Tanya's 2012 Book List

I did it! My goal was 52 books in 2012 and I finished with 54 in fine style! Thanks to all of you who've already shared about your favorite books of 2012 and for those who've asked me about when this list is coming out - I'm glad to know that in addition to being fun for me to put together, it's also useful.

(e) = audiobook
(k) = Kindle
* = top picks

Some quick facts:
Total Books = 52
Audiobooks = 16 (31%)
Non-fiction = 15 (29%)
Mysteries (not including spy novels) = 15 (40% of fiction read)

1. Geographer's Library - Jon Fasman 
1. This book had great sections about adventures in Russia. The modern-day part of the mystery dragged a bit but the flashbacks to historical fiction were fun.
2. (e) Peace Cobbler Murder - Joanne Fluke
1. This series of "cozy" mysteries is a guilty pleasure. The writing is terrible but I'm a sucker for small town mysteries with amateur detectives. Plus this one is set in Minnesota and includes recipes for yummy baked goods.
3. Through no Fault of my Own: A Girl's Diary of Life on Summer Avenue in the Jazz Age - Coco Irvine and Peg Meier 
1. Diary of a girl who grew up in one of the fancy houses on Summit Ave in St. Paul; some funny stories of mischievous childhood tricks. 
4. *The Marriage Plot: A Novel - Jeffery Eugenides 
1. One of my favorite books of the year. Incredibly realistic characters, a well-planned ending, a story about my generation that shows complex characters and intellectual youth.
5. The Treasure Principle - Randy Alcorn 
1. Author tries to use biblical passages to convince you to give away more money; too moralizing to actually change anyone's mind.
6. *(e) The Little Drummer Girl - John LeCarre 
1. Excellent thriller about training a spy to be part of an Isreal/Palestine terrorist plot. LeCarre has such a way with building complex characters and planting intricate details that are all important in the final wrap-up.
7. Easy to Kill - Agatha Christie 
1. I can't even remember the specific plot of this Christie book but I thoroughly endorse it anyway! Her mysteries are good for winter evenings.
8. (e) The Most Dangerous Thing - Laura Lippman 
1. Suburb fiction; a story about friends who grew up together and now have to collectively face their past together.
9. Raymond + Hannah: A Love Story - Stephen Marche 
1. Beautiful love story about a boy and girl who meet in Toronto just as she's about to leave for a trip to Israel. Vivid description of emotions. One of the characters is a grad student!
10. *(e) The Informationist: A Thriller - Taylor Stevens 
1. This book was written for me! The kick-ass female lead is a contractor who finds information for people by any means necessary. It's set in Gabon and other West African countries, providing an interesting setting and it is, overall, a very exciting thriller.
11. The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach about Jesus's Final Days in Jerusalem - Marcus Borg and John Crossman 
1. Fascinating read; focuses on interpreting the bible with a social justice, political, historical lens.
12. (k) Due Dilligence: An Impertinent Inquiry into Microfinance - David Roodman 
1. Read my full review of this wide-ranging inquiry here: http://www.whydev.org/micro-loans-or-micro-savings-what-works/. There's a great section of the book that dives into the history of micro-finance movements in history.
13. Sleeping Murder: A Miss Marple Mystery - Agatha Christie 
1. This one is also a great BBC TV show with awesome New Zealand accents and a pretty Devon countryside.
14. (k) More than Good Intentions: How a new economics is helping to solve global problems - Dean Karlan and Jacob Appel 
1. A very important book in the aid development community now; the authors explore the technique of "randomized controlled trials" to quantitatively prove which aid projects work.
15. The Prymer: The Prayer Book of the Medieval Era, Adapted for Contemporary Use - Adapted by Robert E. Webber 
1. Prayers, psalms, and litanies for a full day devotions; I used it as a weekly or daily devotional periodically throughout the year. I loved the books uses the same words that have been spoken by so many people throughout the ages.
16. The Unbearable Lightness of Scones - Alexander McCall Smith 
1. Part of the 44 Scotland Street Series; lovable characters set in Edinburgh, Scotland. If you haven't read McCall Smith before or loved the #1 Ladies Detective Agency, this series is highly recommended!
17. (e) The Robber Bride - Margaret Atwood 
1. My first Atwood novel. Set in Toronto. Follows four sorta crazy ladies dealing with an even crazier woman who has caused them all major heartaches in the past. I'm going to try some more Atwood to understand why people love her so much.
18. (e) The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding and The Mystery of the Spanish Chest - Agatha Christie 
1. A fun Poirot mystery. It'd be great to read this one at Christmas because of the picture it paints of an idyllic English-countryside Christmas.
19. (e) The Cat Who Sniffed Glue - Lilian Jackson Braun 
1. Another favorite "cozy" mystery series set in the North Woods; this time, the cat helps solve the mystery! Our cat Qwill was named after this detective.
20. (k) You Shall Know Our Velocity - Dave Eggers 
1. Intriguing set-up for a novel: these friends must travel around the world in just a few days and give away as much money as possible. It was fun to read about all the different exotic locations. Somewhat odd twist mid-way through the story but still a great book.
21. Train Dreams: A Novella - Denis Johnson 
1. Great short story filled with beautiful description of life in the old West.
22. (e) The Judas Strain - James Rollins 
1. I only forced myself to finish listening to this truly terrible story for the sake of my 52 book goal. The plot was absurd and writing was terrible.
23. (k) Paragon Walk: A Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novel - Anne Perry 
1. These mysteries are set in Victorian England. The combination of the historical setting and the mystery plot appeal to me. Great easy reading and probably good as audiobook too.
24. The Sense of an Ending: A Novel - Julian Barnes 
1. I don't remember the plot of this book but I do remember that it was thought-provoking and also enjoyable to read. Well written.
25. The Red Tent: A Novel - Anita Diamant 
1. Boyd and I started reading this out loud to each other while we were in Africa and we finally finished it a year later. It's always nice to share stories out loud and this book, with it's focus on women in Jacob's family in Genesis in the bible, particularly fit the practice. It's so interesting to "live" in this women-centric imagining of the BC era and I can see why it was a best seller for so long.
26. The Heart of Christianity: How we can be passionate believers today - Marcus Borg 
1. It's reassuring to read this justification of progressive Christianity, especially since most of what we read about Christianity in American culture is so contrary to my faith.
27. (k) The Love that Does Justice: Spiritual Activism in Dialog with Social Science - eds. Michael Edwards and Stephen Post
1. Great book of essays about social justice work and spirituality (of all forms); half of the essays are from academics and the rest are from activists. So inspiring to read about people doing similar work and about people studying effects of volunteering, helping, activism, etc. Available for free online: http://www.futurepositive.org/lovejustice.php

I'll post Part Two of the list over the weekend! Let me know your favorite books of the year in the comments section.

Past Book Lists:

2011, Part 2

2011, Part 1

2010