2013 Reading: Books one and two

At the beginning of the year, in a post on a blog that I ought to import to this one, I decided that my reading goal for 2013 would be to read the top ten books in the New York Times Book Review for 2012.

Although it took some time to get started, on account of most of the books not being available at my local branch of the public library and me being too lazy to place holds on them (umm…), I have now gotten started. Last week I read NW, by Zadie Smith. And this is where you all see how terrible a book reviewer I am–and how poor a reader. My assessment of the book? Good story, but I prefer a much more straightforward narrative. I was supposed to get out of the book an understanding of socio-economic issues in London. And I did, though I suspect I should have thought more deeply about it.

Moving on…

Robert Caro’s The Passage of Power is very long. It is the fourth in a four-volume series about Lyndon Johnson, and I haven’t read the first three volumes. Nevertheless, despite a few awkward references to the previous books, I’m finding Lyndon Johnson fascinating. Election fraud! Fights! Drama! Power grabs!

I’m only about halfway through the book; LBJ has just taken the oath of office. I’m eager to find out what happens next.

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