I had read the entire thing, but what I read back in the day was a collection of some of the essays from when they ran in Esquire.