2018 Books of the Year

This year, I read 53 books worth reviewing, audited 8 audio books, and read 12 graphic novels. That's well over a book a week, though some of that is mitigated by books I read to Bowen.

My comic book of the year was Runaways. The first arc was great, and while the rest of the series diminished the work established there, it was a great story and a lot of fun.

My favorite audio book this year was Law School for Everyone.  You would think that it's such a dry topic, but the lecture series was put together very well, and if you yourself are not a lawyer, chances are some day you'll need to hire one, and this would give you a great foundation. If that's not for you, I also recommend How Music Works, which was so good that I was inspired to watch a David Byrne concert.

My favorite novel this year was Crazy Rich Asians. The novel's much better than the movie, so if you liked the movie even a little, you're going to love the book. It's a quirky, entertaining book that's worth your time and uniquely Singaporean. If that's not to your fancy, I think Children of Time or The Hobbit would be your next best bet. (And seriously, if you haven't read "The Hobbit", you should!) Finally, parents could do much much worse than to read Harriet the Invincible to their kids. Triple that recommendation if they have daughters.

This year's non-fiction finds were particularly awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed Educated, The Great Influenza, Leonardo Da Vinci, Misbehaving, If Stones Could Speak, Never Split the Difference, and No Apparent Distress. Each one of these would make great reads, and I had a hard time coming to a "best book" pick. I very much waver between Leonardo Da Vinci and Misbehaving, but if you had to twist my arm I would say that Richard Thaler's book is just a little bit more relevant to today's world. Educated is also very much worth reading but would require a strong stomach. And obviously, if you have a child (or maybe even if you don't), If Stones Could Speak is awesome and short.

It's been a great year for books, so I hope these recommendations don't come too late for your holiday purchases!'