52 books in 52 weeks

7. The Stories of Mary Gordon

This collection contains both reprinted and new stories; it's a testament to Gordon's proficiency with the genre.

8. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

This book has had more of an impact on me in the weeks following than it did when I was reading it; the details return. At the time, I was a little anxious to move on.

9. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomicby Alison Bechdel

Where have graphic novels been all my life? This moving, bizarre memoir has ignited a new obsession for me.

10. Here Lies My Heart: Essays on Why We Marry, Why We Don't, and What We Find There

The best thing about this anthology is the title of Amy Hempel's essay: "It Takes a Hell of a Man to Replace No Man at All."

11. Winterwoodby Patrick McCabe
12. Julius Winsome by Gerard Donovan

Reading these two novels in such close proximity was an intense experience. Both Irish authors take the reader on a harrowing exploration of the macabre events that become possible within a world of extreme loneliness. They're great.
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