Memorandum 

PEOPLE’S WORLD TOP 10 OF 2014

Arts & Entertainment 

Top 10 books of 2014: a holiday reading list

by: BLAKE DEPPE on December 16 2014

The holidays are upon us in earnest. Presumably, now that the shopping rush is puttering out and the more pro-worker (re: union) jobs are letting employees go home for Christmas, one might want to spend time with family, relax, and enjoy the great indoors with chestnuts, eggnog, and other yuletide traditions. It's an ideal time to put down the smartphone or iPad and curl up with a good book.

To that end, here is a list of what I thought were the top 10 books of 2014. Whether you're the paperback type or more likely to view an ebook, I suggest you check these out!

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Orfeo

Richard Powers, Science Fiction

This was a strange and interesting novel. It features a retired composer named Peter Els, who becomes an avant garde artist - one who pushes the boundaries in terms of what can be considered art, dabbling in dangerous do-it-yourself genetic engineering. What seems to be a study on the nature of art abruptly turns into an action narrative when government agents descend upon Els, forcing him to flee. A cross-country chase ensues, and throughout, we learn through flashbacks more about Els, including his early life, motivations, and personal drama. In some ways it seems to be, in part, a modern re-interpretation of the Greek tale Metamorphoses (the story of Pygmalion and the ivory statue), though there are also messages about terrorism and civil liberties. It's a deep thinker's book, for sure, but readers looking for something fun should enjoy it, as well.

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