Books to Read

Okay, I made a line/stack of books to read this year. I still have several ordered and coming and invariably I'll discover more down the road that I want to give a gander. Here they are:


I have just finished the blue book on the far right, Nathan Englander's The Ministry of Special Cases. Wow.

I first heard about Nathan when his collection of short stories (For the Relief of Unbearable Urges) came out. I refused to buy it because of the tacky (I thought) title. But then I began to read interviews and reviews and finally I saw a picture of the man.

So, I'll admit I bought it because I had an instant crush on him. My gosh look at the guy! I'm all about noses and long hair. As it turned out that book was and remains the most outstanding collection of short stories I've ever read, hands down. He became my favorite author and I had to buy a second copy because I read and re-read the first one so thoroughly it was literally coming apart at the seams. He makes me cry and laugh consistently, even when I know it's coming. He's a writer who not only writes for story but takes care of every single word. It could be written no other way.

Ten years later and he looks like this....

...still very easy on the eyes, and he has out his first novel, The Ministry of Special Cases. It was a fantastic book, btw. While his short stories are more explosive and tight -- the way short stories are supposed to be -- he is still a gem. I cannot wait see what he writes next. I hope it doesn't take ten years.

As for all those other books, I really don't know where to start. Right now I want to dive into each and every one of them.