ricklibrarian: ricklibrarian's Books That Matter and Review of 2010

2010 was a good book year for me. As I look back, November was especially stellar, as almost every book that I read for a few weeks was superb. It was difficult deciding which were best of the year, but I took a stab at it anyway. I also selected movies and music.

In this post, I also include links to all my reporting from library conferences and to all my reviews of new reader's advisory sources.

Have a Happy New Year for good reading and cultural experiences.

Recent Nonfiction

Claiming Ground by Laura Bell

Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour by David Bianculli

The Grace of Silence: A Memoir by Michele Norris

I Am Nujood, Age Ten and Divorced by Nujood Ali and Delphine Minoui

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Life List: A Woman's Quest for the World's Most Amazing Birds by Olivia Gentile

Lighting Out for the Territory: How Samuel Clemens Headed West and Became Mark Twain by Roy Morris, Jr.

Mark Twain: The Man in White: The Grand Adventure of His Final Years by Michael Shelden

A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School by Carlotta Walls LaNier

Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India by William Dalrymple

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

Recent Fiction

Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith

The Man from Beijing by Henning Mankell

The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart

Great Old Books

First Person Rural: Essays of a Sometime Farmer by Noel Perrin

In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin

Roseanna by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö

Children's Books

An Egret's Day by Jane Yolen

Face to Face with Elephants by Beverly Joubert

Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridge

Saving the Ghost of the Mountain by Sy Montgomery

Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth and Zen Ties by Jon J. Muth

Audiobooks

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper

Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales

Sweet Mandarin by Helen Tse

Film and Video

Afghan Star - a documentary directed by Havana Marking

Alexandra - a film by Alexander Sokurov

Downfall - a film by Oliver Hirschbiegel

Life - from BBC Earth

Mine, - a documentary film by Geralyn Pezanoski

Young @ Heart, - a documentary film by Stephen Walker

Music

Big Mystery by Dana and Susan Robinson

Bruce Holmes at Friday at the Ford

The Convertibles Sing Out at Friday at the Ford

The History Singers Play Friday at the Ford

Patchouli at Friday at the Ford

Trillium Plays Friday at the Ford