I'm afraid that you're a little - ah - unfamiliar with the upbringing of children.

49.

Gladiator by Philip Wylie - This one has been sitting on my shelf for quite some time. I have lent it out a bunch, but only just got around to reading it. Thought to be the inspiration for Superman. It is about Hugo Danner, super strong, bulletproof and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. It is also a tragedy about a man trying to find his place when he is so clearly different from everyone around him. Beginning and endings are both a little rough, but the middle has some really great stuff.

They barely glanced at the moccasin prints, faint in the dustfilm, upon the baked ground.

50.

The Searchers by Alan LeMay - I think the movie is one of the best westerns ever made and part of me hopes someone will remake it as the book has a lot more to it. Part of me also dreads that possibility. Very odd ending in the book, which I think reads very differently now then when written, but who knows.

It inspires a heretofore undiscovered taste for bad poetry, and, say, sappy songs.

51.

Sheriff of Yrnameer by Michael Rubens - Book club pick! A light Sci Fi satire about Han Solo protecting a village from maruading bandits who want their crops. A little too many 'homages' and not enough creativity. Felt, in places like it was written by editors. Not un-fun, but very light.

Fortune Liquors was already cordoned off by yellow crime scene tape.

52.

9 Dragons by Michael Connelly - Found a pristine hard copy in a bar. Used to read Connelly, so I thought I would do that and return the copy for others to enjoy. That was over a year ago. Oops. First half is overally procedural (by design?) the second is middling thrilling. Ok, but the Harry Bosch character has become a bit of a bore.

Swim until you can't see land...

Here is the list I thought I wouldn't do this year.

My Top 10 Albums of 2010 (alphabetically):

The Black Keys - Brothers
Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record
Caribou - Swim
Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks
The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
Land of Talk - Cloak and Cipher
The Morning Benders - Big Echo
The National - High Violet
PS I Love You - Meet Me At The Muster Station
Shout Out Louds - Work

Honourables:
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Beach House - Teen Dream
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy
The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever
The Roots - How I Got Over

52 Book Challenge...

So, as I am an idiot and a very slow reader I have decided to try to read one book per week this year.

This is going to be a record with short reviews. Counting down...