My Top 10 Books of 2011 - Books for Adults

Why hasn't everyone read this?

This year I have a list of 63 books that I've read  - however I don't always count manuscripts or advance reading copies - especially if the book isn't coming out in the year I'm reading it. So here are my Top Ten Books for Adults that I've read this year. That doesn't mean they were published this year, just that this is the year I read them.

(not in any order)
1. Talking to Girls About Duran Duran by Rob Sheffield. The chapter on Hall & Oates had me in hysterics.
2. Roseanna by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo (published in 1965) - an amazing mystery novel. It took forever to make international long-distance phone calls back then, read this book and you'll understand!
3. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay - this book broke my heart.
4. Started Early, Took my Dog by Kate Atkinson - for some reason I read this book before reading the books that came after Case Histories (which I read ages ago) but it worked out fine.
5. The Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent - this non-fiction about a midwife in California - it made me appreciate how completely midwives give themselves to their patients. So many amazing stories of births - mostly happy, but some sad.
6. Bossypants by Tina Fey - I keep finding myself referring to this book. Like "Remember in Bossypants when Tina Fey did this....or said that...." it's like the new Seinfeld for me - every situation somehow leads back to Bossypants.
7. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake. I have to admit I did not read this book, I listened to it on audio, unabridged. It was awesome! I could never have done the voices in my head the way the narrator did. I would get home from the car, grab my ipod and then go listen to more in my room because I didn't want to have to wait til the drive to work the next morning to find out what happened next!
8. The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy - this should be a huge bestseller. People LOVE stories of forbidden love - Romeo & Juliet, Edward & Bella, this has that! It's like Water For Elephants meets The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society meets Summer of My German Soldier. So good.
9.  Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese - I had this on my shelf for so long before I finally cracked it open to read it. What on earth made me wait so long?! I will never forget the characters. I tried to find a comparison but the best I can come up with is The Poisonwood Bible meets A Fine Balance.
10. Catherine the Great by Robert K Massie - I'm still reading this right now. It is like an amazing soap opera and every day I'm so excited to find out what happens next. I have very little knowledge of Russian history so honestly I don't know how it all ends!