A Rich Year in Reads

I've been making a list...and checking it thrice to make certain I've not left off any of my favorite books of 2013. I have made a point not to include any of the ones that include my own stories, though ALL of those from Not Your Mother's Book, Tending Your Inner Garden, Chicken Soup for the Soul and assorted indy publishers have been close to my heart as well.

The Colville Branch AAUW (American Association of University Women) stages a popular annual event, BookShare. We bring our lists and our books and devote an evening to discussing what we would recommend to our fellow members.

This morning I made my list for the upcoming event. I belong to two local area book groups, but only included one of last year's selections from the two dozen I read for that group...and it was, I confess, my own choice, an Edith Wharton classic.

So  here's the list I'll present to the group later this week:

• Jacqueline Winspear, the entire Maisie Dobbs mystery series (England, the first third of the 20^th century) 10 books so far.)

• Margaret Drabble, The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaw. (Memoir about an 20^th century English childhood and a fascination with puzzles.)

• Donna Trott, The Goldfinch (Everything about this novel is golden, beginning with the glimmer on the wing of the brave bird it celebrates.)

• Kate Atkinson, Life After Life (Covers the same period of the Dobbs mysteries, first half of 20^th century in England…Groundhog Day without the farce. And darkness fell.)

• Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth (Women’s options in America’s Gilded Age.)

•  Henry James, What Maisie Knew (A child’s view of marital strife at the turn of the 20^th century, and the master could have written this last week.)

•  Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane (An enchanting adult fairy tale set in the English countryside.)

•  John Schlimm, Stand Up! 75 Young Activists Who Rock the World and How You Can, Too!

I'll be recommending the last book as this year's choice for AAUW Colville Branch Scholar Recognition Night, when the organization honors local high school junior girls who have been nominated by their high schools for outstanding achievement in math, science and technology.

Would love to know what you'd include!