My Reading List for 2007

Well, we are starting a New Year, and it is a good time to look back as we move on to the new year. I did the reading list post last year, so I figured I would follow up again this year. Here is the reading list for 2006. 2007 for me was a year with a lot of upheaval, and as I look at this list, at times I am amazed I got any reading done. I have discovered some new things to read, which is always good. The reading slowed down a bit at the end of 2007 as I caught a pesky cold that persisted into the new year; it dimmed my mood for reading, which means the two books I am currently reading are not done yet. Oh well, they will be the first two entries for 2008 come December. Getting graphic novels may be a bit of a challenge now given bookstore selections in Tyler are fairly limited, and the local public library's selection is simply dismal; a lot of the graphic novels I read I borrowed from Harris County Public, which while not great itself in selection, they certainly made a good effort to have graphic novels. So, I will likely purchase a few more, and see what I can get on Interlibrary Loan.

For me, if it is something I feel I will reread, is one of my favorites (for instance, Alan Moore's graphic novels), or that I can get cheap (usually second hand), I buy it; I rarely buy anything brand new when it comes to books; I don't have the urgency to read bestsellers. It's like video games: why pay $50 now (or about $30 for a hardback) when you can pay $20 or so (or $7 when it comes out in paperback) in a few months?. Stuff to be read once I usually borrow. That space at home is at a premium means I have more of an incentive to be selective on what books I do buy. In fact, we did a major weeding before we moved. I learned there was a lot I could do without, which has shown me I can use my local library more (or rather Interlibrary Loan at work). And that's the short digression.

So, here's to a New Year in Reading.

The 2007 list:

January:

• Michael Reaves and Steve Perry. Star Wars: Medstar I: Battle Surgeons.
• Michael Reaves and Steve Perry. Star Wars: Medstar II: Jedi Healer.
• Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. Catwoman: When in Rome.
• Geoff Johns. Teen Titans: Beast Boys and Girls.
• Geoff Johns and James Robinson. Hawkman: Endless Flight.
• Warren Davis Graham, Jr. Black Belt Librarians: Every Librarian's Real World Guide to a Safer Workplace.
• Susan E. Cleyle and Louise M. McGillis. Last One Out Turn Off the Lights: Is This the Future of American and Canadian Libraries?
• Mike Winegardner, The Godfather Returns.
  

February:

• Sacha Zimmerman, For America.
  
• Damon Linker, The Theocons.
  
• Wendy Northcutt, The Darwin Awards 4.
  

March:

• Kohta Hirano, Hellsing, Vol. 2.
  
• Kohta Hirano, Hellsing, Vol. 3.
  
• Various authors, Universal Calvacade of Horror.
  
• John Ney Rieber and Chuck Austen, Captain America, Vol. 2: The Extremists. (Marvel Knights)
  
• John Scalzi, The Ghost Brigades.
• Dave Gibbons, Captain America, Vol. 4: Cap Lives. (Marvel Knights)
  
• Various authors, Captain America: To Serve and Protect.

April: (this was a really bad month in terms of reading books. It was busy at work; I went to TLA. A bit overwhelming).

• Dilevko, Juris and Lisa Gottlieb. Reading and the Reference Librarian: The Importance to Library Service of Staff Reading Habits.
• Ogle, Maureen. Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer.
• Rooney, Andy. Out of my mind.

May:

• Elmborg, James K. and Sheril Hook eds. Centers for Learning: Writing Centers and Libraries in Collaboration.
• Quino. 10 Años con Mafalda.
• Jeph Loeb, et. al. Superman: Our Worlds at War, Book One.
  
• Jeph Loeb, et.al. Superman: Our Worlds at War, Book Two.
• Morrison, Grant. New X-Men, Vol. 2: Imperial.
• Various authors. The Best of Wolverine, Vol.1.
• Morales, Robert et. al. Captain America Vol. 5: Homeland.
• Gostick, Adrian and Chester Elton. The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent, and Accelerate Performance.
• Taylor, William C. and Polly LaBarre. Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win.
• Schwartz, Barry. The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less.
• Ettlinger, Steve. Twinkie, Deconstructed: My Journey to Discover How the Ingredients Found in Processed Foods Are Grown, Mined (Yes. Mined), and Manipulated into What America Eats.
• Axelrod, Alan. Patton on Leadership: Strategic Lessons for Corporate Warfare.

June:

• Busiek, Kurt and Stuart Immonen. Superman: Secret Identity.
• Morrison, Grant. New X-Men, vol. 6: Planet X.
• Claremont, Chris and Jim Lee. X-Men Legends Vol. 1: Mutant Genesis.
• Rucka, Greg. Wonder Woman: Eyes of the Gorgon.
• Grassian, Esther S. and Joan R. Kaplowitz. Learning to Lead and Manage Information Literacy Instruction.
• Nelson, Sara. So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading.
• Rucka, Greg. Wonder Woman: Land of the Dead.
• Frampton, Otis. Oddly Normal, Volume 1.
• Hing, Lee Chung and Hui King Sum. Resident Evil Code: Veronica, #1.
• Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese.
• Dick, Philip K., A Scanner Darkly (graphic novel adaptation).
• Resnick, Mike and Martin H. Greenberg, eds. Sherlock Holmes in Orbit.
• Mitchell, Stacy. Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Business.
• Craughwell, Thomas J. Saints Behaving Badly: The Cutthroats, Crooks, Trollops, Con Men, and Devil Worshippers who Became Saints.
• Sutton, Robert I. The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't.
• Williams, Stephen P. How to Be President: What to Do and Where to Go Once You are in Office.

July:

• Arvind Sharma, A Guide to Hindu Spirituality.
  
• Tom Shachtman, Rumspringa: To Be or Not to Be Amish.
  
• Neal Boortz, Somebody's Gotta Say It.
  
• Michael Jan Friedman, The Federation Travel Guide (Star Trek).
  
• Mark Winegardner, The Godfather's Revenge.
  
• Thomas Harris, Hannibal Rising.
  

August:

• Steve Englehart, Captain America and the Falcon: Secret Empire.
  
• Richard A. Knaak, Night of Blood (The Minotaur Wars, Book 1).
  
• Michael Reaves, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter (Star Wars).
• The Dalai Lama, The Wisdom of Forgiveness.
  
• Jeph Loeb, Superman/Batman: Absolute Power.
  
• Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation.
  
• David Kidder, The Intellectual Devotional.
  
• James Sturm, The Golem's Mighty Swing.
  
• Ed Brubaker, Captain America, Vol. 1: The Winter Soldier.
  

September: (This was the month I was moving to my new job at UT Tyler. Since it is a state job, as was my job in Houston, I had to do some logistical magic so some of the benefits would transfer. It was a very fast paced transition, so reading fell by the side for a while).

• Richard A. Knaak, Tides of Blood (The Minotaur Wars, Book 2).
  

October:

• Charles M. Schulz, The Complete Peanuts, 1955-1956.
  
• Charles M. Schulz, The Complete Peanuts, 1957-1958.
• Kohta Hirano, Hellsing, Vol. 4
• P.J. O'Rourke, On The Wealth of Nations.
  
• Michael P. Sauers, Blogging and RSS: A Librarian's Guide.
  
• Richard A. Knaak, Empire of Blood (The Minotaur Wars, Book 3).
  
• Joann Sfar, Vampire Loves.
  

November:

• Charles R. Anderson, Reference Librarianship: Notes from the Trenches.
  
• Kerry Max Cook, Chasing Justice.
  
• Kinky Friedman, Texas Hold 'Em.
  
• Arthur C. Clarke, Rendezvous with Rama.
  
• Steve Jarding and Dave Saunders, Foxes in the Henhouse.

December:

• Lou Dobbs, War on the Middle Class.
• Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis.
• Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis 2.
  
• Kinky Friedman, You Can Lead a Politician to Water, But You Can't Make Him Think.
  
• Drew Karpyshyn, Darth Bane: Path of Destruction: A Novel of the Old Republic (Star Wars).
  
• Nancy Pearl, More Book Lust.
  
• Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed.
  
• Stephen Colbert, I Am America (And So Can You).
  

Some of the stats (for those who may care about that):

• Number of books read in 2007: 85
• New books read in 2007: All (I may have reread bits and pieces, but for books, pretty much all new. It was all new last year too).
  
• Number of books read in 2006: 106
• Number of books read in 2005: 73
  

• Number read in the worst month of 2007: 1 (September. Considering all the commotion and hectic pace, it's a miracle I read anything).
  
• Number read in the best month of 2007: 16 (June. I was surprised by this considering much of the summer was hectic as well).
  

• Fiction: 46.
  
• I found myself reading a bit more fiction this year. Graphic novels were still a big part of my reading. This is clearly one of my favorite forms of reading, so I will likely continue reading more next year. I am trying out new manga titles as well. For graphic novels, as last year, I noticed some were fiction, and others were memoirs, which I would put in as nonfiction. I also found myself in more of a mood to read fantasy, particularly light/series fantasy. Reading The Minotaur Wars trilogy has gotten me interested in reading more in that genre. I think in part because this type of fiction is light and quick in reading pace. I am still reading scifi, but I am being a bit more selective with it.
  
• Nonfiction: 39.
  
• This was a bit of everything, as it usually is when it comes to my nonfiction reading. A bit more on politics and current affairs it seems, not sure why other than I was in the mood for it at the time. I did manage to read a few items that were class assignments for some of the classes I offered bibliographic instruction for, and this was an achievement for me. I also found myself reading some books on leadership; it seems I may be developing an interest on the topic. I still managed to read a few books on LIS, though I was not as thrilled with the selections this time around. Part of it is that some of the topics those books covered were old news to me by the time I got to the book (i.e. I often had read and covered the topic via online reading and blogs).
  

My favorites for this year:

• Jeph Loeb's graphic novels (this was also a favorite last year. At this point, I will read just about anything this guy writes.).
  
• Kohta Hirano's Hellsing series.
  
• Alan Axelrod, Patton on Leadership.
  
• Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen, Superman: Secret Identity.
• Robert I. Sutton, The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't.
• Richard Knaak's Minotaur Wars trilogy. (This series just sucked me in. It was a bit like reading about political intrigues, coups, and fantasy all in one. I want to read more of his stuff, but a bit worried it may not be as good since series fiction, be it DragonLance or Star Wars, can be hit or miss.).
  
• Drew Karpyshyn, Darth Bane: Path of Destruction: A Novel of the Old Republic (Star Wars) (This is a book where you just have to root for the bad guy.).