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The 8 Books I Wish I Read in 2009
I’m participating in a group writing project hosted by Daily Blog Tips, a blog dedicated to, well, providing daily blog tips. The theme of the project is “2009 in review.” You can find the complete list of participating bloggers on the DailyBlogTips site starting next Monday (Dec. 14).
Projects like these are a great way to meet other bloggers, generate ideas for blog posts, and of course, getting links. If you blog and haven’t done something like this, I suggest you try it. But I digress.
I chose to go a little off topic for my “2009 in review” piece. Copywriting and marketing are always interesting to me, but it feels good to write about something a little different. That’s why I’m writing about the eight books I wish I had time to read in 2009.
1. What Would Susie Do? by Susie Essman
Susie Essman plays the character Susie Greene on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. I saw her speak at AdWeek in New York City and now feel compelled to get into her mind! Funny lady.
2. On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser
I read somewhere that all writers must own this book. What am I waiting for?
3. Listen Up, Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do by Helen Thomas and Craig Crawford
Ms. Thomas is a journalist who covered the White House beat for 30 years. I heard that former President George Bush didn’t always enjoy speaking with her:)
4. The Road of Lost Innocence by Somaly Mam
The Amazon description says: “As a girl she was sold into sexual slavery, but now she rescues others. The true story of a Cambodian heroine.” I recently traveled to Cambodia and am now very interested in its culture, both beautiful and tragic.
5. Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem
Here’s a line from a New York Times article: “…unfolds in an alternative-reality Manhattan. The crowded canvas includes a wantonly destructive escaped tiger (or is it a subway excavator?)” If you know me, you know I love New York about as much as I love fiction.
6. Half-Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls
One of her other books, Glass Castles, is one of my all time favorite reads. The imagery the author creates is so vivid that I now have a new view of impoverished life in West Virginia.
7. Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories by Tobias Wolff
I recently listened to a David Sedaris book reading where he mentioned that Tobias Wolff is one of his favorite authors. Sedaris is one of my favorite authors, so I feel I must explore.
8. My Father’s Tears: And Other Stories by John Updike
His final collection of fiction. Enough said.
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10 Responses so far
December 14th, 2009 at 5:04 am
[...] The 8 Books I Wish I Read in 2009: I chose to go a little off topic for my “2009 in review” piece. Copywriting and marketing are always interesting to me, but it feels good to write about something a little different. (by Sara Lancaster) [...]
December 14th, 2009 at 6:16 am
[...] The 8 Books I Wish I Read in 2009: I chose to go a little off topic for my “2009 in review” piece. Copywriting and marketing are always interesting to me, but it feels good to write about something a little different. (by Sara Lancaster) [...]
December 14th, 2009 at 6:23 am
[...] The 8 Books I Wish I Read in 2009: I chose to go a little off topic for my “2009 in review” piece. Copywriting and marketing are always interesting to me, but it feels good to write about something a little different. (by Sara Lancaster) [...]
December 14th, 2009 at 8:48 am
[...] The 8 Books I Wish I Read in 2009: I chose to go a little off topic for my “2009 in review” piece. Copywriting and marketing are always interesting to me, but it feels good to write about something a little different. (by Sara Lancaster) [...]
December 14th, 2009 at 10:19 am
You’ve added to the growing list of stuff to get on my Kindle.
I read the Zinsser book in college. Wish I had that copy still. Tobias Wolf’s This Boys Life is chilling. So much better than the movie. But I didn’t get to that collection of stories. Thanks for posting.
December 14th, 2009 at 11:08 am
i also read the zinsser book in university… i think i still have my copy stored in a box somewhere. great list, and i also haven’t read most of these.
thanks for stopping by my blog! i’m glad that i discovered yours, lots of good tips here.
December 21st, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Hi Sara, I found your post through the Group Writing Project. Happy Holidays to you!
December 26th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Thanks Alanna and happy holidays to you too!
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:27 am
Group Writing Project: 90 Reviews of 2009…
All right guys, we finally have the final list of entries for the “2009 in Review” group writing project. we had 90 participants in all sorts of niches, and it was interesting to compile the list of entries. I am sure you will have fun reading them as …
February 22nd, 2010 at 4:08 am
[...] The 8 Books I Wish I Read in 2009, by Sara Lancaster. I chose to go a little off topic for my “2009 in review” piece. Copywriting and marketing are always interesting to me, but it feels good to write about something a little different… [...]
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