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Last updated: July 11, 2009
Current page count: 70,721

Introduction
This is a list of all books that I have read for pleasure since the summer of 2005, listed in reverse chronological order and color-coded by the season in which I started them:
Summer 2009 Spring 2009 Winter 2009 Summer 2008 Winter 2008 Summer 2007 Spring 2007 Winter 2007 Summer 2006 Winter 2006 Summer 2005

Click on the column headers to sort by column.

Rating system
One- to five-star scale. Red stars are recommended to everyone; blue stars are recommended to fans of the genre or author.


#TitleAuthorPagesGenreRating
191In Defense of FoodPollan, Michael256NF: Nutrition2 gray stars
190Never Let Me GoIshiguro, Kazuo304F: Misc.3.5 blue stars
189OutliersGladwell, Malcolm320NF: Sociology4 red stars
188A Thousand Splendid SunsHosseini, Khaled372F: Misc.4.5 blue stars
187Then We Came to the EndFerris, Joshua416F: Misc.4.5 red stars
186The Little SchemerFriedman, Daniel P. & Felleisen, Matthias216NF: Programming5 blue stars
185The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme CourtToobin, Jeffrey369NF: Law5 blue stars
184How Fiction WorksWood, James265NF: Writing4 blue stars
183Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our DecisionsAriely, Dan280NF: Economics / Real-world4 blue stars
182The Art of Strategy: A Game Theorist's Guide to Success in Business and LifeDixit, Avniash K. & Nalebuff, Barry J.512NF: Math / Real-world5 blue stars
181Profiles in CourageKennedy, John F.249Bio: Misc. (anth.)5 red stars
180The Supreme Court Bar: Legal Elites in the Washington CommunityMcGuire, Kevin T.254NF: Law2.5 stars
179American Nerd: The Story of My PeopleNugent, Benjamin224NF: Sociology1.5 stars
178Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and HappinessThaler, Richard H. & Sunstein, Cass R.293NF: Sociology4.5 red stars
177The Ethical SlutEaston, Dossie & Liszt, Catherine A.288NF: Sociology3 blue stars
176Confessions of a Spoilsport: My Life and Hard Times Fighting Sports Corruption at an Old Eastern UniversityDowling, William C.208NF: Education4.5 blue stars
175Memories of My Melancholy WhoresMárquez, Gabriel García115F: Misc.3 blue stars
174Darkness at NoonKoestler, Arthur224F: Classic4.5 blue stars
173How Would You Move Mount Fuji? Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle: How the World's Smartest Company Selects the Most Creative ThinkersPoundstone, William276NF: Logic4 red stars
172Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the HeadlinesMuller, Richard A.380NF: Science / Real-world4 red stars
171How Not to Write a Novel: 200 Classic Mistakes and How to Avoid Them--A Misstep-by-Misstep GuideMittelmark, Howard & Newman, Sandra262NF: Writing4.5 red stars
170The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our LivesMlodinow, Leonard252NF: Math / Real-world4 blue stars
169V for VendettaMoore, Alan286F: Graphic novel4.5 blue stars
168The FirmGrisham, John421F: Thriller / Legal4 blue stars
167WatchmenMoore, Alan416F: Graphic novel5 red stars
166Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectuals' Abuse of ScienceSokal, Alan & Bricmont, Jean320NF: Science / Real-world3.5 blue stars
165The New Kings of Nonfiction8Glass, Ira455NF: Misc. (anth.)4.5 red stars
164Notes in the Key of C: A Celebration of the Piano LessonTunstall, Tricia214NF: Music / Piano5 blue stars
163The 48 Laws of PowerGreene, Robert452NF: Sociology4 red stars
162Law 101Feinman, Jay M.353NF: Law4.5 blue stars
161Murder at the Vicarage: A Miss Marple MysteryChristie, Agatha288F: Mystery3.5 blue stars
160What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of AmericaFrank, Thomas306NF: Politics4 blue stars
159Angela's AshesMcCourt, Frank364Autobiography3.5 red stars
158The Remains of the DayIshiguro, Kazuo245F: Misc.5 red stars
157A Murder is AnnouncedChristie, Agatha297F: Mystery3.5 blue stars
156Three Blind Mice and Other StoriesChristie, Agatha248F: Mystery3.5 blue stars
155What the Numbers Say: A Field Guide to Mastering Our Numerical WorldNiederman, Derrick & Boyum, David277NF: Math / Real-world4 blue stars
154Faking It: How to Seem Like a Better Person Without Actually Improving YourselfCollegeHumor.com275NF: Humor3 stars
153The Murder of Roger AckroydChristie, Agatha213F: Mystery5 blue stars
152Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney's Humor CategoryEggers, Dave et al. (ed.)239F: Humor4.5 blue stars
151For One More DayAlbom, Mitch206F: Misc.3 blue stars
150Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury: Greatest Closing Arguments in Modern LawLief, Michael S; Caldwell, H. Mitchell; Bycel, Ben400NF: Law4.5 blue stars
149Fight ClubPalahniuk, Chuck208F: Classic3 gray stars
148The Theory of PokerSklansky, David276NF: Poker4.5 blue stars
147Defending the Damned: Inside Chicago's Cook County Public Defender's OfficeDavis, Kevin308NF: Law4 blue stars
146And the Walls Came Tumbling Down: Greatest Closing Arguments Protecting Civil LibertiesLief, Michael S & Caldwell, H. Mitchell416NF: Law4 blue stars
145The Devil's Advocates: Greatest Closing Arguments in Criminal LawLief, Michael S & Caldwell, H. Mitchell436NF: Law4.5 blue stars
144Letters to a Young LawyerDershowitz, Alan206NF: Law4 blue stars
143And Then There Were NoneChristie, Agatha275F: Mystery4 red stars
142Dave Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever NeedBarry, Dave192NF: Humor3 blue stars
141Lance Armstrong's War: One Man's Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour de FranceCoyle, Daniel326Bio: Lance Armstrong4 blue stars
140Dave Barry Does JapanBarry, Dave210NF: Humor4 blue stars
139How to Win Friends and Influence PeopleCarnegie, Dale260NF: Psychology4.5 blue stars
138Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist TeamJonas, George376NF: Documentary3.5 red stars
137A Confederacy of DuncesToole, John Kennedy462F: Classic4 blue stars
136The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup ArtistsStrauss, Neil452NF: Sociology5 red stars
135Dave Barry Talks BackBarry, Dave285NF: Humor3.5 blue stars
134I Am a Strange LoopHofstadter, Douglas412NF: Philosophy3 blue stars
133Chess Lists (2nd ed.)Soltis, Andy248NF: Chess4.5 blue stars
132Dave Barry Is Not Taking This Sitting DownBarry, Dave229NF: Humor3. blue stars
131Dave Barry's Complete Guide to GuysBarry, Dave272NF: Humor4.5 blue stars
130The New York Times Practical Guide to Practically Everything: The Essential Companion for Everyday LifeBernstein, Amy D. & Bernstein, Peter W. (ed.)848NF: Misc.3 blue stars
129Dave Barry Slept Here: A Sort of History of the United StatesBarry, Dave178NF: Humor4 blue stars
128Bomb Squad: A Year Inside the Nation's Most Exclusive Police UnitEsposito, Richard & Gerstein, Ted335NF: Law3 blue stars
127Dreaming in Code: Two Dozen Programmers, Three Years, 4,732 Bugs, and One Quest for Transcendent SoftwareRosenberg, Scott400NF: Programming4.5 blue stars
126The IliadHomer (trans. Robert Fagle)683F: Classic5 red stars
125Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids: How a Gang of Geeks Beat the Odds and Stormed Las VegasKushner, David219Bio: Jon Finkel4 blue stars
124How to Succeed in Law SchoolMunneke, Gary A.230NF: Law3.5 blue stars
123The Neon BibleJohn Kennedy Toole176F: Misc.4 blue stars
122The Moral Animal: Why We Are the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary PsychologyWright, Robert466NF: Biology / Evolution45 red stars
121Dave Barry Turns 40Barry, Dave179NF: Humor3 blue stars
120The Great GatsbyFitzgerald, F. Scott172F: Classic4 red stars
119A River Runs through It and Other Stories7Maclean, Norman217F: Misc. (anth.)2.5 blue stars
118The Big Book of IronyWinkour, Jon174NF: Language4 red stars
117Me Talk Pretty One DaySedaris, David272Autobiography1 star
116Boogers Are My Beat: More Lies, but Some Actual JournalismBarry, Dave256NF: Humor4 blue stars
115A Brief Tour of Human ConsciousnessRamachandran, V.S.192NF: Psychology4 red stars
114How to Argue and Win Every TimeSpence, Gerry307NF: Psychology2 stars
113Tennis Confidential: Today's Greatest Players, Matches, ControversiesFein, Paul319NF: Tennis3 blue stars
112Genius: A Mosaic of One Hundred Exemplary Creative MindsBloom, Harold814NF: Literature2 blue stars
111You Can Fool All of the People All the TimeBuchwald, Art332NF: Humor / Politics3 blue stars
110The Lie Detectors: The History of an American ObsessionAlder, Ken334NF: Law3 stars
109How to Cheat at Everything: A Con Man Reveals the Secrets of the Esoteric Trade of Cheating, Scams, and HustlesLovell, Simon419NF: Misc.3 blue stars
108Dave Barry Turns 50Barry, Dave219NF: Humor2.5 stars
107Blink: The Power of Thinking Without ThinkingGladwell, Malcolm277NF: Psychology5 red stars
106Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic SavantTammet, Daniel226Autobiography2 blue stars
105When You Catch an Adjective, Kill It: The Parts of Speech, for Better and/or WorseYagoda, Ben241NF: Language3 blue stars
104Dave Barry is from Mars and VenusBarry, Dave269NF: Humor3 blue stars
103The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big DifferenceGladwell, Malcolm304NF: Sociology4 red stars
102The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten: 100 Experiments for the Armchair PhilosopherBaggini, Julian306NF: Philosophy4 red stars
101Courtroom 302: A Year Behind the Scenes in an American Criminal CourthouseBogira, Steve404NF: Law4.5 red stars
100The Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the ConstitutionMonk, Linda R.288NF: Law2.5 red stars
99NextCrichton, Michael431F: Misc.4 red stars
98The Law School Survival GuideJD Jungle212NF: Law3 blue stars
97Struck by Lightning: The Curious World of ProbabilitiesRosenthal, Jeffrey S.264NF: Math / Real-world4 blue stars
96The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Short StoriesDoyle, Sir Arthur Conan (ann. Leslie Klinger)1878F: Mystery5 blue stars
95Candide: Or OptimismVoltaire (trans. John Butt)144F: Satire5 red stars
94The New Humanities Reader, Second Edition6Miller, Richard E. & Spellmeyer, Kurt (ed.)680NF: Misc. (anth.)4 red stars
93Three by Heinlein: The Puppet Masters; Waldo; Magic, Inc.Heinlein, Robert426F: Sci-fi (anth.)2.5 stars
92Stories of Three Decades5Mann, Thomas567F: Misc. (anth.)4 blue stars
91Demian: The Story of Emil Sinclair's YouthHesse, Hermann171F: Misc.3 blue stars
90Youth; Heart of Darkness; TyphoonConrad, Joseph306F: Classic (anth.)3 blue stars
89The 101 Most Influential People Who Never LivedKarlan, Dan; Lazar, Allan; Salter, Jeremy336NF: Misc.2 stars
88Dave Barry's Money SecretsBarry, Dave230NF: Humor4 blue stars
872001: A Space Odyssey Clarke, Arthur C.222F: Sci-fi3 stars
86Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of EverythingLevitt, Steven D. & Dubner, Stephen242NF: Economics / Real-world2 red stars
85The Science of Debugging Telles, Matt & Hsieh, Yuan495NF: Programming3 blue stars
84Dave Barry in Cyberspace Barry, Dave215NF: Humor4 blue stars
83The 13 Crimes of Science Fiction4Asimov, Isaac (ed.)455F: Sci-fi / Mystery (anth.)4 red stars
82Do Elephants Jump?Feldman, Dave335NF: Trivia3 stars
81Thermopylae: The Battle That Changed the WorldCartledge, Paul313NF: History / Military3.5 blue stars
80Catcher in the RyeSalinger, J. D.277F: Classic5 red stars
79The Immortal Game: A History of ChessShenk, David327NF: Chess2 stars
78GeeksKatz, Jon207NF: Cyberculture2 stars
77What If? The World's Foremost Military Historians Imagine What Might Have BeenCowley, Robert (ed.)395NF: History / Military3 blue stars
76Why Things Are: Volume IIAchenbach, Joel357NF: Humor / Trivia5 blue stars
75Flowers for AlgernonKeyes, Daniel311F: Misc.5 red stars
74Double StarHeinlein, Robert186F: Sci-fi4 blue stars
73The Altruism Equation: Seven Scientists Search for the Origins of GoodnessDugatkin, Lee Alan224NF: Biology / Evolution2 stars
72The Annotated Pride and PrejudiceAusten, Jane (ann. David M. Shapard)739F: Classic5 red stars
71Coincidences, Chaos, and All That Math JazzBurger, Edward B. & Starbird, Michael276NF: Math / Real-world4 blue stars
70Slaughterhouse-FiveVonnegut, Kurt224F: Classic3 red stars
69The Art of Halo: Creating a Virtual WorldTrautmann, Eric S.160NF: Cyberculture / Art3 blue stars
68Are Universes Thicker than Blackberries?Gardner, Martin288NF: Science / Real-world3 stars
67Self-Made Man: One Woman's Journey into Manhood and BackVincent, Norah304NF: Sociology5 red stars
66One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law SchoolTurow, Scott285NF: Law5 blue stars
65An Inconvenient TruthGore, Al328NF: Science / Real-world3.5 red stars
64The Adventures of Tom SawyerTwain, Mark256F: Classic4.5 red stars
63The TrialKafka, Franz281F: Classic3 red stars
62The Rise and Fall of the Third ReichShirer, William1245NF: History5 red stars
61Gideon's TrumpetLewis, Anthony288NF: Law3 blue stars
60Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Legal IssuesKatsh, M. Ethan (ed.)374NF: Law4 blue stars
59Cat's CradleVonnegut, Kurt287F: Misc.3 blue stars
58The Great Train RobberyCrichton, Michael268F: Historical5 red stars
57Modern Chinese: History and SociolinguisticsChen, Ping244NF: Language3 stars
56Mary MaryPatterson, James400F: Mystery1 star
55TimelineCrichton, Michael444F: Historical4.5 red stars
54Fathers & SonsTurgenev, Ivan (trans. George Reavy)207F: Misc.3 stars
53Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or SucceedDiamond, Jared592NF: History5 blue stars
52Big Bang: The Origin of the UniverseSingh, Simon544NF: Astrophysics3 stars
51Caro's Book of Poker Tells: The Psychology and Body Language of PokerCaro, Mike320NF: Poker3 blue stars
50Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Political IssuesFeingold, Stanley & McKenna, George (ed.)420NF: Politics5 blue stars
49Doyle Brunson's Super System: A Course in Power PokerBrunswon, Doyle604NF: Poker4 blue stars
48Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human SocietiesDiamond, Jared494NF: History5 blue stars
47Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss GeiselMinear, Richard H. (ed.)272NF: Humor4 red stars
46Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year: 2004Brooks, Charles (ed.)206NF: Humor / Politics4 red stars
45A Mathematician Reads the NewspaperPaulos, John Allen203NF: Math / Real-world4.5 blue stars
44Games You Can't Lose: A Guide for SuckersAnderson, Harry & Pipkin, Turk158NF: Humor4 stars
43World Poker Tour: Shuffle Up and Deal!Sexton, Mike197NF: Poker2 stars
42America (The Book)Stewart, Jon240NF: Humor / Politics4 red stars
41Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and WhyEhrman, Bart D.242NF: History3 stars
40The Code BookSingh, Simon400NF: Cryptography5 blue stars
39A Cricket in Times SquareSelden, George160F: Children's4 blue stars
38Charlotte's WebWhite, E. B.192F: Children's4 blue stars
37MalafrenaLe Guin, Ursula K.369F: Historical3 stars
36Laughing Space: Funny Science FictionAsimov, Isaac520F: Sci-fi (anth.)4 blue stars
35Thurber CountryThurber, James288F: Satire3 stars
34Starship TroopersHeinlein, Robert264F: Sci-fi4 red stars
33For Us, The Living: A Comedy of CustomsHeinlein, Robert288F: Sci-fi2 stars
32The DispossessedLe Guin, Ursula K.400F: Sci-fi3 blue stars
31The Lathe of HeavenLe Guin, Ursula K.176F: Sci-fi3 stars
30Had Enough?Carville, James320NF: Politics3 blue stars
29Dude, Where's My CountryMoore, Michael272NF: Politics3 blue stars
28The Onion: Embedded in AmericaSiegal, Robert320NF: Humor4 blue stars
27A Shortcut Through Time: The Path to a Quantum ComputerJohnson, George224NF: Science3 blue stars
26The Colossal Book of MathematicsGardner, Martin725NF: Math5 blue stars
25Knotted DoughnutsGardner, Martin278NF: Math3 blue stars
24Catch-22Heller, Joseph464F: Classic5 red stars
23Fast Food NationSchlossler, Eric288NF: Sociology4 red stars
22GiftsLe Guin, Ursula K.288F: Sci-fi3 blue stars
21The Fabric of the CosmosGreene, Brian576NF: Astrophysics4 blue stars
20Le Ton Beau de Marot: In Praise of the Music of LanguageHofstadter, Douglas R.766NF: Language5 red stars
19Wish You Were HereWebb, Nick350Bio: Douglas Adams3 blue stars
18Chess TacticsLittlewood, Paul140NF: Chess instructional4 blue stars
17The End of EternityAsimov, Isaac178F: Sci-fi3 stars
16Darknet: Hollywood's War against the Digital GenerationLasica, J. D.320NF: Cyberculture2 stars
15Earth is Room EnoughAsimov, Isaac180F: Sci-fi3 stars
14Pebble in the SkyAsimov, Isaac180F: Sci-fi3 stars
13Watership DownAdams, Richard496F: Classic3 blue stars
12The Art of IntrusionMitnick, Kevin D.270NF: Cyberculture3 stars
11Damned Lies and StatisticsBest, Joel190NF: Math / Real-world3 stars
10Harry Potter3Rowling, J. K.4124F: Fantasy (series)4.5 red stars
9 A Song of Ice and Fire2Martin, George R. R.3408F: Fantasy (series)5 blue stars
8 Four Fantastic Novels1Pinkwater, Daniel640F: Children's (anth.)4.5 blue stars
7 Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop CultureKushner, David352Bio: iD5 blue stars
6 Yao: A Life in Two WorldsBucher, Ric320Bio: Yao Ming2 blue stars
5 DuneHerbert, Frank535F: Sci-fi3 blue stars
4 The Onion: Ad NauseumSiegel, Robert272NF: Humor4 blue stars
3 The Left Hand of DarknessLe Guin, Ursula K.213F: Sci-fi5 blue stars
2 American GodsGaiman, Neil480F: Fantasy3 stars
1 The Moon is a Harsh MistressHeinlein, Robert384F: Sci-fi5 blue stars




1 Contents: Borgel, Yobgorgle, The Worms of Kukumlima, The Snarkout Boys & the Baconburg Horror
2 Series consisting of A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and more to come
3 Series consisting of Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows
4 Recommended are "Second Game", "War Game", and "Time in Advance"
5 Recommended are "Disillusionment", "The Dilettante", "Tobias Mindernickel", "Little Lizzy", "The Wardrobe", "Railway Accident"
6 Recommended are "Science in the Courtroom", "Hungry Ghosts", "What You Know", "The Wreck of Time", "The Naked Citadel", "Second Proms and Second Primaries", "Prescription for Profit", "To Engineer is Human", "Playing God in the Garden"
7 Contents: A River Runs through It, Logging and Pimping and "Your Pal, Jim", USF 1919: The Ranger, the Cook, and a Hole in the Sky
8 Recommended are "Losing the War", "Host", "The American Man, Age Ten", and "Jonathan Lebed's Extracurricular Activities"