Top Ten Books of 2013

Here are my picks for 2013:

1. We Are Water by Wally Lamb

Lamb, Wally. We Are Water. HarperCollins, 2013. Print. 

“We are water: ‘fluid, flexible when we have to be. But strong and destructive, too.’ That’s evident in this emotionally involving new novel from the author of She’s Come Undone…clear and sweetly flowing; highly recommended.” --Library Journal, starred review.

2. Stuck in the Middle with You by Jennifer Finney Boylan

Boylan, Jennifer F. Stuck in the Middle with You: Parenthood in Three Genders a Memoir. New York: Crown Publishers, 2013. Print. 

Like Wally Lamb, Jennifer Finney Boylan names her books after great song titles. Also like Wally Lamb, Jennifer Finney Boylan is an outstanding writer/teacher/social activist. If you like funny, honest, unique memoirs, you will love Stuck in the Middle with You.

3. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

Sedaris, David. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls. New York: Little, Brown, 2013. Print.

"Deeply satisfying.... Sedaris can bring to mind Anthony Trollope, P.G. Wodehouse, Alice Munro, and Woody Allen, sometimes in the same paragraph." --David Carr, New York Times Book Review.

4. The Wonder Bread Summer by Jessica Anya Blau

Blau, Jessica A. The Wonder Bread Summer: A Novel. New York: Harper Perennial, 2013. Print. 

“Raunchy, poignant, and triumphant in turn--and sometimes manages to be all three at the same time.” --Booklist

5.  Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding

 Fielding, Helen. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. Print. 

“Mad About the Boy is not only sharp and humorous, despite its heroine’s aged circumstances, but also snappily written, observationally astute and at times genuinely moving." --Sarah Lyall, The New York Times Book Review.

6. Tapestry of Fortune by Elizabeth Berg

Berg, Elizabeth. Tapestry of Fortunes: A Novel. New York: Random House, 2013. Print. 

"Berg strips her writing down to what is essential and takes an unflinching look at lifelong regrets. The characters are so completely realized, even the bit players will settle in your heart." 

--Diane Holcomb, Booklist (starred review).

7. Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

 Quick, Matthew. Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock: A Novel. Little, Brown, 2013. Print. 

"...the novel presents a host of compelling, well-drawn, realistic characters-all of whom want Leonard to make it through the day safe and sound." --Kirkus.

8. Beyond Belief by Jenna Miscavige Hill with Lisa Pulitzer

Hill, Jenna M, and Lisa Pulitzer. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape. HarperCollins, 2013. Print. 

"Hill’s candid memories of growing up inside the Church of Scientology are notable not just for their detail but for the light they shed on an environment that fosters isolation, powerlessness, and privacy loss." --Publisher's Weekly.

9.The Invisible Girls by Sarah Thebarge

Thebarge, Sarah. The Invisible Girls: A Memoir. New York: Jericho Books, 2013. Print. 

"Thebarge's writing style is clear and breezy. From the beginning, there are compelling questions on the table." --The Oregonian

10. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Simsion, Graeme. The Rosie Project. Simon & Schuster, 2013. Print. 

"If you're looking for sparkling entertainment along the lines of Where'd You Go Bernadette and When Harry Met Sally, The Rosie Project is this season's fix." --Heller Mcalpin, NPR Books.

Christmas books aren't just for kids

Sedaris, David. Holidays on Ice. New York [u.a.: Little, Brown, 1997. Print.

Yesterday afternoon a woman came to the desk looking for some good books for her daughters to read over Christmas vacation. Once we were all set with books for the girls, the mother confided that she wished she had time to read. I told her that she should treat herself and read Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris. It's under 200 pages long. Holidays on Ice is a collection of hilarious true stories that you don't have to read all at once. The best and most famous story in the book is The Santaland Diaries which is about the author's experience working as an elf at Macy's in New York.

Here are some more classic, quick reads about Christmas. Treat yourself.

Thomas, Dylan. A Child's Christmas in Wales. New York: New Directions, 1954. Print.

Capote, Truman. The Thanksgiving Visitor: One Christmas ; & a Christmas Memory. New York: Modern Library, 1996. Print.

Henry, o. Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories. Mineola, NY: Dover, 2009. Print.

Lamb, Wally. Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story. New York: Harper, 2009. Print.

Burroughs, Augusten. You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2009. Print.

An evening with David Sedaris and my husband

"I recently made the mistake of reading David Sedaris while I was eating lunch. Fortunately, I was alone in my office, so there were no witnesses when I spewed a mouthful of pastrami across my desk. Not one of the 17 autobiographical essays in this new collection failed to make me crack up; frequently I was helpless."

--Craig Seligman, New York Times

David Sedaris

My husband gave me the most wonderful surprise anniversary gift--tickets to see our favorite author, David Sedaris! It was an incredible evening. All of the material was new—Mr. Sedaris didn't even repeat anything from his most recent book, When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Instead, he read unpublished essays and diary entries. He also talked about how much he enjoys going on book tours and meeting his readers in person, and he told us stories about his adventures on the road. For instance, one time he asked if he could work as a ticket scanner before the show, and he couldn’t believe how rude people were. Most didn’t say thank you or bother to take their tickets out of the envelopes for him. He thought to himself, “Do I really want these kind of people coming to my show?”

Sedaris, David. Naked. Boston: Little, Brown and Co, 1997.

David Sedaris is one of the nicest authors I've ever met. Marc and I arrived really early and were fifth in line for the book signing. Because there were so many people waiting behind us, I didn't want to take up too much of his time when it was my turn. (I was kind of star struck, too.) Mr. Sedaris encouraged me to talk, though. Here’s our exchange:

Me: Hi, could you please sign this book to Charlotte?

Mr. Sedaris: Sure! And who is Charlotte?

Me: My mother.

Mr. Sedaris: Oh, and where does she live?

Me: In Connecticut.

Mr. Sedaris: I was just in New Haven the other day.

Me: That’s my second favorite city.

Mr. Sedaris: Did you go to Yale?

Me: No, but I worked there.

Mr. Sedaris: Oh, what did you do there?

Me: I worked in the library.

Mr. Sedaris: And which city is first favorite?

Me: New York.

Mr. Sedaris: Really?

Me: Yes, I love New York and New Haven.

I didn’t elaborate because I was too nervous and afraid that I’d say something stupid. I also felt bad for the gazillion people waiting in line behind me. I just thanked him and moved along.

For more about David Sedaris, visit npr.org. Read his books, too. Naked is my favorite, but they are all hysterically funny.

Sedaris, David. Naked.
Boston: Little, Brown and Co, 1997.

Sedaris, David. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.

Boston: Little, Brown, 2004.

Sedaris, David. When You Are Engulfed in Flames.
New York: Little, Brown and Co, 2008.


Sedaris, David. Me Talk Pretty One Day.
Boston: Little, Brown & Co, 2000.


Sedaris, David. Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays.
Boston: Back Bay Books, 1994.


Sedaris, David. Holidays on Ice.
Boston: Little, Brown and Co, 1997.

More autographs

David Sedaris

Judd Winick

Shawn Decker

Dog children

I just love this poem by David Sedaris:

Hail hyperactive Myrtle,
Owned by folks who are infertile.
Her owners boast as she runs wild,
"She's not a spaniel, she's our child!"

Sedaris, David. "Dog Days." Esquire 134.2 (August 2000): 144. Academic OneFile. Gale. Nova Southeastern University. 5 Apr. 2008