2009 Recap

I actually wasn't sure how I was even going to recap my 2009 reading, then I spotted this meme on Marie's blog and thought, well here's an easy way out! My year in review. Enjoy!

How many books read in 2009? 38
How many fiction and non fiction?
26 fiction, 12 non-fiction
Male/Female author ratio?
12 male, 25 female, 1 male/female combination
Favorite book of 2009?
The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
Least favorite?
Tie between Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol and Scott Smith's The Ruins. With both I had really high expectations (partially due to hype) and was extremely disappointed.
Any that you simply couldn’t finish and why?
I don't think so - I toughed 'em all out this year!
Oldest book read? Revolutionary Road - originally published in 1961
Newest?
I think that would be The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere.
Longest and shortest book titles?
Longest: NUTS! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success by Kevin & Jackie Freiberg. Shortest: Lottery by Patricia Wood
Longest and shortest books?
Longest book: Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol. Shortest: The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho.
How many books from the library?
Zilch. I'm not a borrower really...I buy and trade.
Any translated books? I don't believe so ?
Most read author of the year, and how many books by that author?
Jodi Picoult wins with 2. This is not new as I hope to read everyone of her books.
Any re-reads?
No re-reads.
Favorite character of the year?
Oh, I really loved Lizzie Nichols in Queen of Babble in the Big City - that girl can't keep her mouth shut to save her life and it cracked me up!
Which countries did you go to through the page in your year of reading? Ireland, Spain, Egypt (and everywhere in between in The Alchemist), the Mexican jungle, all over the U.S. of course.
Which book wouldn’t you have read without someone’s specific recommendation? I wouldn't have read Len Williams' Justice Deferred, which is based on a true story.
Which author was new to you in 2009 that you now want to read the entire works of? Not sure on this one. I guess if it's hard to answer that then my answer is no one, right?
Which books are you annoyed you didn’t read?
More annoyed that I read The Lost Symbol really. It really put me behind about a month in my reading.
Did you read any books you have always been meaning to read?
Yes - I really wanted to read The Time Traveler's Wife this year and finally did it, and I loved it!

There you have it - finally - my year in review. Phew.

Brazen Careerist - Penelope Trunk

This was one of the best business books I have ever read. I have written a lot about Penelope Trunk recently on my personal blog, and she truly does have great life advice - it's not all business. Here are a few of my favorite passages from this book:

"The only way to lead an interesting life is to encounter uncertainty and make a choice. Otherwise your life is not your own - it is a path someone else has chosen. Moments of uncertainty are when you create your life, when you become who you are." (p. 12)

"So you have to find your authentic self: know what you are passionate about. What is really driving you to talk about what you talk about? Understanding your personal motivations is the first step toward projecting your authentic self. You will change throughout the years, but the practice of projecting who you really are will not change, once you learn how to do it." (p. 109)

"A great career doesn't fall on you. You have to seek it out by moving in the direction toward which your heart pushes. If you know yourself and you take passion seriously, your work will provide structure and support for a happy life." (p. 194)

I also really loved that she talked specifically about money. Even I sometimes get caught up in the money aspect of work, but Penelope wrote about the $40,000 rule - that research shows it really that amount of money that makes people happy. I agree that much less and much more than that probably brings a lot more added stress. Something to keep in mind as I move forward in my career.

Fall Into Reading Challenge Wrap-up

The Fall Into Reading 2009 is coming to a close. My goal was to read 5 books and I finished with 7! Here's what I read: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (for the record, I don't recommend it), Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot, A Death in Belmont by Sebastian Junger, Still Alice by Lisa Genova, Julie & Julia by Julie Powell, The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano and Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk.

Thanks to Katrina at Callipidder Days for hosting this challenge!

GIVEAWAY!!

This is my first giveaway here at Katie's 101 books!

I was contacted by Anne at The Book Report Network to receive a review copy of The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere, and I received an extra copy to share with one lucky reader! Since it's already December 13th, I will open this contest now and close it at 8pm Thursday, December 17. I will pick a winner that evening and get the book in the mail on the 18th.

Thanks to Anne and The Book Report Network for this giveaway!

The Girl She Used to Be - David Cristofano

From the book jacket:

When Melody Grace McCartney was six years old, she and her parents witnessed an act of violence so brutal that it changed their lives forever. The federal government lured them into the Witness Protection Program with the promise of safety, but the program took Melody's name, her home, her family, and ultimately her innocence. Now, twenty years later and still on the run, she's been May Adams, Karen Smith, Anne Johnson, and countless others. But the one person she longs to be is Melody Grace McCartney.


So when the feds spirit her off to begin yet another new life in yet another new town, she's stunned by a man who accosts her and calls her by her real name. Jonathan Bovaro, the mafioso sent to find her, knows her, the real her, and it's a thrill Melody can't resist. Defying the feds, she goes willingly with him. To the Justice Department, she's nothing more than a pawn in the government's war against the Bovaro family. But, as dangerous as Jonathan is, he presents her with the chance of a lifetime - the chance to embrace her past and present, and choose a future all her own.

Another page-turner I could. not. put. down. It was soo good. The beginning took a bit to get rolling but by page 20 I was so sucked in I barely ate for 2 days. I have always been a little fascinated with mafia stories, so it was obvious this one would appeal to me. But the real thing that appealed to me was that Melody (or Kay, Karen, or a slew of other girls) was so believeable. I couldn't blame her for wanting to run off with Jonathan. Her entire life she'd been running from the truth and here he was in his tall dark and handsome demeanor and that was all it took.

By the time the story going, I was rooting for Melody and Jonathan. But of course, the story had different plans. See, the Bovaros sent Jonathan after Melody to "take care of her" because she was the only one left who could turn their family into the feds. Jonathan's scheme to take her home to his family and show them how innocent she is and how forgiving she is (the only thing she wanted anymore wasn't even death for those who killed her parents, it was just the chance to be herself) blew up in his face. Unbeknownst to Jonathan, the feds had found Melody one day when he thought she was in a beauty salon for the day. The Bovaros had also found her, and had the pictures to prove it. I was certain that Melody was in for death, but true to his word, Jonathan saved her. (No spoilers here, you'll have to read it yourself to find out exactly how it ends).

I really, really recommend this book for those who like fast-paced stories. And those who may also enjoy a good Romeo + Juliet story.

Strengths Finder

Last weekend I sat down with Tom Rath's Strengths Finder and took the assessment. Essentially, the assessment asks you a series of questions and you have to mark where you fit on each one. The assessment has 34 different themes and provides your top 5 after completing the assessment. I am not surprised at all by my top 5 themes: Harmony, Input, Responsibility, Discipline and Consistency. They all really sound like me. Here are a few key ideas about each area that I completely agree with.

Harmony: You seek areas of agreement. You don't push your views on others, you seek common ground in a group discussion, peacemaker, avoid conflict, you see the practical side of things.

Input: You are inquisitive, you like to collect trivia, probably a reader, a traveler, love playing Jeopardy, you love sharing information.

Responsibility: You take ownership of projects you're working on, you hold yourself accountable, your willingness to volunteer may sometimes lead you to take on more than you should, you are hard on yourself, don't skip on quality for quantity.

Discipline: Your world is predictable, you prefer plans, you have no patience for error, you need a sense of order in everything, you keep a lot of lists, others may confuse your discipline with rigidity.

Consistency: Balance is important to you, you value equality, always give credit where it's due, you can be a leader, practice what you preach, keep the focus on your performance.

I talked to my mentor about the outcome of this assessment, and nothing surprised him. Nothing surprised me either. One thing that really struck me though was that some people do confuse my discipline with rigidity. Some people in my professional life have asked me if I ever "let my hair down." Of course I do, I just feel that I should be as professional and polished as possible when working, and I will never be that person who posts a million pictures of myself at the bar on my Facebook. I'm just not that person. But it made me realize that I probably do come off really rigid. Something to work on. I am really curious what my mother thinks about this.

Originally posted here.

New York Times 10 Best Books of 2009

Stumbled across this list today and guess what? I added some more books to my wishlist. That list is never ending, I tell you what! Here are the top 10 books of '09 according to The New York Times:

• Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy
• Chronic City by Jonathan Lethern
• A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
• Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls
• A Short History of Women by Kate Walbert
• The Age of Wonder by Richard Holmes
• The Good Soldiers by David Finkel
• LIT: A Memoir by Mary Karr
• Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World by Liaquat Ahamed
• Raymond Carver: A Writer's Life by Carol Sklenicka

So which ones have you read? Which ones would you like to read? Any of them gifts you'll be giving this year?