Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. ~P.J. O'Rourke

Onward with the list! Books are my favorite form of entertainment and the best way that I know how to escape. I used to keep a list of every book that I read, but that has long since fallen by the wayside. Now I try to remember them in my mental filing cabinet and it's not the easiest task. I will try to drudge up my top 5 favorite reads from 2008 that weren't necessarily published in 2008.

No specific order (aka I have committment issues):

- The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
I took a giant leap into non-fiction this year and it definitely paid off with this emotional and eye-opening story. Basic premise is that a Hmong family gets displaced and ends up in California. Their baby daughter has a mysterious form of epilepsy that the doctors have a horrible time diagnosing and treating mostly due to the language and cultural barriers of both parties. It's a terribly sad story for everyone involved from the doctors to the parents and the entire Hmong immigrant community. I love reading about cultures that, sadly, I didn't even know existed and seeing things from their perspective. Anne Fadiman is a wonderful journalist and person and it's a crime that Oprah hasn't made this book an international bestseller.

- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (that's him up there)
I've recently (in the past year or two) caught on to Truman Capote. I think I spent so much time in college reading Brit Lit that I completely ignored my own country's writers. Sure Breakfast at Tiffany's is an amazing work of fiction, but In Cold Blood is nothing short of genius. Published in 1966, it was the groundbreaking first work in the genre of True Crime stories. It's the story of the 1959 brutal murder of the Clutter family. Capote spent 5 years researching the crime and immersing himself in the world of both the family and their murderers. Some even say he befriended one of the killers and was with him at his execution. Whatever methods he used to get his story definitely paid off. Fun fact: His research assistant on this project was Nell Harper Lee who went on to write To Kill a Mockingbird.

- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
I just finished this a few weeks ago and am really happy that I did. See I attempted to read this book a few times off and on over the years. It was always my filler book...like oh I have nothing else to read right now so let me tackle that Jane Austen novel again. Sure enough I'd get a chapter or two into the story of the Dashwood sisters and their quest for true love and set it aside for something more modern. I have to be in the right frame of mind to tackle a classic...you really want to make it worthwhile because this is one of THE books. Needless to say I am relieved and satisfied with finally making it through. Ms. Austen is hilarious. I have a strong feeling that we would have really gotten along if she were alive today and not way back in the late 18th Century. She was progressive for her time and an astute social critic. I just can't decide if it's better to be Sense or to be Sensibility...maybe a little of both. Favorite Quote: She can never be more lost to you than she is now.

- I'm going to leave this spot blank until I get home and review my bookcase...totally blanking!!

- And the book that I'm currently reading and loving is The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
I'm kinda cheating by throwing this on my top 5 list and I'm only halfway done with it. But I already know that I love it...it was love at first chapter. It's a story about a mute little boy, his family, and his dogs but as most good books are, it's about so much more. So far it's been heartbreaking and sweet and smart and nearly impossible to put down. Yes, it's an Oprah Book Club selection and I won't deny it. Every now and then Mamma O nails it on the head. I don't know how it ends and I really don't want to because it's just that good. Stephen King wrote a blurb for the back and said he envies anyone who is just starting to read this novel. I think it'll be one of those tragic stories to put away, but I will enjoy every minute of it until then.

Next up: My Top Moments of 2008!