Best Books of 2010

Let's switch gears and talk about something I haven't mentioned in awhile: reading. One perk of being single is that I sure read a heck of a lot more!

Last week, out of curiosity, I counted the number of books I read in 2010. The total? 50. Ufda. That is a lot of books. Do you wonder how I keep track? Goodreads.com, my friends. Do you love to read? If so, I highly recommend that website (I have no association with them, I just think it's an awesome way to keep track of what you've read and what you want to read). If you join, let me know so we can be friends!

After scanning through all those books, I thought I'd share my top 5 reads from 2010!

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay - This was a heavier read. It's set in Paris during WWII and is about the round up of Jews living in Paris. The narration alternates between an American journalist who now lives in the apartment of a Jewish family that was sent to Auschwitz and Sarah, a child in the family that was sent to Auschwitz. When the family was rounded up, Sarah thought they would return to the apartment so she locked her little brother in a cabinet in an effort to save him. As a Francophile, it's probably not surprising that one of my favorite books from 2010 is a book that is largely set in France. It's definitely worth checking out! de Rosnay has a new book out, A Secret Kept, which I might buy and read while I am in Paris!

The Piano Shop on the Left Bank by Thad Carhart - Ahem. Yes, another book set in France makes the top 5 list... I really adored this book. I played piano growing up and absolutely love pianos. I loved this book because I learned so much about the history of the piano. I think the author told the story of the piano in an interesting way. Carhart gets to know the owner of a little Piano Shop in Paris and gets to see how the shop owner helps his patrons select pianos. This book makes me want to move to Paris so I can get to know the shop owners in the neighborhood I would inhabit. I know I will never really move to Paris, though, as I would miss my family too much, but this book let me vicariously live through Carhart's experiences. And it made me really want to buy a piano! When I buy a house, that will be my first major purchase!

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld - This was probably my favorite read for 2010. It's loosely based upon the life of George and Laura Bush. The author did a great job of capturing the spirit and mannerisms of the Bush's. It was a page turner and would be a great book club book as you could have a great discussion about whether or not you could/did marry someone with different political views.

Good Things I Wish You by A. Manette Ansay - This novel explores the relationship between Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms, the protege of Clara's husband, Robert Schumann. It's a work of historical fiction and Ansay did a great job weaving together notes and photos from both the present and the past. The narrator of the book, Jeanette, is struggling with a divorce and while she tries to find out what really happened between Clara & Johannes, she starts dating someone and finds that her relationship parallels the relationship she is researching to some extent.

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern - Since my other books were heavier books, I had to include one light/funny book. This might just be the funniest book I have ever read. This is the kind of book that you can not read in public, unless you want to look like a lunatic, because it will leave you laughing so hard, you may be in tears! I will warn you, the language is pretty crass/vulgar, but if you can get around that, you'll love this book. I can't wait to talk about this book when I see my younger sister later this month as she also read it and loved it!! I'm picturing us pulling out the book and reading sections to each other. Seriously, check it out!

What were your top reads for 2010?