I have already awarded my prizes for this year in books, but I haven't taken the survey yet. It's a standardized questionnaire that bloggers fill out that help compare their readings. Since the blogosphere is a huge source in influences for most bloggers (read here, for me) , I thought I would participate and give back a little. This will be complementary to the awards. Here are my answers. Once again, I count the books I have READ in 2011, not only books that have been published in 2011.
1. Best Book You've Read in 2011?
CHOKE ON YOUR LIES, by Anthony Neil Smith. Nothing really came near to masochistic ecstasy of reading this novel. I have already spread myself on the subject.
2. Most Disappointing Book?
WHEN YOU ARE ENGULFED IN FLAMES by David Sedaris. The author was highly recommended to me, but I have started with the wrong book. This was really bad. And pretentious.
3. Most Surprising Book (in a good way) of 2011?
FRANK SINATRA IN A BLENDER by Matthew McBride and BYE BYE BABY by Allan Guthrie. Both times, I started with zero expectations and both times I got sucked in until the very last page. Keep those two writers on your radar for 2012.
4. Book you recommended to most people in 2011?
Anything by Anthony Neil Smith, also Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, who has been recommended (and read) by most of my blog-friends.
5. Best Series you discovered in 2011?
The Moses McGuire Series by Josh Stallings. I'm repeating myself here, somewhat. Honorable mention to the Billy Lafitte saga by Anthony Neil Smith.
6. Favorite new authors discovered in 2011?
Really? Do I have to list them all? OK, only the top ten. Frank Bill, Matthew C. Funk, Matthew McBride, Anthony Neil Smith, Heath Lowrance, Jim Thompson, Duane Swierczynski, Josh Stallings, Allan Guthrie, David Cranmer. I could name more, because I read a lot of new things this year, but I'll keep it to ten.
7. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2011?
HOGDOGGIN' by Anthony Neil Smith. Started at the Holiday Inn on 29th Street, continued at JFK Airport and finished as my plane landed to Montreal. Everytime I travel with Josie, I find a book I can't put down. Last year was IN COLD BLOOD, this year was Billy Lafitte's biker adventures.
8. Book you most anticipated in 2011?
I'm going to limit myself to new 2011 publications, because this implies that the book wasn't published yet and I fanboyed in front of the bookstore with my sleeping bag. This would be CRIMES IN SOUTHERN INDIANA by Frank Bill. That would be heightened by the fact that I had difficulty to get this book. I had to order it online and it arrived two weeks late.
9. Favorite book cover in 2011?
10. Most memorable character in 2011?
There were a lot of them. Octavia VanderPlaats (CHOKE ON YOUR LIES), Paul Little (THE SCIENCE OF PAUL), Reverend Childe (THE BASTARD HAND), Nick Valentine (FRANK SINATRA IN A BLENDER)....
11. Most beautifully written book you've read in 2011?
It's a tie in between THE BEAUTIFUL AND DAMNED by Fitzgerald and LOLITA by Vladimir Nabokov.
12. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?
Woah, this is very difficult to answer.THIS IS WATER , I guess. Also, whenever I read a Chuck Klosterman book, it affects me intellectually. I get sharper and more analytic.
13. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to read?
I'm usually good with this, so I'll say INFINITE JEST.
14. Favorite passage/quote you've read from 2011?
I suck at noting down beautiful passages. I really, really suck at it. So I'm sorry but I don't have one.
15. Book that you've read in 2011 and that you will most likely re-read in 2012?
THIS IS WATER, for obvious format related reason. I have read it three times already.
16. Book-that-had-a-scene-you-were-dying-to-tell-somebody-about-it?
The opening of HOGDOGGIN', the waitress scene in KILLING YOURSELF TO LIVE...many of them.
And you, fellow bloggers what are your choices?