as I was in ecuador, I decided to keep track of all the books I read during my volunteer experience. I’m not sure why. because I like finishing things and making lists? so here is my list of the 98 books that I read in ecuador, august to august (that’s over 8 books a month, I had some slow patches where I didn’t read much). I didn’t leave anything out, no matter how embarrassing, and while some of them were really not good, some of them were really good and those I particularly enjoyed I’ve marked with an asterisk, in case you’re interested. some of them have stories behind them, like how the only reason I’d ever read a nicholas sparks is because melissa asked me too, she couldn’t believe I wouldn’t enjoy it (I didn’t). or how I’ve read everything stephenie meyer’s written, not cause I think they’re good books but because carolyn loves them so. or how I read the shack so elyse wouldn’t have to. so if you’re really stumped as to why I’d ever read something you can ask. and if you want to know what I thought of something in particular you can ask that too.
war by candlelight – david alarcon
eva luna – isabel allende
midnight in the garden of good and evil – john berendt
city of god – e.l. doctorow
how we are hungry – dave eggers
brief encounters with che guevara – ben fountain
diary – chuck palahniuk
a heartbreaking work of staggering genius – dave eggers *
i am america and so can you – stephen colbert
picasso’s war – russell martin
the red tent – anita diamant
grendel – john gardner
oh the glory of it all – sean wilsey
hotel sarajevo – jack kersh
the book of lights – chaim potok
the club dumas – arturo perez-reverte
barrel fever – david sedaris
naked – david sedaris
haunted – chuck palahniuk
the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime – mark hadden
falling man – don delillo
the last lecture – randy pausch
volunteer with the poor in peru – jeffrey d thielman and raymond a schroth, sj
a perfect friend – reynolds price
wind, sand and stars – antoine de saint-exupery *
the alchemist – paulo coelho
the wounded healer – henri nouwen
gilead – marilynne robinson
¡gracias! – henri nouwen *
the great train robbery – michael crichton
one big damn puzzler – john harding
the end of poverty – jeffery d sachs
no country for old men – cormic mccarthy *
a passage to india – e.m. forster
stranger than fiction – chuck palahniuk
the power and the glory – graham greene *
watership down – richard adams
quarantine – jim crace
breath, eyes, memory – edwidge danticat
my name is asher lev – chaim potok *
neverwhere – neil gaiman
confessions of an economic hitman – john perkins
miracles – terri blackstock
the wolves of willoughby chase – joan aiken
twilight – stephenie meyer
the vision of emma blau – ursula hegi
indecision – benjamin kunkel
traveling mercies – anne lamott *
the sunflower – simon wiesenthal
three to get married – fulton sheen
teachings on love – thich nhat hanh *
the 5 love languages – gary chapman
cry, the beloved country – alan paton
new moon – stephenie meyer
i know this much is true – wally lamb
eclipse – stephenie meyer
searching for and maintaining peace – fr. jacques philippe
the art of loving – erich fromm
shepherds of the night – jorge amado *
what is the what – dave eggers *
let your life speak – parker palmer *
no death, no fear – thich nhat hanh
here and now – henri nouwen *
breaking dawn – stephenie meyer
the storyteller’s daughter – saira shah
the dna of relationships – dr. gary smalley
chronicles vi – bob dylan
confessions – st augustine
permaculture (finding our own vines and fig trees) – carol coston, op
a tale of three kings – gene edwards
contemplation – james carroll
a sacred voice is calling – john neafsey *
life of the beloved – henri nouwen
the storm – kahlil gibran
dune messiah – frank herbert
confessions of a jane austen addict – laurie viera rigler
the walking tour – kathryn davis
the host – stephenie meyer
the wedding – nicholas sparks
a 7 day journey with thomas merton – esther de waal
the shack – wm paul young
reaching out – henri nouwen *
living a spirituality of action – joan mueller
under the fig tree – william breault, sj
the god of small things – arundhati roy
making sense of god – elizabeth a dreyer
gil’s all-fright diner – a lee martinez
thomas merton: a different drummer – robert j voight
heaven and earth – brother ramen
no man is an island – thomas merton
the princess bride – william goldman
the way of the disciple – erasmo leiva-merikakis *
dandelion wine – ray bradbury
blooming murder – jean hager
praying with therese of lisieux – joseph f schmidt, fsc
take this bread – sara miles
parables to live by – john and lynn samaan
the active live – parker palmer
the last time i read a book was a year ago. :’(
Well Cuz, you have some good tastes. I won’t comment on others though.
Aaron