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1. The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy.
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"both sobering and frightening in confronting the reader with the meaning of life, or lack thereof and yet at the end of its darkness is light"
2. Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis.
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"the books narrator might suggest that the unexamined life is not worth living, Zorba would counter that the unlived life is not worth examining"
3. Winning at New Products by Robert Cooper.
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"the best research driven and yet practical guide to accelerating products from idea to successful launch"
4. Me to We by Marc and Craig Kielburger.
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"suspend your cynical gene and let these two brothers show you how meaning and purpose can be created in our lives through focusing on others and not ourselves"
5. Royal Flash by George McDonald Frasier.
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"offensive, dastardly, derivative but a very funny page turner"
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Last year a single fiction work made it into my top 5 but this year 3 made it. This reflects success at reading more fiction. In 2005 I read 35 books (5 fiction, 30 non-fiction), in 2006 I also read 35 books (19 fiction, 16 non-fiction). Those figures also reflect success at reducing the amount I read as of the 35 this year, 7 were graphic novels which are quick reads.
In my non-fiction reading I have seen a move from philosophical/religious works to reading more biographical/interview. Examples of these include, Po Bronson's 'What should I do with my life?' and 'Deep Survival' by Laurence Gonzales. This shift marks a move from abstract existential thinking to a more pragmatic enquiry on life and its challenges.
3 Of the 4 philosophical/religious works were about Zen but reading about Zen is a little foolish. As Yoda would say 'Zen, not read, Zen, do!'.
Of the 19 fiction works, 7 were graphic novels, 4 were from the Flashman series, 2 were by Tolstoy, 2 by Sean Russell (a fantasy writer), and the remaining works were by Beckett, Kertesz, De Maupassant and Kazantsakis. The 'high literature' books I read were very accessible and generally short books. The Flashman and fantasy books were recommended by friends and worth reading although I would not have picked them off the bookshelf myself
So what will be the reading focus for 2007?
As with 2006, I would like to write more and read a little less. I did increase the amount of fun stuff I read and should increase it further. In particular I enjoyed the graphic novels which is a very different experience. I could also read more poetry as that is part of what I write and I increasing my appreciation of the form may lead to a better quality of work. Milton's Paradise Lost beckons daunting thought it may be.
So now onto 2007 and some more page turning.
For more information ...
recommended reading (2005)
Po Bronson - What should I do with my life?
Laurence Gonzales - Deep Survival
Complete 2006 reading list ...
Listed below are the books I read in 2006, I have placed an asterisk * beside books other than the top five which may also be worth a look. Beckett's Endgame is does not make it to my top 5 for 2006 as it was a re-read, it most definitely makes it into my all time list.
Flashman - George McDonald Fraser
The joy of not working - Ernie Zelinsky
What should I do with my life - Po bronson*
Royal Flash - George McDonald Fraser
Flash for Freedom - George McDonald Fraser
Flashman at the Charge - George McDonald Fraser
The Necklace and other short stories - Guy De Maupassant
Winning at new products - Robert Cooper
How we choose to be happy - Rick Foster & Greg Hicks*
Death of Ivan Illych - Tolstoy
Leadershock - Greg Hicks
The Devil - Tolstoy*
The art of reading poetry - Harold Bloom
Deep Survival - Laurence Gonzales*
Zorba the Greek - Nikos Kazantsakis
Crossing the Unknown Sea - David Whyte*
Gandhi: An autobiography - Gandhi
The artist's way at work - Mark Bryan & Julia Cameron
Waking up to what you do - Diane Eshin Rezzetto
Zen Principals - Martine Batchelor
Essential Zen - Tanahashi & Schnieder
Endgame - Beckett*
Buddha: Vol 1 - 6 - Osamu Tezuka*
Louis Riel - Chester Brown*
Me to We - Craig and Mark Kielburger
The Brand you 50 - Tom Peters
The Initiate Brother - Sean Russell
The Gatherer of Clouds - Sean Russell
Liquidation - Irme Kertesz
9 comments:
Wow just scanned that post and need to catch my breath ...a few times I'll be back as Mac said.
well done post of the month
(at least)
I thought you worked and had a kid and a wife, food to eat, wine to drink and air to breath.
Where do you get the time.
"Time is relative, lunch time doubly so"
Well this post of yours is a biggie and i will try to respond to it here, and in kind, on my own blog.
I just got the Tolstoy book following your earlier recommendation. For Leo it is a walk in the park!! so short!!
Zorba: I thought you didn't enjoy this!!
Me to We: check the Amazon site here for the comments, one in particular stating that all the others are dodgy. Seems like some kinda psuedo religious americana thing. Yes I admit Cynic on board. I need to see the book. The site is a little difficult in that it is purely focused on the selling of the books, most links are to dead ends (not litterally but figuratively). Are these guys just smarter less anorexic versions of the Olsen sisters?
Flashman I think Johnny was a big fan of this guy...seem to recall getting those books from the library for him. Your geentic inheritance coming thru' Consider yourself lucky I got the soccer and fat genes!!!
Top Five are all fictional except maybe the Cooper book which looks good but not really relavent to my world.
Brenson and Gonzales are interesting I think. Having said that the world is overfull of business/life/get happy books that tell a few vague stories and allow us to draw conclusions, enough I say enough ( e.g Zapp, the cheese moving titles etc.) Just go with Camus, Tolstoy etc. Thier quickie reads that is.
I will look at the links and come back with more commentary. I have read some of the Julia Cameron work and like it. I finished Volumes 1 & 2 of Buddha and well done on including a comic (yeach dirty word read: graphic novel ) in the list. I cant recall if I recommended Louis Riel but it is awesome.
Love to hear your view on Tom Peters just got one of his this month: "The Pursuit of Wow" Yet already I feel infected by the overoptomistic/ USA/ egotisical/ egocentric/we can save the world view ... if you see what I mean tho' I am unsure if i do . Hey let me read it and comment!!
On a purely "dignity of labour" thing it was a huge post to put together. Interestingly my response to last years list was long and winding (like the road leading me to your door...)
P.S. should we start an on line book club???
Ops better go .. Kid away but wife calling, getting hungry and thirsty . sometimes all I need is the air I breathe tho' I second Jericho where dya get the time?!?!?!?
Here are some comments on the comments.
1. Where do I get time to read? 40 mins on public transport in the morning and 30 mins before going to bed. I also read sometimes at lunch and sometimes just in the evening instead of watching TV. So, in total I probably just read a little over an hour a day but I read every day. So that would be around 45 days reading a year! My wife probably reads twice as much as I do. I would expect most people look at much more TV, where do they get the time?
2. Zorba - I took a while to read Zorba but in the end I really liked it. It is a little verbose and ponderous in places but the central relationship is a great vehicle to explore those existential questions which are of interest to me.
3. ME to WE is different in that it is not a self help book. It is the opposite of navel gazing and is based on real experience the two authors and other contributors have had. Certainly I get a little cynical too when Ricard Gere is quoted but within the context of the book it works. I must do a post about cynicism and how my time in North America has changed my persepctive on this. This is a book which not everyone will be ready for! I mplan to re-read this just to see if it is worth recommending.
4. 3 of the 5 are fiction, Me to We and Winning at new products are not. I do find fiction has a truth to it but sometime you need to explore non-fiction to illuminate the landscape also.
5. I don't think jmnsw recommended Louis Riel, I read it because he is an interesting Canadian historical figure and our local school is named after him. Been enjoying some of F.C. Ware's work recently (Jimmy Corrigan, Quimby the Mouse).
6. I think Tom Peters the Brand You 50 is good in places but there is a little too much hype. I think his central message that we have to consider ourselves as a brand makes some sense when we consider the definition of brand as a promise. Perhaps he drives too much towards making us a commidity, which is what we are but I don't care to admit it.
Interesting comments. But what dya think of the Amazon commentys on "me to we" I am stil open to it but cynical really. In sydney tomorrow so i will try to locate a copy but I think it is unpublished locally.
Time to read: Point taken I get to listen a lot driving as much as I do but reading and driving don't mix?!?!
Chris Ware is great especaially Jimmy, love his design sense.
I am in the middle of Tom Peters so i will comment later tho' he does rate fivation abover non-fiction early in the book "The Pursuit of Wow"
love to hear more on Flashman and Brenson (is he worth the fare?)
Again loved the post, keep it up
P.S. Great to see you are reading the reat lost 20th century art form (Comics) the graphic novel!!
keep da fate!!
P.S. next timer I'll spell check
I am re-reading Me to We to check if it deserves to be in the top 5, so hold of any purchase prior to my second opinion.
I read it at a point where I needed to renew my faith in this thing we call life. I was travelling a lot for work and as a result missing my wife and child. It brought some 'light' into my world, so maybe its power was just at that time.
I have seen the comments on amazon and have seen this sort of thing before, distasteful. The book is strongly promoted but in the book itself it is quite anti-consumerist.
I would recommend picking most books up from a library, if you become a voracious reader the library is key, otherwise bankrupty woudl ensue.
I hacve hand picked a few of your bookstho' not necessarily the top five for reading this year. Keep tuned ...
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