Last One to the Party
By Rachel Meier
I am, apparently, behind on the times. Slow on the uptake. I’ve got a list of fantastic books that I’ve been reading lately, all of which I want to tell you about; all of which you’ve already heard of.
From someone else. Who read them in a timely manner. As in: before, on, or around the time of publication.
So now, here’s me hollering and waving like a madman about books that 95% of the literate American public has already read or at least heard of. In lieu of beating a dead horse, I’m rescinding my reviewing rights.
What We're Reading This Week
Get recommendations for the greatest books around straight to your inbox every week.
I’m not going to tell you a thing about these books. Privileges revoked.
Here’s the list of books, along with links to reviews by people who got there first. To be clear: these aren’t the “best books ever,” or even “the best books of 2010.” They’re just great books that I had never read, and now I’m damn glad I did. I’ll be back when I have something useful to say.
• Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
• A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
(Yes, I know: she just won the Pulitzer prize…)
• Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
• A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
Rachel Meier tries to tell as many people in as many places as possible what to read. These days, she is bossy about books at the Christian Science Monitor and on her blog.
Don’t give me that look. Haven’t you ever been the last one at the book party? Leave a comment below and tell us which books everyone else in the world read before you did. In other words, give me something good to read.
Featured Image by BrAt82/Shutterstock.com
