6 Books I Will Read in 2010 That You Should Read, Too

One of my goals for the new year is to read more. While it would be nice to read at Teddy Roosevelt’s pace of one book per day, I’ll be content to achieve one book per week. But, I have to start somewhere, so I am aiming for one book every two weeks. As such, the following list of books should take me through the winter. Since I haven’t read these books, yet, don’t expect a review, but rather my rationale for wanting to read it.

• Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, by Jared Diamond - Despite its academic sounding title, it really is a fascinating book, in a “truth is stranger than fiction” sort of way. It examines the expansion of society in ways that are not often considered, and manages to do so without coming across as racist. I started it a while back, but I plan on finishing it by the end of the month so I can move on to another Jared Diamond book, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed.
• The Negro’s Civil War: How American Blacks Felt and Acted During the War for the Union, by James M. McPherson – The title speaks for itself. This is a book based on speeches, letters and books from the Civil War era. From what I’ve heard, I should expect to have my notions of the role of blacks in the Civil War shattered.
• A People’s History of the United States, by Howard Zinn – I finally got to watch The People Speak, which prompted me to place the book that the show was based on, onto my Christmas list. It’s supposed to be an interesting take on American history not from the point of view of the elite, but rather of the common, sometimes oppressed individual. I’m really excited to dive into this one.
• Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II, by William Blum – If you’re a regular reader of EiH, then you know that I have enjoy a good conspiracy. While fiction is nice (I must confess that I do enjoy Dan Brown), there’s nothing like a true story to really immerse you in its pages. I first read The CIA’s Greatest Hits a couple of years ago, and while it was interesting, it was lacking in depth. Hopefully, Killing Hope will provide the details to fill that void.
• A Man Without A Country, by Kurt Vonnegut – I’m not a huge Kurt Vonnegut fan. I never had to read his stuff in high school or college, so I didn’t get into his work. That all changed after I read the letter to his family that he wrote after being freed from a German POW camp. While most people would say, “start with Slaughterhouse-Five,” I’m going to start at the end; A Man Without A Country was the last book that Vonnegut wrote before he died.
• Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel – While I was somewhat hesitant to pick up the book due to its subject matter (another book about King Henry VIII?!) I changed my mind after reading a few reviews. As opposed to approaching it from Henry or one of his wives’ points of view, Mantel decides to approach the subject from Thomas Cromwell, Henry’s friend, turned chief advisor, turned enemy. Besides, thick books make you look smart, and this one was listed as one of Amazon’s best books of the month for October 2009.

Do you have any books that you would recommend? Tell us what they are in the comments.

Disclosure: I received Wolf Hall, A Man Without A Country, Killing Hope, and A People’s History of the United States for Christmas from my family. I received The Negro’s Civil War from my best friend for my birthday. Finally, I bought Guns, Germs, and Steel for myself back in 2008. If you would like more info, please read my disclosure policy.

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