2013 Book List

The rainy day yesterday reminded me that I’m almost a month over-due for my annual book list. Thre of the books listed were recommendations from friends. Please share any books you’ve loved. Highlights from the last year in chronological order:

– The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life
I’m flying on Monday and should re-read the chapter on flying. It’s amazing how many people actually survive plane crashes. This book explains how. One thing it mentions is that people stand around like zombies when they’re really scared, and the book says if you have to, climb over your seat to get out.

– Sutton
Brian and I have really enjoyed everything that J.R. Moehringer has written, including Sutton. It’s a biography about a career bank robber in the 20’s and 30’s.

– The Green Mile: The Complete Serial Novel
I was in the mood for some classic Stephen King and this book really delivered. We rented the movie shortly after which was surprisingly good.

– Still Alice
I loved this book. It’s a story of a woman with Alzheimers told from her perspective.

– A Time to Kill
We saw the first 5 minutes of this movie in a hotel room and it was so interesting, but it seemed really dated so we turned off the TV and I got the book. It was riveting.

– Endangered
From the book’s description “The compelling tale of a girl who must save a group of bonobos–and herself–from a violent coup.” I loved it.

– The Round House
The story of a Native American boy who’s mother was attacked and his quest to solve the mystery. A good read.

– The Secretary
Written by a half Dutch and half Lebanese woman who was in Hillary Clinton’s press corp, this book goes behind the scenes of Clinton’s life when she was Secretary of State. It was fascinating, I wish we could know more about the day to day happenings as they happen rather than years later.

– The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health
This book changed how we eat.

– And the Mountains Echoed
From the author of the Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. I enjoyed this book, though some of the themes reminded me of his previous books.

– The Light Between Oceans
I had a few false starts with this one, but finally got into it and really enjoyed the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who keep a baby that they find in a boat that washes up to their shore rather than reporting it to the authorities.

– The Storyteller
Amanda recommended this to me. It’s a riveting story of a woman who is approached by an old man who claims he was a Nazi SS officer and he wants her to assist him in his death. I thought about this book a lot when I wasn’t reading it, it was really interesting.

– Ranger Confidential: Living, Working, and Dying in the National Parks
This is what I’m currently reading. It reminds me of Brian’s stories of being a EMT in LA, it just takes place in National Parks.

Brian read a few of the books above, but he also read these:

– The Dark Tower Boxed Set
Bri read these back to back and really loved them. He said I wouldn’t.

– The Devil’s Highway: A True Story
Our friend Adam gave Brian this to read. It’s about immigrants crossing the border from Mexico to the US through Arizona. Brian loved this book, from what he’s told me it was pretty graphic.

– Farmacology: What Innovative Family Farming Can Teach Us About Health and Healing
My cousin sent us this book. I was in the middle of something when it arrived, so Brian picked it up and found it so interesting that he couldn’t resist reading it out loud to me, where by the time he finished he read so much of it to me there wasn’t any point for me to read it!

– Grizzly Years: In Search of the American Wilderness
This is what Brian is currently reading. He seems to like it, he’s regularly sharing bear trivia.

Dinner Last Night:
It’s so appropriate that I cooked from a book last night. I bought The Great Vegan Bean Book after trying some of the recipes she shared on her blog tour. Remember Lentil Quinoa Bolognese Sauce? Anyway, I made her homemade veggie bullion and chickpea and rice soup. The soup was phenomenal. I’ve tried other similar recipes online, but the bullion plus her perfect ingredient list made for a winner. We both had seconds and Brian wanted thirds.

2013 Cost of Camping:
96 nights paid camping
175 nights free camping
271 days this year
Total spent on camping this year: $2,659.12
Daily average cost of camping: $9.81