2013 Literary Review (Non-Fiction Edition)

As I said below I read a total of exactly 50 books in 2013. This is a list of the Non-Fiction books I read. I have really been into reading novels lately but I still will always love Non-Fiction. I read several books about the Financial Crisis in 2013. I plan to focus on Israel and Palestine in 2014. That is a subject I feel I should make more of an effort to atleast understand. Again, feel free to share your sentiments, suggestions, or if you want suggestions I would be glad to share those. There is a little of everything here from Current Events, History, True Crime, and Memoirs etc...

1. Jake Adelstein - Tokyo Vice

Tokyo fascinates me. I have never been but I would love to go. I dont know what it is but I love reading anything about that city and Japanese urban culture. This is an interesting book about an American who became the first gaijin to work at an all Japanese language news paper. On top of that he blew the lid off a scandal involving the Yakuza and UCLA. Leader of the Yakuza were bribing their way to the top of the liver transplant list at UCLA. Adelstein recounts the harrowing tale of how he found out and what he did to unseat one of Japan's most dangerous organized crime leaders. Its a fascinating and thrilling read.




2. Marc Ambinder & D.B. Grady - Deep State: Inside The Government Secrecy Industry

This was probably my least favorite read of 2013. I picked it up on the strength of the title because I like covert ops and top secret mission declassification type books and also there was a co-sign on the back from Jeremy Scahill.  You can't win them all though. Deep State was not very exciting and it was way too critical of Wikileaks. I am not saying you cant be critical of them but the whole idea that the things they have leaked have made things more dangerous and they are traitors argument is a red flag for me.

3. Seth Andrews - Deconverted

4. Radley Balko - Rise Of The Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America's Police Forces

Radley Balko is normally way to right wing for me but this is one of those issues where true progressives and libertarians overlap. With the increase of police violence against innocent citizens or non violent criminals, this book is more important that ever. Its very scary stuff. Its a well researched book. My main disagreement with this book is the approach he takes to solving the problem. The problem itself is real though and if you want to understand what that problem is then read this book for sure.


5. Neil Barofsky - Bailout: An Inside Account Of How Washington Abandoned Main Street While Rescuing Wall Street.

Great book about TARP. I posted a review by Taibbi in an earlier post. Here. 




6. Max Blumenthal - Republican Gomorrah: Inside The Movement That Shattered The Party

This is a reread for me. Max does his due diligence in explaining the rise of the fundamentalist christian right. I have his new book about Israel on deck for 2014. I saw him speak this year and it was very awesome. I discussed it in an earlier post.


7. Richard Dawkins - The God Delusion

Reread


8. Kurt Eichenwald - 500 Days

I reviewed this book in an earlier post. Check it out!


9. Charles Furgeson - Predator Nation: Corporate Criminals, Political Corruption, And The HighJacking Of America.

This book goes in soooo hard on bankers. I loved it. It is a companion or follow up piece to his brilliant documentary "Inside Job"! Watch the film then read this book, thats what I did. You will be ready to piss on some bankers when you're done.



10. Thomas Frank - Pity The Billionaire

11. Chrystia Freeland - Plutocrats: The Rise Of The New Global Super Rich And The Fall Of Everyone Else.

12. Charles Graeber - The Good Nurse

Serial killer nurse. I reviewed this earlier this year. Here.









13. John Howard Griffin - Black Like Me

Definitely a reread. One of the most important books I have ever read. It never gets old.



14. Sam Harris - Free Will

15. Michael Hastings - The Operators

This was the first book I read this year. It is an illuminating tale of how unpopular the war in Afghanistan really is. Most people focused on the scandal surrounding this book. I have also posted a lot about the tragic death of the author Michael Hastings on this blog. We lost one of our countries best and most fearless investigative journalists.



16. Chris Hedges - American Fascists

17. John Hersey - Hiroshima

18. Mark Leibovich - This Town

Proof the jokes on you...



19. Gabor Mate - In The Realm Of Hungry Ghosts

This book changed the way I look at addiction and the way I work with my patients. I wish all healthcare providers or people who are dealing with addiction (personally or know someone) could read this book. Its very very long but its worth it. If you want a thorough understanding of addiction without being bored to death. Read In The Realm Of Hungry Ghosts.


20. David Neiwart - And Hell Followed With Her

Good book. I reviewed it earlier this year. Here. 



21. Wendell Potter - Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out On How Corporate PR Is Killing Healthcare And Deceiving Americans.






I cant think of a more appropriate book to read if you want to understand the "Obamacare" spin.



22. John Ronson - Lost At Sea

23. A.M. Rosenthal - 38 Witnesses

24. Salman Rushdie - Joseph Anton

Salman Rushdie's Memoir. Incredibly fascinating guy. Great read.



25. Jeff Sharlet - The Family

Reread




26. Matt Taibbi - Griftopia

Another reread. This one never gets old.


27. Matt Taibbi - The Great Derangement

Taibbi's swipe at extremism. Which is hilarious. I personally love Taibbi's polemic style, I know it can be a turn off for some. If you don't like his snark then I wouldn't read this but if you do, you will laugh!


28. Nick Turse - Kill Anything That Moves

This book was a hard read. The Vietnam War was so horrible. For everyone. There are definitely no winners in war. This book proves it.

2013 Literary Review (Fiction Edition)

I read a total of 50 books this year, 22 which were fiction. This list is of every fiction book I read which includes an eclectic mix of Novels, Short Stories, Science Fiction, Mysteries, Classics etc... I also want to suggest that if you have not heard or read any of the authors on this list before, and you choose to do so now, you have to open your mind and prepare to have you viewpoints challenged. I personally enjoy doing this. I feel like the world can be a disturbing place, truth and reality are scary, therefore sometimes I read to challenge myself. Occasionally I will read something soft and easy to relax but mostly I read as a way to elevate my consciousness and  to connect with the world around me. If you have read and enjoyed these books (or did not enjoy) I would love to hear your thoughts on them! If you have not read any of them and want some suggestions I will be glad to do so based on your taste.

I did not have time to really review all 50 books I read. I made a few small notes on some of the books. I pretty much liked all of the books I read this year, except maybe a handful, which I will note. I will follow up this post with the 28 Non-Fiction books I read and another post about a few books I know I will be reading in 2014.

1. Iain Banks - The Wasp Factory

This was the last book I read this year. I actually finished it on New Years Eve. I have been looking forward to reading this book for a while because I have read a lot about Iain Banks and his writing. I can say I was not disappointed. This book is equal parts psychological thriller, equal parts satire of the mental health system in Scotland (and the world), and equal parts disturbing as hell. I will definitely be reading more Iain Banks in 2014.




2. Poppy Z. Brite - Exquisite Corpse

I really got into Transgressive fiction in the last quarter of 2013. Poppy Z. Brite was a great discovery for me. This book is one of the darkest and violent love stories you will ever read. It is set in 90's New Orleans amongst its bubbling gay community at the time. There are two separate parallel love stories that come crashing together in a violent and gory conclusions. One love story involves two psycho serial killers that discover each other and bond over their love for the macabre and the other is a relationship between two young men who have freshly broken up and are dealing with the effects of HIV/AIDS on love. My favorite thing about this book, aside from the edge of your seat horror, is the brilliant and insightful commentary on HIV/AIDS amongst the gay community in the 1990's. If you like Horror books you will enjoy this one for sure.



3. Chan KoonChung - The Fat Years

I picked up this book because I read in several places that it was banned in mainland China and had become an underground cult hit there. That was enough for me. It is a science fiction love story that is highly critical of the way China propagandizes itself compared to the way it treats its citizens. Apparently people were being arrested for having this book in Beijing around the time of the 2012 Olympics. There were underground book clubs happening and the books had to be smuggled in from Taiwan. The book is set in the future where an oppressive regime has taken over China. The government controls every aspect of peoples lives down to determining what kind of jobs people can have. The United States in no longer the world's power and has essentially imploded. There are 28 days that have completely disappeared from peoples memories and history period. Everyone seems content with the way things are except for a select few people who remember "The Fat Years" which were the past before the missing 28 days. There is also a love story about two of the characters falling in love as they regain their memories which I believe is mostly put in there as a way to draw in more readers to its overall more subversive message. It is an interesting book, especially if you are interested in life in mainland china or Chinas role on the Geopolitical stage.



4. Lynn Coady - The Antagonist

A very Angsty novel by Canadian Author Lynn Coady. Not the best book I have ever read but far from the worst. If she writes anything else I will definitely pick it up.



5. Dennis Cooper - The Marbled Swarm

This book is a complete mind fuck forreal. It took me a couple of days to really take this one in. Dennis Cooper is definitely my favorite new author I discovered this year. He is by no means a new author I just mean he is new to me. Cooper is an American based in France and this novel is based in France. Ever taboo you can think of is tied into this story. Its nihilistic and uncomfortable and has probably happened at sometime in real life. After the things that happened in 2013 (Raul Castro and his neighbor, Sandy Hook, Bath Salts eat your face) nothing is too surprising. I plan to read the George Miles Cycle series in 2014 which are 5 novels loosely based on a friend of his growing up named George Miles. If they leave the impression on my that The Marbled Swarm did I am in for a ride.





6. Bret Easton Ellis - Lunar Park

7. Brian Evenson - Immobility

Brian Evenson is definitely a tie with Dennis Cooper for my favorite authors I discovered in 2013. If you like dark science fiction then this guy is for you. I will eventually read this whole guys catalog like I have Haruki Murakumi.

8. Brian Evenson - Last Days

Madness!! In a good way.


9. William Golding - Lord Of The Flies

This is a classic that I reread. Never gets old.




10. David Goodwillie - American Subversive

Very interesting political thriller.



11. Joe Hill - Horns

I did not figure out Joe Hill was Stephen King's son until after I finished this book. I follow Joe Hill on twitter and he seems like a very interesting guy. He is definitely an underground version of his father and has paved his own path without riding his Dad's coattails. This book has been picked up to turn into a movie starring Daniel Radcliffe and Juno Temple. I did have the thought that this book would translate well into a film while I was reading it. If done right, we will see.


12. A.M. Homes - May We Be Forgiven

I already reviewed this in an earlier post. I love A.M. Homes. That is all.



13. Franz Kafka - The Metamorphosis

Classic reread. One of my favorite stories ever ever ever.


14. Tao Lin - Taipei

I posted a review link from the LA Times of this book in an earlier post. It wasn't a terrible book but I am not sure I understand Tao Lin's appeal.


15. Alissa Nutting - Tampa

This is another mind fuck of a book. Its pretty x rated too. I would read the reviews of this one before I read the book. I liked it but its definitely not for everyone.


16. Yoko Ogawa - Revenge

Great short stories from Japan.



17. Sam Pink - Rontel

Meh


18. Andersen Prunty - Fuckness

I am not a big fan of coming of age stories but man this one is awesome!


19. Nathanial Rich - Odds Against Tomorrow

20. Matthew Stokoe - Cows

Hands down the most disgusting book I have ever read. Hands down.



21. Jim Thompson - The Killer Inside Me

This book is amazing. I do not know why they tried to turn this into a movie. The movie just made me angry because its so terrible. This book is very internal, very much inside the mind of a pyshco path. Trying to externalize that into a film just doesn't make sense. Read the book, never watch the movie!


David Wong - John Dies At The End

Goofy Bizarro fiction is a subset of fiction that can be real hit or miss. John Dies At The End hits! It was also turned into a film and the book is so absurd I thought there is no way. Don Coscarelli actually does a pretty good job. It is a decent film. The film has to change the story a little but it is done tastefully. The book is still better of course. Its a funny horror book. If you want to laugh and you are not disturbed by over the top gore and violence then its a good beach read!