My Favorite Books From 2008

Lets do one more list. Just, you know, because.

It's been established that I travel a lot. Well, when I fly, I like to read. I like to read other times to, but I definitely read more on planes than I do anywhere else. That being the case, I've read a LOT this year. Let's go a little off topic and look at some of my favorites from 2008. Again, to qualify, they need only to have been read this year.

And, sorry, but I don't keep really good track of when I read books, so they're just in the order that they're in.

The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett
Two really good detective stories from one of the best authors in the genre. They were actually both made into excellent movies as well.

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
Another master of the hard boiled detective story and possibly one of the best writers of the 20th century. This was the first adventure of Philip Marlowe, and one of the best.

The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr
I liked Slaughter House Five and Breakfast of Champions too, but not nearly as much.

The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy
Great story. The best Ellroy book that I've read so far.

Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
It was an amazing movie, but an even better book. Seriously. Well worth reading.

The Raw Shark Texts by Stephen Hall
Hands down the best book I read this year. Ok, maybe not. I mean, Let the Right One In was pretty awesome. Definite top 3 though.

The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie
Yes, THAT Hugh Laurie. It's very hard to read without hearing House narrate the story.

Blindness by Jose Sarramago
Wow. Just...Wow.

Pipsqueak by Brian M. Wiprud
It was kind of strange, as any mystery surrounding a taxedermied squirrel should be. Very fun though.

The Worst Movies That I Saw This Year

We looked at my favorite movies yesterday, now for the fun part. The ones I hated. A lot of people are going to disagree with me on some of these. Same order as before, the order I saw them.

No Country For Old Men
I think that everyone I've talked to about this one has liked it. I didn't. Go figure.

Day of the Dead
If this were in order, this would be at the top. One of the worst movies I've seen in ANY year. It's Ultraviolet bad.

The Dark Knight
Sorry, kids. I just didn't like it. You can call me an idiot if you want, but...I still won't like it.

Into the Wild
Read the book if you're really interested in this story. It's better.

The Black Dahlia
The movie is as awful as the book is great.

The Best Movies That I Saw This Year

Title says it all, doesn't it? These are the best movies that I saw this year. Well, either the best or the ones I liked the most. Some people won't agree with me, actually most people won't agree with me. That's okay. I'll admit that I probably didn't see enough movies to make a list that everyone would even have a chance of agreeing on. And, really, if you want to argue with me, just wait until I tell you what movies I thought were the worst (we'll save that for tomorrow).

Here we go, in the order that I saw them:

Doomsday

Right At Your Door (I admit 2 things here... 1. It did not come out this year. I never said they all did. And B. I never wrote about it. Which is a shame. I really liked it and I wish I had said something about it)

The Orphanage

Wall-E

The Strangers

The Signal 

Son of Rambow

Let the Right One In

Persepolis

So...9. The 9 best movies I saw in 2008.

Tomorrow...the ones I hated.