What I think I read in 2007

So my initial intent for the previous new year was to keep track of the titles that I read throughout the year - possibly to track my likes and dislikes, maybe to see if my tastes have changed over the years, but mostly to use rad new eye-candy websites like Gnooks. So I kept track of my library slips, read some new authors, and promptly moved to a new house in November and lost my records in the Great Cleaning of 2007. However, I shall do my best to remember the many wonderful titles that I enjoyed and throw any thought of an accurate timeline to the wind.

Cod by Mark Kurlansky
Salt by Mark Kurlansky

• Splendid nerd fodder and history lessons both. I would read Human Waste by Mark Kurlansky if he writes it - just remember to mention me in the notes if you take the idea! You know, unless you are already working on it.
  

Rant by Chuck Palahniuk

• This requires a second reading to fully get the time line set but I was trying to top 50 books for the year
  

Set This House In Order by Matt Ruff
Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff

• I had never heard of Matt Ruff before this year. I feel the need to go back in time and apologize to my old self
  

Truck: A Love Story by Michael Perry
Off Main Street by Michael Perry
Population: 485 by Michael Perry

• Funny essays, often deeply heartfelt, written by the guy next door with a better vocabulary

The Contortionist's Handbook by Craig Clevenger

• Dude - Write more books! Seriously!

The Execution Channel by Ken MacLeod

• Good book but not my usual read. I tried it due to my love of Boing Boing. Speaking of which:

Overclocked by Cory Doctorow
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow

• This guy is getting better and better. I'm not a scifi junkie but I plan on following him as the years go by

South of the Pumphouse by Les Claypool

• Not sure how the busiest man alive found time to write a book. Simple and dark and good for a first try. Maybe he'll have time to write another in ten years or so
  

More to come!

Link to my presentation

Here is the link that I promised to my PowerPoint Slides

Post Instruction Discussion

Assuming everyone survived my presentation I would like to open up a discussion about showcase portfolios. I found some examples of portfolios posted online that I thought would be worth talking about. What do you like? What do you dislike? Do you feel like creating a showcase portfolio is worth the time and effort?

The portfolios:

Ted Johnson
David Bartholomay
Katherine Dunneback
Anne O'shea
Carrie Seather

Please discusss.