Normally I would have opened 2012 on this blog with a list of all the books I've read, but I'm a little intimidated by some of the other 2011 reading lists out there.
Instead I present you with:
These Are A Few of my Favorite Things (2011 edition):
Favorite novel: Galore by Michael Crummey, a multi-generational novel set in Newfoundland that puts this hitherto little-known Canadian author in a league with Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Favorite book of short stories: In This Light: New and Selected Stories by Melanie Rae Thon, a collection of heartbreaking portraits of society's castoffs.
Favorite cookbook: Simply Ming One-Pot Meals page after page of simple and suprising fusion East-West fusion recipes.
Favorite political ad: Herman Cain's He Carried Yellow Flowers (below).
Favorite description of He Carried Yellow Flowers: "Dadaist meta-western."
Favorite parody of a political ad: James Kotecki's parody of Perry's "Strong" ad.
Favorite tributes to Christopher Hitchens:
This one by Christopher Buckely for its infectious warmth.
This one by Katha Pollitt for not being afraid to say the truth about Hitch's personal and intellectual failings.
Favorite political event: my native state voting down a referendum that would have criminalized many forms of birth control.
Favorite stupid thing Republicans did: Arizona Republicans selling their state capitol building for $81 million to help balance the state budget. They are now paying $105 million to get it back. That's some great financial planning there.
Favorite Internet time-waster: reading the pairings of panels from Peanuts cartoons with random tweets. Sadly there will be no more new ones thanks to those humorless dullards who run Charles Schulz's estate.
Favorite silly animal photo:
Favorite iconoclastic take on a children's toy: Barbie re-imagined as a hoarder.
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