BOOKS….Every once in a while I read a really spectacular book. Not just a good book, but something that really knocks me flat. So far in my life there have been five of these books. Here they are, along with the year I read them:

This isn’t a list of every book I’ve ever liked, of course (that list is here, if you’re interested, although it hasn’t been updated for a few years), but these are the ones that have really stood out. Some observations:

  • I seem to have a weakness for really long books. Crime and Punishment is probably the only one on the list that clocks in under half a million words.

  • Despite the fact that 80% of my fiction reading is science fiction, there’s not a single sf title on the list (although there is one epic fantasy). I don’t know why.

  • About half my reading is nonfiction, but there’s only one nonfiction book on the list.

And here’s the most important point of all: I seem to run into these books about once every five years, which means that I’m due. The next knock-me-for-a-loop book ought to be heading my way any time now. I can’t wait!