Brett's 2011 Favorites

These lists are unapologetically subjective and don’t even follow their own rules. I *tried* to keep the film list to those from this past year, but I know some are a year or two late. A lot of films I saw in January are old news, so although they might have been on my top ten, I disregarded them as listworthy—The King’s Speech, The Kids Are All Right, The Fighter, etc. Same with some of the older films that really blew me away in the past twelve months—The Third Man, High Noon, Hud, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (the original version was unexpectedly fantastic). As for novels, I just picked my five favorites and didn’t worry about time period.

Favorite Five Novels:
5. The Family Fang – Kevin Wilson (If you liked The Royal Tenenbaums, this is a book for you.)
4. All is Forgotten, Nothing is Lost – Lan Samantha Change (A book about two poets at a midwestern writing program and their teacher.)
3. Mating – Norman Rush
2. Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Klay – Michael Chabon
1. The Border Trilogy – Cormac McCarthy

Dishonorable Mention:
Winslow in Love- Kevin Canty (Another book about a poet. I found this one on a list from The Guardian on the ten best books about poets. It sucked.)

Favorite Memoir/Nonfiction:
Another Bullshit Night in Suck City - Nick Flynn
Townie – Andres Dubus III
The Adderall Diaries – Stephen Elliott

Favorite Short Story Collection:
Knockemstiff – Donald Ray Pollack (Tough call between this and Jesus' Son, but ultimately the stories in Knockemstiff stayed with me in a way the other didn't. Neither collection is for the faint of heart. Also, the film version of Jesus' Son was a disappointement.)
Almost No Memory - Lydia Davis (Refreshing. Lots of the stories only a page or two, so easy to read on the bus or between classes.)

Favorite Books of Poetry:
5. What Work Is – Philip Levine
4. The King – Rebecca Wolff
3. Poetry in America – Julia Spicher-Kasdorf
2. A Green Light – Matthew Rohrer
1. Mule – Shane McCrae

Dishonorable Mention:
Mortal Geography – Alexandra Teague

The number one book of poetry was easy for me. I couldn’t put Mule down.

Top Ten Films:
10. Submarine
9. Nowhere in Africa (German)
8. Another Year
7. Win Win
6. 50/50
5. The Tree of Life
4. Blue Valentine
3. Incendies
2. Drive
1. Never Let Me Go

Dishonorable Mention:
Paul (Rented it one boring night, not expecting much. Devoid of fun. Ten times worse than my lowest expectations.)

For 2012 I'd like to read a few graphic novels (I didn't read any last year, but A bought me one for Christmas), more non-memoir nonfiction (Politics, Food, Parenthood), and continue to try and fill in gaps as far as 20th century American poetry. I still haven't made any concrete resolutions for 2012, but before I do that, I need to make a to-do list for tomorrow.