2018 in Books (Martha and Shirley)
Martha and Shirley: Our ten favorite books of
2018. Did they have to be published this year? No, they could be from
any year. Did they have to be fiction? No, they could be non-fiction.
They could be fiction. They could be memoirs, graphic novels,
anything. Thus far, though, they did have to be published. That's
about the only rule. Here are the ten the community selected.
1) THE CHICKEN CHRONICLES by Alice Walker.
Ruth and Marcia both reviewed this lovely book. Alice raises a group of chickens -- a flock? -- and writes about the experience. This was the number one book. Voting took place before the attacks on Alice (for what was on her reading shelf) and we're glad the voting took place before. Alice had several books getting votes in the survey -- though only this one made the top ten. Had the attack been known of before voting ended, we wouldn't be surprised to see the community show their support by making the whole top ten Alice. With nothing to support but the writing itself, they still chose Alice for the number one book of the year.
6) Alice Isn't Dead.
The highest ranked novel -- non-graphic novel -- is this science fiction book Marcia loved. A woman loses her wife only to discover that she might not be dead. Joseph Fink has written a page turner and a very good book.
7) Forced Into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream.
Ann steered us to this book. It's a rethinking and a history book we embraced.
8) YOU'RE ON AN AIRPLANE.
Mike loved Parker Posey's autobiography and so did a lot of the rest of you. Parker writes in a style that's as unique and humorous as some of her best performances. Next up, we want her to write a book that focuses solely on the making of and impact of PARTY GIRL.
10) THE THIRD HOTEL.
What is it about betrayal, when written well, that resonates with so many of us? Like ALICE ISN'T DEAD, THE THIRD HOTEL is about a woman who loses a spouse (this time a husband) only to discover that he may not be dead. While ALICE is science fiction, THE THIRD HOTEL is a mystery. Laura Van Den Berg's setting is Cuba which is as important a character as Clare, the woman looking for her husband in this book noir which Trina reviewed.
So those are your picks for the ten books that spoke to you the most this year. Below, we'll note the book coverage at community sites this year.
"The Third Hotel by Laura Van Den Berg" -- Trina.
"Conversations with Toni Morrison" -- Marcia.
"He Ran All The Way" -- Trina.
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Martha and Shirley have also done the year in books for 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005.
1) THE CHICKEN CHRONICLES by Alice Walker.
Ruth and Marcia both reviewed this lovely book. Alice raises a group of chickens -- a flock? -- and writes about the experience. This was the number one book. Voting took place before the attacks on Alice (for what was on her reading shelf) and we're glad the voting took place before. Alice had several books getting votes in the survey -- though only this one made the top ten. Had the attack been known of before voting ended, we wouldn't be surprised to see the community show their support by making the whole top ten Alice. With nothing to support but the writing itself, they still chose Alice for the number one book of the year.
Ruth praised this one and a lot of you agreed. Who killed JFK? Maybe it was LBJ argue Christopher Fulton and Michelle Fulton. RFK comes off very good in the book but our democracy? Not so much.
Isaiah found the graphic novel everyone ended up loving -- an updating on Snaggle Puss by Mark Russell and Mike Feehan.
4) MY LOVE STORY.
I, TINA came out in 1986. It told Tina Turner's journey. In 2018, MY
LOVE STORY continued to chart the journey. Betty raved over the book
and the community embraced it as well.
5) IN PIECES.
Would the community have embraced this book, Sally Field's
autobiography, if C.I. hadn't praised it? Probably not. Surveying
those who made this their top ranked book (we utilize rank choice
voting), we came across a recurring theme of 'I really didn't think I'd
like this' and 'I didn't plan to read this.' Sally Field, America
really, really wants to like you again. We're just exhausted by your
partisan nonsense. We get it. You want to be political. We wish you
would do the work required to be political. Instead, you're just
partisan repeating talking points crafted by the DNC. Hint to Sally,
Big Politics is a lot like Big Business and only a fool embraces
either. But thanks for writing the book, it showed more insight than we
could have guessed.
.
6) Alice Isn't Dead.
The highest ranked novel -- non-graphic novel -- is this science fiction book Marcia loved. A woman loses her wife only to discover that she might not be dead. Joseph Fink has written a page turner and a very good book.
7) Forced Into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream.
Ann steered us to this book. It's a rethinking and a history book we embraced.
8) YOU'RE ON AN AIRPLANE.
Mike loved Parker Posey's autobiography and so did a lot of the rest of you. Parker writes in a style that's as unique and humorous as some of her best performances. Next up, we want her to write a book that focuses solely on the making of and impact of PARTY GIRL.
9) NATURAL CAUSES.
Rebecca highly enjoyed Barbara Ehrenreich's latest book which explores
the difference between health and wellness and how a wealthy class of
people yet again get the life boats while the rest of us are stuck on
the Titanic. Medicare For All remains the only fair position.
10) THE THIRD HOTEL.
What is it about betrayal, when written well, that resonates with so many of us? Like ALICE ISN'T DEAD, THE THIRD HOTEL is about a woman who loses a spouse (this time a husband) only to discover that he may not be dead. While ALICE is science fiction, THE THIRD HOTEL is a mystery. Laura Van Den Berg's setting is Cuba which is as important a character as Clare, the woman looking for her husband in this book noir which Trina reviewed.
So those are your picks for the ten books that spoke to you the most this year. Below, we'll note the book coverage at community sites this year.
"EXIT STAGE LEFT: THE SNAGGLEPUSS CHRONICLES" -- Isaiah.
"Tina Turner's love story" -- Betty.
"Iraq snapshot" -- C.I. reviews Michelle Obama's BECOMING (pair it with Ava and C.I.'s "TV: The Selfie").
"The Women’s Suffrage Movement is an awful (and rac..." and "Penguin's embarrassing and racist book on feminism" -- Ann and Elaine.
"Alice Isn't Dead" -- Marcia.
THE MAKING OF A SOUL MUSIC MASTERPIECE" -- Elaine.
"The Third Hotel by Laura Van Den Berg" -- Trina.
"CLEOPATRA: HISTORIES, DREAMS AND DISTORTIONS" -- Mike.
"THE SAME RIVER TWICE (Alice Walker)" -- Isaiah.
"Dancing with Demons: The Authorized Biography of Dusty Springfield" -- Marcia.
"Good for Jimmy Stewart, bad for readers" -- Stan.
"Good for Jimmy Stewart, bad for readers" -- Stan.
"Conversations with Toni Morrison" -- Marcia.
"He Ran All The Way" -- Trina.
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Martha and Shirley have also done the year in books for 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005.
