31 December 2012

My Dozen Favorite Books of 2012

Wow. All nonfiction this year. What does that mean?
  • Letter Perfect, David Sacks (the story of the alphabet; Hamilton Books)
  • Maphead, Ken Jennings (the world of geography fans; gift from James)
  • Superman: The High-Flying History of America's Most Enduring Hero, Larry Tye (self-explanatory; Amazon Vine choice)
  • Chicks Dig Time Lords, edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O'Shea (essays about Doctor Who by women; Amazon purchase—and won a Hugo award!)
  • The Helene Hanff Omnibus: Underfoot in Show Business, 84 Charing Cross Road, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, Apple of My Eye, Q's Legacy, Helene Hanff (Hanff's "greatest hits"; Amazon Marketplace purchase)
  • The Poisoner's Handbook, Deborah Blum (story of the development of forensic science in New York City; Borders ::sob:: remainder tables)
  • Star Trek FAQ, Mark Clark (surprisingly, found something new to say about Star Trek!; Books-a-Million)
  • The Story of Charlotte's Web, Michael Sims (a gentle bedtime book about the genesis and writing of the children's classic; Barnes & Noble)
  • The Great Silence, Juliet Nicolson (post WWI England societal changes; Amazon purchase)
  • Red, White, and Blue Letter Days, Matthew Dennis (book about the changing face of American holidays; Colonial Williamsburg gift shop)
  • Quirky QWERTY: The Story of the Keyboard @ Your Fingertips, Torbjörn Lundmark (history of the typewriter keyboard; McKay's Used Books)
  • A Kosher Christmas: Tis the Season to Be Jewish, Joshua Eli Plaut (how Jews cope with the tumult of Christmas; Barnes & Noble)
Honorable mentions:
  • Santa Claus: Last of the Wild Men, Phyllis Siefker (could our Santa Claus character come from older source than a Turkish bishop?; Borders ::sob:: liquidation sale)
  • A Pocketful of History, Jim Noles (examining the stories behind the images on the State Quarter dollar coins; Hamilton Books)
  • Names on the Land, George R. Stewart (the story of place names in the United States; Barnes & Noble)