The Year in books

The following is the books I read this year with a short synopsis and review.

The Davinci Code: I was forced to read this book as a common courtesy to my parents who were of the mind that it was a contemporary classic. It was not. It was basically some shitty riddles mixed in with a murder mystery in a poorly written pulp novel.

Midnight's Children: Technically I started this back in 2005. It's a long book about the independence of India conveyed through the eyes of a child born exactly at the stroke of midnight. I actually really like it, my second favorite Rushdie book, I really can't joke about it, it's that good.

Girlfriend in a Coma: Coupland is either disgusted or enamored with generation X. This is a book which explores a theme expressed by "the Smiths" mainly a girlfriend being in a coma. It starts off normal than gets all weird, it's kind of like Brett Easton Ellis light.

J-Pod: It's like I-Pod but with J, get it? Another Coupland book about how much office life sucks by a guy who hasn't worked at an office for a long long time. Anyway it's got a laugh or to in it I suppose.

Everything is Illuminated: The title is a line from "the Unbearable Lightness of Being." It's a book about Nazis and Jews, and tour guides with fractured English. It's fairly interesting and imaginative, as well as depressing and cathartic as fuck. The movie is a sack of shit.

A Million Barrels a second: It's about every one's biggest fear: Our dependence on oil. It's all about what were going to do when we run out, or more specifically when it gets too expensive. It's not as pessimistic as most books, but it isn't pretty either.

Breakfast of Champions: My favorite book of the year. It's a schizophrenic romp that is both tragic and comedic, filled with sadness, pessimism and humour. It's about some guy going on a mean streak and a pessimistic writer, it talks about life and everything. Great book.

Slaughterhouse 5: It's about a time travelling war veteran who survived the bombing of Dresden. It's really interesting and entertaining. Somewhat fantastic but very real at the same time. So it goes.