the final books of 2009

36. Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber, M.D.
Not everyone loves the "Ferber Method," but since it's a method of handling childhood sleep issues that I follow naturally anyway, I really liked this book. I read it because we'd been having some problems with Garrett's bedtime routine that we needed to fix in preparation for transitioning Caleb into his bedroom, and Dr. Ferber's outline of the human sleep cycles, as well as his suggestions for solving sleep problems, really helped us to take control of them. I highly, highly recommend this book, whether or not your child currently has difficulty during the night.

37. The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got that Way by Bill Bryson
If the study of linguistics, especially historical linguistics, interests you, you'd probably like this book. First of all, it's Bill Bryson, so it's hilarious. Also, it's incredibly fascinating. I could have done without the chapter on swear words. (In fact, I did. After reading a couple pages, I realized that finishing it would neither add or detract from any other part of the book, so I skipped it altogether.) Definitely an excellent read.

38. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir by Bill Bryson
I read this one on my mom's recommendation. Again, it's Bill Bryson, so again I was rolling on the floor in laughter. This book is his memoir of growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, in the 1950s. His childhood is about as ordinary as they come, but he aligned it up with major cultural and political events of the decade, and that is what I think made it so interesting. Though I could have done without the profanity he sprinkled throughout, I've learned over the years that I'm the sort of reader who often brushes things like that aside when the rest of the book is worth reading.

39. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
It seems like everyone has been reading -- and recommending -- this book, so as my last book of the year, I finally jumped on the bandwagon. And, oh, I am so glad that I did. For the few of you out there who haven't read this one yet, it's a story set in Nazi Germany, and it's narrated by Death personified, which made for a very interesting twist. Zusak's writing is musical, and his characters (even Death) have this way of touching readers in a profound way (which unfortunately makes the ending all the more tear-jerking). If you haven't read it yet, resolve in 2010 to do so. You won't regret it.