On the heels of the NYT’s top 10 books of the year, here are few other lists:
NPR’s Maureen Corrigan has announced her top fiction picks of the year. Among them is Intuition by Allegra Goodman, which was added to my to “definitely” check out in March. It’s still there. Damn.
NPR listeners also picked the top 10 albums of 2006 on All Songs Considered. It’s a list I can get behind. I would have put Cat Power a few spots higher, but that’s quibbling. There are free samples if you check it out.
Slate’s editors each picked out their favorites of the year.
Meghan O’Rourke doubts the NYT’s claim that Special Topics in Calamity Physics is one of the best books of the year. She’s certainly entitled to her opinion, however… She says, “Four months since the book’s appearance, the statute of limitations on revelations is up. (Spoilers follow.)” O’Rourke has unilaterally decided that you get four months to read a book before reviewers can start telling you all of the book’s secrets. I am so screwed. Do not read her piece if you have any intention, at all, of reading the book. Half the fun of the book is that the revelations send you reeling. I’ve read the book, and I had to quit reading her article. It just bummed me out. Merry Christmas, Scrooge.
December 12th, 2006 at 3:46 pm
OK, a first! I own or have heard a single track from exactly zero of the top 10.
Dig the Neko Case ordinarily, though, so may have to check that out. On the other hand, I am determined to hate The Decemberists for no other reason than that they call themselves The Decemberists. Prove me wrong, f*ckers!
December 12th, 2006 at 10:02 pm
Good news. If a person were to send you his year end “best of” CD as he does annually, many of these artists will appear. Of course, this is all hypothetical.
Don’t hate on the Decemberists because of their name (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decembrists) - I expect that you’ll hate them anyway due to their exceedance of your “twee” threshold, which is admittedly very low.
December 13th, 2006 at 2:06 am
Moi? Low twee threshold? Lies! I just throw the twee flag when flagrant fouls are committed.
Take our main man Sufjan. Jacksonville? Great song. But when we show up with chiffon wings and mirror aviators dressed like the shoe buyer for Barney’s, mewling “In the muuuu-uuuuur-nink!AHHHHH-HEEEEE! OOOOOOOH-HEEEEEE! OOOO-HOOO! OOOOO-EEEEE-HOO-HOO!” to plinking celeste… yeesh.
As one Amazon reviewer hilariously put it, “Sufjan Stevens is the sound of guys coming to terms with their homosexuality.” I wouldn’t go that far, but when the sensitive and heartfelt wobbles recklessly into the Bread-zone of criminal wussrock, justice MUST be served.
December 13th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
I’ll take your “correction” under advisement. I can’t believe that you are busting on Suf-jeezy…
December 13th, 2006 at 4:39 pm
I’m NOT busting on him! Entirely. I’m freely admitting that he is a star cornerback in the world of rock and roll, but occasionally commits the flagrant facemask of tweeness and must be penalized for same.
And I mean, come ON, that was pushing it, no? That song was as precious as a “Hang In There” dangling kitten poster.