post-Birthday world, hands-down. It was one of those great reads that also made you think, and was very unpredictable. - anna

I read this little tiny book that was really good, called "Mudbound". Debut novel that wasn't perfect, but gets an A for effort for attempting to deal with things (race, gender, and sex) that is hard to juggle, and hard to do well. Hillary Jordan is the author. - Derrick

Oooh I'll check it out, thanks - anna

Derrick, your description makes me want to read it! (I'm actually more in classical novels) - directeur

I know I'm in the minority, but I loved Anathem. - Andrew

I hope you like it. It's a period piece and in the vein of Faulkner, if you're into that sort of thing. :) - Derrick

I LOVE Faulkner! - directeur

yes love Faulkner, love people who love faulkner, love spinoffs and wannabes, too. It's an odd thing. - anna

:) - Derrick

released this year or read this year? - tiffany

Who on this earth dare to "not love" Anna? :) - directeur

tiffany I was thinking "read this year" but whatever you want. - anna

Everybody knows I pay directeur to say stuff like that, right? - anna

by the way, I'm waiting for check, maam! :) - directeur

for me it was "the brief wondrous life of oscar wao" followed closely by "kinky gazpacho" - tiffany

great- more good suggestions! - anna

another for the brief wondrous life of oscar wao. I also liked American Nerd. What I enjoyed most, however, were the trade paperbacks of the Fables comic book series. There are 11 of them right now and they are pretty grand. - Jason Toney

Is Oscar Wao in paperback yet? I wanted to get that. Loved Drown and have been waiting for Junot to bring it ever since. - Derrick

best book of 2008 "shock doctrine" by naomi klein connecting the disaster capitalism of milton friedman's chicago boys to the 9/11 chile coup, in a whirlwind traverse of imperial policy around the world and katrina at home. - ernie yacub

Jason I'll check out those Fable comix, thanks for the tip - anna