Note This...

The New York Times Book Review recently released its annual list of 100 Notable Books of 2010 .

It's amazing to me the storm of controversy that ensues once the list is published. Angry readers demand to know why their favorite reads were not included, judges are accused of bias, why three books on baseball heroes, why the finale of The Girl Who series, not the first? etc. It reminds me of the reaction to Time's person of the year - why the founder of Facebook?!

One thing I liked about this year's list is that they've included nine short-story collections this year. I usually shy away from buying them because they don't seem to get checked out as often as full length novels, but I've always enjoyed them myself...usually you can find one on my bedside table. I find if I get engrossed in a novel before bedtime I might stay up until the wee hours, or else my eyes roll up in my head and I can't remember what I read because I was so exhausted. Like the story of Goldilocks, the short story is "just right".

For those of you who eschew short stories, now's the time to test the waters. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of reading to do!