Top Ten Books I Read In 2013

For this week's Top Ten Tuesday, we are covering the year of 2013.  What did we read?  What did we like?

This year I have read more books than I ever have before.  Topping off at 112 books, I have made significant progress!   What did I like best..... in no particular order:


1. John Adams by David McCullough: I am a big fan of David McCullough. I learn so much reading his books.  And I am a huge fan of John Adams.

2. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens: I am not sure why I hadn't read this one before this year, but I finally read it.  I love Dickens.  He is a master of his craft.

3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Confession: I have read this book about 10 times in my life, but I did reread it this year so it totally counts, right?! 

4. The Last Juror by John Grisham: I love Grisham.  He tells a story with such details and yet, it's never boring.

5. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro: A unique story of human farming (for lack of a better term).  It's heartbreaking and clever.

6. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson: A non-fiction narrative abut a real serial killer?  How could I not like it?

7. Playing the Enemy by John Carlin: This is a fantastic tale of Nelson Mandela right after he became President of South Africs.  I learned so much about this great man, and just before his death too.

8. The Help by Kathryn Stockett: I just read this one and haven;t had time to write a review yet.  But it's coming, and spoiler: I loved it!

9. Calico Joe by John Grisham:  John Grisham makes the list again with a baseball story.  I love baseball!

10. Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick: Seriously, I adore this book!

Making Up For Monday: The Final Count

Its time again for Making Up For Monday!

Question: How many books did you read this year and which was your favorite?

My final count for this year is 112 books!  Check out my list on Goodreads. My favorite.....that's a tough one.  I think I'll have to go with Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. 

If you read my blog often, this won't be a surprise.  I rave about this book constantly!




Check out more from Making Up For Monday!

The Innocents Abroad: 3 Stars

The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain

I got this book a couple years ago because I really like Mark Twain and he has a second book called The Tramp Abroad. Both books are of his travels and are non-fiction. One was written closer to the beginning of his career, and the second was written about 11 years later. One of my favorite things about Mark Twain is that his sarcasm and bluntness got sharper as his life went on.  I thought the two of these books might show the change in my personality.  So I started with the first one.

This book accounts Twain's travels through Europe and the Holy Land. Now, this book was written before the Wright brothers figured out flying, so long before you could just go online, buy a plane ticket, reserve a hotel, and be there within a few hours. So, to get across the ocean, Twain had to go by boat. Once in Europe, he needed a guide and translator. He stayed in some sketchy hotels and traveled around via train and other things. This was very fascinating to me, considering our relative ease of travel these days.

Twain's wit and humor are not to be missed.  He routinely mocks the French while in Paris and notes the rather hilarious ways his guide tries to swindle him out of money. He is clever and witty in his descriptions of his various adventures.

On the downside, this book is a little like sitting and watching someone show you slides from their vacation. After awhile, it get rather old.

Rating: PG