My Top 5 Books of 2010

I didn't exactly set any records in 2010 with the amount of books I read. Books never seemed to make the cut when I had a moment of free time. I'm expecting this to change this year with my new Kindle (thanks, wifey).

So, I didn't read much but I certainly read quality. Here are the top 5 books I read in 2010.

5. What the Dog Saw

Read my previous post, here, to get more in depth coverage of this fascinating book. Malcolm Gladwell is a man with questions. He wants to know why something is the way it is and he usually finds that what at first appears to be luck or coincidence, can be broken down to certain rules and consistencies.

4. Heart-Shaped Box

I already praised this book to death, get it, death. Ha ha...ahem. It's clever. It's very well written. But, most importantly, it's spooky and creepy as anything I've ever read. I never thought a book could really really freak me out. I was wrong.

3. The Monster of Florence

A true crime story about a forgotten serial killer that turns into real world drama as the authors get caught up in the corrupt Italian justice system. Anybody that is following the Amanda Knox trial in Italy may recognize the lead prosecutor trying to put her away. It's the same bully who questioned Preston and forced him out of the country.

2. Under the Dome

I haven't read a ton of Stephen King but the few I've read over the years have been pretty great. Under the Dome is one behemoth of a book but it's worth the time. The dome is like the Island in Lost. Sure, you want to know why it's there and the mysteries behind it but you keep reading because of the people trapped underneath. Yes, there is the over-the-top, evil used car salesman/councilman but the clichés really didn't bother me. Incredible awful things happen to the people in the town but there are also some pretty rewarding payoffs throughout.

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Yes, I'm a sheep. Baaah. I've joined the millions and millions of readers throughout the world who've became enthralled by Lisbeth Sanders, she of the tattoos, computer hacking, and general badassery. Her supporting character, the dogged journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, isn't too shabby in his own right. This is the best book of the trilogy because it not only introduces the world and mysteries that the reader will live in for two more extraordinary books, but this particular book also has one of the best serial killer mysteries in modern day literature. Come on, be a sheep like me. Read these books. The world is waiting for you to join us. Baaaaah.