2010: A Year in Books

2010 proved an exciting year at North Atlantic Books headquarters! Our new best sellers, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, Green for Life, and Teaching Yoga made a splash, and we jumped on the eBook bandwagon. We even announced the upcoming launch of our new EVOLVER EDITIONS imprint. Despite the ever-hectic working lives of North Atlantic Books’ employees, somehow we still cleared a sacred place to read in our free time. Our literary tastes vary greatly, and in presenting our staff picks of favorite reads from 2010 we hope to inspire you to pick up one of these books in the year ahead!

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Richard Grossinger, Publisher:

Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro

Reincarnation in Venice by Max Ehrlich

The Nature of Consciousness edited by Neil Block, Owen Flanagan, and Guven Guzeldere

Janet Levin, Director of Sales & Distribution:

Water Wars, Privatization, Pollution, and Profit by Vandana Shiva
Thought-provoking essays from Shiva, noted physicist and environmental leader, who discusses the politics of water and why this “essence of life” should not be treated as a material commodity to be bought and sold.

Onitsha by J. M. G. Le Clezio
Lyrical novel about a young European boy who travels to Africa with his mother. Set in the 1940s, colonial Africa is seen through the lens of a young boy as he acclimates to his new surroundings.

Hope Beneath Our Feet: Restoring Our Place in the Natural World edited by Martin Keogh
A diverse group of environmentalists and those who care about the planet’s future offer insight, hope, and practical strategies for what individuals can do to right the planetary catastrophes surrounding us.

Emily Boyd, Senior Editor:

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Another amazing read by one of my favorite authors. Her characters have such amazing depth and her interweaving of actual history with her fictional tale is truly remarkable.

Fool’s Republic by Gordon Dale

A completely absorbing thriller. I was immediately captivated by the main character and story and couldn’t wait to find out how it would end.

Before We Leave You by Patricia Cori

Cori’s personal accounts of being contacted by the whales and dolphins combined with the communications of these magical creatures is powerful, touching, heart-breaking, and uplifting.

Allison Pettit, Finance/Royalties:

Death on the Barrens by George Grinnell

This memoir kept me on the edge of my seat as if I was reading a fiction thriller. I loved reading this and remembering why I had let my middle-age remove me from certain adventures.

Your Soul’s Plan by Rob Schwartz

This book has revived my faith in self as it existed before I began using my dayplanner, my pyrimid-style goal-setter, and other helpful cultural assistants designed to structure your prescribed levels of attainment. It reminded me I have a motivation for living that is bigger than what I see, what I crave in this life and what I unnecessarily covet.

The Hunt for the Eye of Ogin by Patrick Doud

Young adults everywhere will enjoy the journey Elwood Pitch begins as a youngster and carries on in The Mornith War as a young adult. His best friend Slukee has inspired me to remember that the bond with a dog can transcend stereotypical roles of ‘master and subject’ as well as the inevitable forms that your true family members take on regardless of their blood relation to you.

Talia Shapiro, Online Marketing & Publicity Coordinator:

The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Around the Bloc: My Life in Moscow, Beijing, and Havana by Stephanie Elizondo Griest

Earth, My Likeness: Nature Poetry of Walt Whitman edited by Howard Nelson

Kat Engh, Online Marketing & Publicity Coordinator:

The Great Bay by Dale Pendell

This is the book that made me realize how much I love post-apocalyptic fiction, and the fact that it takes place in my own state makes The Great Bay all the more thrilling. This is quite literally the book that charged me to make an earthquake survival kit in my home.

Hope Beneath Our Feet edited by Martin Keogh

One of the hardest things about “going green” is figuring out the most effective ways to do it, and it can be a frustrating road to choose, at times. This book serves as a great reminder of how and why we should continue to care for the planet.

Stories: All New Tales edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio

I’ve always enjoyed a good short story, and this collection of never-before published stories from people like Joyce Carol Oates and Chuch Palahniuk provided great bedtime reads for the most strange and imaginative dreams.

Hisae Matsuda, Editor:

Shadow Yoga, Chaya Yoga: The Principles of Hatha Yoga by Shandor Remete

The Mirror of Mindfulness, Updated Edition: The Cycle of the Four Bardos by Tsele Natsok Rangdrol

Rouse Up O Young Men of the New Age! by Kenzaburo Oe

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What were your favorite reads of 2010? What about your favorite of all time?