2008 Book Awards
The Serpent’s Tale – Ariana Franklin. Mystery featuring a medieval female forensic scientist.
Wash This Blood Clean From My Hand – Fred Vargas. Another tale about this contemporary Columbo-esque Parisian detective.
The Black Hand – Will Thomas. Barker and Llewelyn take on the mafia in 1880s London.
I wish I’d been there, book 2. Twenty historians present their views on the major events in European history.
The Last Lecture – Randy Pausch. Life lessons from the famous Carnegie Mellon professor.
Around the world in 80 Rounds – David Wood. Traveling the world with just a laptop and a set of clubs.
Get out or die – Jane Finnis. Another mystery set in Roman-occupied Britain with a female innkeeper lead.
The Sandbox. American soldiers and their familys’ real-life tales from Iraq, Afghanistan and the homefront.
2007 Book Awards
The Tipping Point: how little things can make a big difference – Malcolm Gladwell. His ideas about viral growth and how they apply to economics were quite interesting. I’m sort of a maven, but definitely not a connector or a salesman. I especially liked his theory on the magic number one hundred fifty. This book was a Christmas 2006 gift and I am especially thankful to J&J for it.
Nefertiti: The book of the dead – Nick Drake. The Egyptian queen goes missing and must be found before chaos overcomes the land. Very suspenseful with lots of twists.
The Tenderness of Wolves – Stef Penney.
Master of Rain and The White Russian – Tom Bradby.
Schulz and Peanuts: a biography – David Michaelis.
2006 Book Awards
Have mercy on us all – Fred Vargas. Interesting mystery set in contemporary Paris with multi-faceted characters and good plot involving rebirth of the plague.
Why most things fail: evolution, extinction & economics – Paul Ormerod. A look at how conventional economic theory fails to explain that biological extinction patterns can also apply to social systems.
The playmakers : amazing origins of timeless toys – Tim Walsh. A history of the 20th century U.S. toy industry. Lots of trivia about classic toys and games.
Manhunt : the twelve day chase for Lincoln’s killer – James L. Swanson. Fascinating and easy-to-read narrative description of the hunt for Booth.
2005 Book Awards
he’s just not that into you – greg behrendt and liz tuccillo
Matchbook: the diary of a modern-day matchmaker – Samantha Daniels
Both of these are dating/relationship books aimed primarily at women. Very entertaining, funny reads with good information for both genders.
Best historical mystery – Dead man in Trieste – Michael Pearce. Also, I liked two new authors, Sally Spencer writing as Alan Rustage and Boris Akunin, both of whom write with settings in early 20th century Russia.
2004 Book Awards
Prison Diary – Jeffrey Archer
Best historical mystery, new author – Conspiracy of Paper – David Liss
The Last Samurai: the life and battles of Saigo Takamori – Mark Ravina
The Wise Inheritor – Ann Perry
Everything you never wanted your kids to know about sex (but were afraid they’d ask) – Justin Richardson, Mark A. Schuster
Best historical mystery – Lucrezia Borgia and the Mother of Poisons – Roberta Gellis
2003 Book Awards
Best Overall Book – Absolutely American : four years at West Point / David Lipsky. An incredibly interesting look at the lives of a select group of West Point cadets, administrators and graduates beginning in 1998 during a time of relative peace and ending in the summer of 2002.
Best Sports Book – Facing Ali : the opposition weighs in / Stephen Brunt. Fifteen biographical chapters with interviews about fighters who faced Ali in the ring. Very interesting perspectives.
Best Sports Business Book – Moneyball : the art of winning an unfair game / by Michael Lewis. Examines management methods of Billy Beane, GM of Oakland A’s. To read about a contrasting management style, read A Baseball winter : the off-season life of the summer game/ Terry Pluto (1986).
Best new historical mystery writer – Caroline Roe. Remedy for treason / Caroline Roe. Set in 14th century Spain. Principal character is Isaac of Girona, blind, Jewish, physician.
Best contemporary setting mystery book – A grave denied / Dana Stabenow. Set in Alaska. Principal character is female P.I. Kate Shugak. Helps to have read previous books in this series, but not vital.
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