Book Year in Review --2008

At the end of 2007, I really wanted to post a year-end review and never got around to it. Now, as 2008 has closed out, I find myself wanting to do the same (and also finding it a chore that gets put off...So...whatever that means.)

So, in 2008 I read 94 books. I believe that is roughly 50 less than 2007. I suspect this is because several of my 2008 reads were pretty heavy/time-consuming. I also read countless journals/magazines/newsletters. I get a lot of subscriptions!

I'm realizing that perhaps my balk at writing this post is because I was going to do it in "Top 10" format, but can't pick/decide/figure it out. So, I think I will just give "special awards" instead of Top Tenning it. :-) Not all of my awards go to books that I actually read this year--some are actually from last year, but still leaving their legacy. So, I guess in a way this is a recap of 2007 & 2008.

First, some true favorites from 2008:

Ten Zen Seconds
The Life Organizer
Lady's Hands, Lion's Heart
The Mother's Guide to Self Renewal
Mothering the New Mother
Fathers at Birth
Birth: The Surprising History of How We are Born
LabOrinth
Childbirth Education: Research, Practice, & Theory
The Politics of Breastfeeding

What do you know? There ARE 10 after all!

Runners up:

Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy & Birth
Just Six Numbers

Not a book, but a favorite DVD of 2008:

Yoga for Your Pregnancy

And favorite DVD series:

Smallville: Seasons 1-7. We had so much fun watching 7 seasons worth of these between Sept. and Dec. of 2008 (yes, that is like 200 hours worth or something. Kind of embarrassing and/or horrifying! Hmm. Maybe that is the true reason why I didn't end up reading 100 books this year!)

Special Awards:

Most Influential/Life Changing/Inspirational:

Ten Zen Seconds

The Life Organizer (Since this one features so prominently in my awards, you'd think I would have blogged about it, but I never did! Weird, huh? I think because I keep it out to use/refer back to and so it doesn't make it into my to-blog-about-pile by my desk).

The Mother's Guide to Self Renewal

Most Challenging:

Buddhism for Mothers
Nothing Special: Living Zen

Most Fun/Entertaining:

Books by the Yarn Harlot

Most Quoted:

My $1 Shop Zen calendar!

Books by Wayne Dyer

Most Quoted in Other Writing:

Pushed

Most Referred Back to/Flipped Back Through:

Your Sacred Self
The Life Organizer

Most Consciousness Expanding:

Life After Death
Just Six Numbers

Longest:

Childbirth Education: Research, Practice, & Theory (also "wins" as Most Educational)

Most Given as Gift:

Mother Nurture

Most Often Recommended to Others:

Mother Nurture
What Mothers Do
The Life Organizer

Should Have Recommended More Often/Given as a Gift:

Ten Zen Seconds

Most Lent Out to Others:

Diaper Free
Brain, Child issues
Emergency Childbirth
Lady's Hands, Lion's Heart

Here's to at least 100 good reads in 2009! ;-)