End of Year Survey

Jamie at the Perpetual Page-Turner is hosting her End of Year Book Survey and it seems like a good way to end the year. I’ll be in Dallas over the weekend watching the Boston Bruins play the Dallas Stars. We usually try to see the Penguins play, but couldn’t make it to any of their games this year so seeing Tim Thomas (hopefully!) play will have to do. I do have players on both teams on my Fantasy Hockey team so it will be fun to root for them in person.

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?

Atlas Shrugged. It was a struggle at first, but I ended up loving it.


2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?

I started Howl’s Moving Castle, which I think is part of a series, but I thought it was awful and didn’t finish it. I was disappointed because I’d heard so many wonderful things from bloggers I like. I just thought the writing was terrible and it was so boring – I didn’t care what happened to anyone! I also started The Magicians and was equally disappointed and didn’t finish it. Again, I thought the writing was crap and the characters and story boring. I do not understand how this is so popular!

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?

Atlas Shrugged


4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?

Hmmm….I think I recommended The Night Circus to a few people, and I told my husband he should read Atlas Shrugged and the Hunger Games.

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?
I don’t think I read any new series this year, except the unfinished ones I mention in the second question.

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?

Ayn Rand, Jamie Ford, Oliver Goldsmith

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

This is coming up a lot, but probably Atlas Shrugged. I like classics, but I don’t usually like twentieth-century works as much and I knew there would be so much philosophy in this I didn’t think I would like it.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

Well, I read Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier in one sitting, so technically I guess that was it! As for thrilling though, I would say Before I Got to Sleep since it was so creepy and more of an actual thriller.

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?

Probably The Night Circus

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

11. Most memorable character in 2011?

Definitely John Galt from Atlas Shrugged.


12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?

Even though it is non-fiction, I loved the language in Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. Which is good, since it’s a book on writing!


13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?

Atlas Shrugged. It made me think about my economic beliefs and fine tune some of them.


14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?


Hmm. Probably Atlas Shrugged. I think I would have loved it in college, when I was more involved in politics and would have had more people to talk about the ideas with.


15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011?

I only recently started trying to make notes of passages and quotes, but here’s one I liked: “You can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?

I don’t usually read books two years in a row, so I don’t plan on rereading any of the ones I read in 2011 in 2012. I might be tempted by Atlas Shrugged because I feel like I just skimmed the surface of that one, but I know that won’t happen. I do plan on rereading Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and/or something by Jane Austen because it’s been a little while since I’ve read those and they’re some of my favorites.

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

This wasn’t really a shocking scene or plot twist, but I would have to say John Galt’s speech in Atlas Shrugged. I couldn’t wait to talk to my husband about it and work through my thoughts and reactions. That made that whole book worth it.
Looking Ahead...

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?

I had hoped to read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte this year but didn’t get to it. I plan to read it in 2012 so I’ll have finally read something by Anne!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?

Probably War and Peace. I realized the version I read was actually abridged so I haven’t actually read the whole thing and want to remedy that. Plus, I have a much better translation now.


3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?

I hope to read at least 50 books from my TBR shelves. I own an insane amount of books and there is no reason to have so many that I haven’t even read!!! As far as blogging goes, I just want to stick with it because it does add depth to my reading experience and I enjoy the interaction with other book bloggers.