{"id":1371,"date":"2018-12-28T15:30:48","date_gmt":"2018-12-28T23:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/educatedguesswork.com\/?p=1371"},"modified":"2020-01-24T17:46:21","modified_gmt":"2020-01-25T01:46:21","slug":"top-books-of-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/educatedguesswork.com\/?p=1371","title":{"rendered":"Top Books of 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Best Books (read by me)<\/span> of 2018<\/h2>\n

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A friend on Facebook posted a request for top books of this passing year, so I made this little list. I gave each of the books below 5 stars in my entirely subjective ranking. There are 29 books in total, twenty-six of which are fiction of one stripe or another. (I’m including the comic book as ‘not-quite-fiction’ for this cataloguing purpose.)<\/p>\n

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If you only read two from this list, may I recommend the Jane Austen or Michael Crichton? If you wish to read three or more I find my head swimming and become unable to choose between what I think are really some great choices. Happy hunting!<\/p>\n

Classic Fiction<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Jane Austen<\/td>\nPersuasion<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ernest Hemingway<\/td>\nA Farewell to Arms<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
H.G. Wells<\/td>\nThe Island of Dr. Moreau<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jack London<\/td>\nCall of the Wild<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ray Bradbury<\/td>\nThe Illustrated Man<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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A Whole Mess of Mysteries<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Tony Hillerman<\/td>\nThe Fly On The Wall<\/em><\/td>\nSemi-auto-bio-non-navajo paean to old-school journalism<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ross MacDonald<\/td>\nThe Name Is Archer<\/em><\/td>\nCalifornia, apr\u00e8s noir<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
John P. Marquand<\/td>\nThank You Mr. Moto<\/em><\/td>\nThe author was an actual writer, you know<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Peter Lovesey<\/td>\nThe Reaper<\/em><\/td>\nWoah. I was not expecting that.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Steven Saylor<\/td>\nCatilina’s Riddle<\/em><\/td>\nOne of the best historical mystery writers, bar none<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Georges Simenon<\/td>\nMaigret and the Wine Merchant<\/em><\/td>\nPensive, as usual<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dorothy Simpson<\/td>\nThe Night She Died<\/em><\/td>\nTerrific<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Josephine Tey<\/td>\nTo Love and Be Wise<\/em><\/td>\nI almost guessed it, I guess<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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Thrilling Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Gavin Black<\/td>\nYou Want To Die, Johnny?<\/em><\/td>\nNew perspective on the sound of dominoes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Michael Crichton<\/td>\nThe 13th Warrior (Eaters of the Dead)<\/em><\/td>\nSurprisingly literate and literary<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<\/td>\nThe Exploits of Brigadier Gerard<\/em><\/td>\nA hero for all ages. Would that we could see his like again!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ian Fleming<\/td>\nCasino Royale<\/em><\/td>\nFleming’s dark fantasy now seems quaint<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jack Higgins<\/td>\nThe Eagle Has Landed<\/em><\/td>\nOne of the two greatest WWII thrillers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jim Thompson<\/td>\nThe Nothing Man<\/em><\/td>\nNot sure about that ending<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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A Soup\u00e7on of Science Fiction<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Isaac Asimov<\/td>\nFoundation and Empire<\/em><\/td>\nThe Mule wrecks all plans … or does he?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Arthur C. Clarke<\/td>\nTales From The “White Hart”<\/em><\/td>\nShaggy dogs of plausibility<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gordon R. Dickson<\/td>\nDorsai!<\/em><\/td>\nFast-paced, almost breathless, action over theory make this a better Ender’s Game<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Frederik Pohl & C. M. Kornbluth\t<\/td>\nGladiator-at-Law<\/em><\/td>\nThose who like PKD may enjoy this duo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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Dray Prescot [!!]<\/h4>\n

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He is the true successor to John Carter, and Alan Burt Akers is one of the most inventive wordsmiths who ever wrote in English. His adventures make all other claimants mere pretenders, though he scorns the many titles he earns — save perhaps that of Zorcander … or Krozair of Zy … or …. Well, just read the books, already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Alan Burt Akers<\/td>\nTransit to Scorpio (Dray Prescot #1)<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alan Burt Akers<\/td>\nWarrior of Scorpio (Dray Prescot #3)<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alan Burt Akers\t<\/td>\nSwordships of Scorpio (Dray Prescot #4)<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alan Burt Akers\t<\/td>\nPrince of Scorpio (Dray Prescot #5)<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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Non-Fiction Paucity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Sergio Aragon\u00e9s<\/td>\nSergio Aragon\u00e9s Groo the Wanderer<\/em> vol. 2 #73 (Marvel)\t<\/td>\nGroo is great!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
William Strunk Jr. & E.B. White<\/td>\nThe Elements Of Style<\/em> (Second Edition)<\/td>\nPithy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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The Best Books (read by me) of 2018 A friend on Facebook posted a request for top books of this passing year, so I made this little list. I gave each of the books below 5 stars in my entirely subjective ranking. There are 29 books in total, twenty-six of which are fiction of one … <\/p>\n

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