This Week in Words – Dec 22

by Treehouse Editors

compiled by Rachel Bondurant

As promised: book lists!

The Huffington Post has one of their slide show lists with a book for “everyone on your list.” When they say everyone, they mean it. They recommend Junot Diaz’s This is How You Lose Her for the “ex-boyfriend you’re still friends with/aren’t over,” and Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries by Jon Ronson for “the sarcastic uncle who likes laughing at conspiracy theorists.” There’s 41 slides of books; surely, you can find something for someone you know.  

Next on the list of book lists is one written by our very own Johannes Lichtman. This list is worth mentioning for two reasons: 1) We know him and his opinion can be trusted; and 2) he suggests (my favorite short story author) Marie-Helene Bertino’s short story collection Safe as Houses, which I’m currently reading, and it’s blowing my mind.

These last two lists are cheats—they’re actually collections of lists themselves. Goodreads has a whole mess of lists tagged with 2012, from the most anticipated books of the year (published at the end of last year, of course) to the best books of 2012. I suppose I could have kept it simple and only recommended the latter, but really, nobody wins in that scenario. Similarly, Vol. 1 Brooklyn has a collection of “A Year of Favorites” written by various authors about various things, including and especially books. You know what, just explore this whole site because it’s worth it all around.