The New List and Selection Process

So far, this year, I've read:

1. The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
2. Wildwood by Colin Meloy
3. In the Woods by Tana French
4. Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka
5. Dovey Coe by Frances O'Roark Dowell
6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
7. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
8. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins


Judging by the fact that 6 out of those 8 books are technically YA novels (though Wildwood is enormous and The Hunger Games trilogy packs an adult-sized emotional punch), I'd say I need to get moving on some of the adult books on my list.


Coming soon . . .


1. The Best American Short Stories 2011 (downloaded to my Kindle)
2. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides (sort of waiting for paperback or when it comes to my small-town library)
3. What Maisie Knew by Henry James (this has been chilling on my Kindle for almost a year. Over the summer I finally landed firmly on the love side of my love-hate relationship with Mr. James.)
4. The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (2011 National Book Award finalist)


I've recently decided that most of the books I read should be award-winning books. I've wasted a lot of time and energy and come away angry at too many sub-par books. If I know it's won an award, at least I know even if I personally don't care for it, it will be worth my time. All the books I read so far this year, and all the books on my to-read list, are award-winners or nominees. (The exceptions are books you can rely on to be excellent because of the authors, like James or Doyle, books that will be excellent because of the selection process, like the Best American series, books in a series that follow an award-winning debut, such as the Hunger Games series, or books by authors* I already like, such as Colin Meloy).  


*Not technically an author before Wildwood, but I've listened to and owned enough Decemberists albums to know that he's a talented lyricist.