Favorite Novels
2001
Glen David Gold, Carter Beats the Devil
2000
Michael Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
1999
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
1996
Connie Willis, Bellwether
1995
William Browning Spencer, Zod Wallop
1994
Jonathan Carroll, From the Teeth of Angels
1992
Iain Banks, The Crow Road
Kim Newman, Anno Dracula
Jonathan Carroll, After Silence
1991
Richard Powers, The Gold Bug Variations
Joe Keenan, Putting on the Ritz
Barry Hughart, Eight Skilled Gentlemen
1990
A.S. Byatt, Possession
Tom Holt, The Walled Orchard
1989
Jonathan Carroll, A Child Across the Sky
Tom Holt, Goatsong
1988
Iain M. Banks, The Player of Games
James P. Blaylock, The Last Coin
Joe Keenan, Blue Heaven
Jonathan Carroll, Sleeping in Flame
Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs
1987
Tim Powers, On Stranger Tides
Jonathan Carroll, Bones of the Moon
Iain Banks, Espedair Street
Roddy Doyle, The Commitments
James Ellroy, The Black Dahlia
1986
Ken Grimwood, Replay
1985
Patrick Suskind, Perfume
Robert Anton Wilson, The Widow's Son
1984
Barry Hughart, Bridge of Birds
1983
Jonathan Carroll, Voice of Our Shadow
1982
Gene Wolfe, The Sword of the Lictor
Robert Anton Wilson, The Earth Will Shake
1981
Gene Wolfe, The Claw of the Conciliator
1980
Gene Wolfe, The Shadow of the Torturer
Jonathan Carroll, The Land of Laughs
1979
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
1975
David Lodge, Changing Places
1973
William Goldman, The Princess Bride
1972
John Brunner, The Sheep Look Up
Robertson Davies, The Manticore
1970
Robertson Davies, Fifth Business
1969
Philip K. Dick, Ubik
1968
John Brunner, Stand on Zanzibar
Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
1965
Frank Herbert, Dune
1964
Philip K. Dick, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
1956
Alfred Bester, The Stars My Destination (aka Tiger, Tiger)
1955
C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew
1953
Alfred Bester, The Demolished Man
1952
C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
1950
C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
1945
George Orwell, Animal Farm
1931
Thorne Smith, The Night Life of the Gods
1902
J.M. Barrie, The Little White Bird
1865
Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Favorite Albums
These are my top five favorite (sometimes more, sometimes less) albums for the year of the album's release. (Links take you to comments that I may have made about these albums on immediacy.)
2010
Broken Bells, Broken Bells
2009
Florence and the Machine, Lungs
Lily Allen, It's Not Me, It's You
Metric, Fantasies
Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love
Tom Allalone & The 78s, Major Sins Pt. 1
The Phenomenal Handclap Band, The Phenomenal Handclap Band
The Sounds, Crossing the Rubicon
2008
Mates of State, Re-Arrange Us
The Cat Empire, So Many Nights
Duffy, Rockferry
Flight of the Conchords, Flight of the Conchords
Ida Maria, Fortress Round My Heart
Joe Jackson, Rain
Randy Newman, Harps and Angels
2007
Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
The Polyphonic Spree, The Fragile Army
Mark Ronson, et al., Version
Flight of the Conchords, The Distant Future
Various Artists, KCRW: Sounds Eclectic: The Covers Project
2006
Bob Schneider, The Californian
The Decemberists, The Crane Wife
Lily Allen, Alright, Still
The Cat Empire, Two Shoes
Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long Way
2005
Sons and Daughters, The Repulsion Box/Dance Me In [EP]
Rodney Crowell, The Outsider
Carbon Leaf, Indian Summer
Aimee Mann, The Forgotten Arm
OK Go, Oh No
Manchester Orchestra, You Brainstorm, I Brainstorm
2004
Rush, Feedback
Sons and Daughters, Love the Cup
William Shatner, Has Been
Franz Ferdinand, Franz Ferdinand
Charlotte Martin, On Your Shore
Auf der Maur, Auf Der Maur
2003
James McMurtry, Live in Aught-Three
The Cat Empire, The Cat Empire
Various Artists, Chicago [Soundtrack]
Rusty Truck, Broken Promises
Lyle Lovett, My Baby Don't Tolerate
The White Stripes, Elephant
2002
Aimee Mann, Lost in Space
Spoon, Kill the Moonlight
Bruce Hornsby, Big Swing Face
Bob Schneider, The Galaxy Kings
Darden Smith, Sunflower
2001
Randall Bramblett, No More Mr. Lucky
Ben Folds, Rockin' the Suburbs
David Byrne, Look Into the Eyeball
Carbon Leaf, Echo Echo
Spoon, Girls Can Tell
Suzanne Vega, Songs in Red and Gray
2000
Aimee Mann, Bachelor No. 2
Darden Smith, Extra, Extra
Eliza Carthy, Angels & Cigarettes
Various Artists, Welcome to VH1 Storytellers
Linkin Park, Hybrid Theory
1999
Lyle Lovett, Live in Texas
"Weird Al" Yankovic, Running with Scissors
Lee Press-On and the Nails, Swing is Dead
Richard Thompson, Mock Tudor
Patty Larkin, A Gogo
1998
Fastball, All the Pain Money Can Buy
Various Artists, Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours
The Fixx, Elemental
Various Artists, Live from the River Music Hall, Vol. 1
Happy Rhodes, Many Worlds Are Born Tonight
Eliza Carthy, Red
1997
Fleetwood Mac, The Dance
Dwight Yoakam, Under the Covers
Moxy Fruvous, You Will Go to the Moon
Sarah McLachlan, Surfacing
Roger Hodgson, Rites of Passage
1996
Paula Cole, This Fire
Suzanne Vega, Nine Objects of Desire
Rush, Test for Echo
Mark Knopfler, Golden Heart
Patti Rothberg, Between the 1 and the 9
1995
Alanis Morisette, Jagged Little Pill
James McMurtry, Where'd You Hide the Body
Annie Lennox, Medusa
Hindu Rodeo, Hindu Rodeo
Bonepony, Stomp Revival
1994
Alice in Chains, Jar of Flies
Concrete Blonde, Still in Hollywood
The Dave Mathews Band, Under the Table and Dreaming
Richard Thompson, Mirror Blue
Various Artists, Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved
1993
Darden Smith, Little Victories
Donald Fagen, Kamariad
Various Artists, Redbeard's All Access
Tim Finn, Before & After
John Hiatt, Perfectly Good Guitar
Todd Rundgren, No World Order
Bruce Hornsby, Harbor Lights
1992
James McMurtry, Candyland
Lindsey Buckingham, Out of the Cradle
Peter Gabriel, Us
Michelle Shocked, Arkansas Traveller
Suzanne Vega, 99.9F
1991
The Commitments, The Commitments [Soundtrack]
Paul Simon, Paul Simon's Concert in the Park, August 15, 1991
Richard Thompson, Rumor and Sigh
Bruce Cockburn, Nothing But a Burning Light
Happy Rhodes, Warpaint
1990
Darden Smith, Trouble No More
Vaughan Brothers, Family Style
The Replacements, All Shook Down
John Doe, Meet John Doe
Was (Not Was), Are You Okay?
1989
Michelle Shocked, Captain Swing
Darden Smith and Boo Hewerdine, Evidence
Sarah McLachlan, Touch
Joe Jackson, Blaze of Glory
Tom Petty, Full Moon Fever
1988
Michelle Shocked, Short Sharp Shocked
Timbuk 3, Eden Alley
Bobby McFerrin, Simple Pleasures
Oingo Boingo, Boingo Alive
John Hiatt, Slow Turning
Joe Ely, Dig All Night
1987
The Reivers, Saturday
X, See How We Are
INXS, Kick
The Fixx, React
R.E.M., Document
1986
Timbuk 3, Greetings from Timbuk 3
Elvis Costello, King of America
Paul Simon, Graceland
Peter Gabriel, So
Elvis Costello, Blood & Chocolate
1985
Kate Bush, Hounds of Love
Oingo Boingto, Dead Man's Party
Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms
Rush, Power Windows
Talking Heads, Little Creatures
Waterboys, This is the Sea
1984
Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense
Roger Hodgson, In the Eye of the Storm
Laurie Anderson, Mister Heartbreak
Rush, Grace Under Pressure
Bruce Cockburn, Stealing Fire
1983
Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues
Genesis, Genesis
Robert Plant, The Principle of Moments
Pink Floyd, The Final Cut
The Police, Synchronicity
1982
Rush, Signals
Joe Jackson, Night and Day
Richard and Linda Thompson, Shoot Out the Lights
Kate Bush, The Dreaming
The Pretenders, Learning to Crawl
1981
Rush, Moving Pictures
Joe Jackson, Jumpin' Jive
Billy Joel, Songs in the Attic
Dan Fogelberg, The Innocent Age
The Police, Ghost in the Machine
1980
Rush, Permanent Waves
Talking Heads, Remain in Light
Rockpile, Seconds of Pleasure
The Alan Parsons Project, The Turn of a Friendly Card
Pete Townshend, Empty Glass
1979
Joe Jackson, Look Sharp!
The Eagles, The Long Run
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Damn the Torpedoes
Dire Straits, Communique
Pink Floyd, The Wall
1978
The Cars, The Cars
Elvis Costello, This Year's Model
Heart, Dog & Butterfly
Elvis Costello, Armed Forces
Rush, Hemispheres
1977
Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True
Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
Billy Joel, The Stranger
Steely Dan, Aja
Pink Floyd, Animals
Jethro Tull, Songs from the Wood
Rush, A Farewell to Kings
1976
Parliament, Mothership Connection
Rush, 2112
The Eagles, Hotel California
Heart, Dreamboat Annie
Boston, Boston
1975
Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here
Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac
Electric Light Orchestra, Face the Music
Rush, Fly By Night
Steely Dan, Katy Lied
1974
Supertramp, Crime of the Century
The Eagles, On the Border
Robert Palmer, Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley
Randy Newman, Good Old Boys
Steely Dan, Pretzel Logic
1973
Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon
Fleetwood Mac, Mystery to Me
Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy
Wings, Band on the Run
BuckinghamNicks, BuckinghamNicks
1972
Jethro Tull, Thick as a Brick
Nick Drake, Pink Moon
Yes, Fragile
Elton John, Honky Chateau
The Staple Singers, Be Altitude: Respect Yourself
1971
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV (Zofo)
The Who, Who's Next
Jethro Tull, Aqualung
Van Morrison, Tupelo Honey
Carole King, Tapestry
1970
Cat Stevens, Tea for the Tillerman
Van Morrison, Moondance
Yes, The Yes Album
Cat Stevens, Teaser and the Firecat
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cosmo's Factory
1969
The Beatles, Abbey Road
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Willy and the Poor Boys
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bayou Country
1968
The Beatles, The Beatles (White Album)
Aretha Franklin, Lady Soul
1967
The Moody Blues, Days of Future Passed
The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Procol Harum, A Whiter Shade of Pale
The Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour
1966
The Beatles, Revolver
1965
The Beatles, Rubber Soul
Jerry Lee Lewis, Live at the Star Club, Hamburg
1963
The Beatles, Please Please Me
1962
Original Cast Recording, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum
Elvis Presley, Kid Galahad
Booker T. & the MGs, Green Onions
1960
Tom Lehrer, Songs & More Songs
1959
The Kingston Trio, ...from the "Hungry i"
Tom Lehrer, An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer
1958
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire
Tom Lehrer, Tom Lehrer
1957
Little Richard, Here's Little Richard
1956
Elvis Presley, Elvis
Louis Prima, The Wildest!
1953
Tom Lehrer, Songs by Tom Lehrer
Favorite Movies
2004
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Incredibles
2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Finding Nemo
2002
Chicago
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2001
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2000
Memento
1999
The Sixth Sense
1996
Breaking the Waves
1995
The Usual Suspects
1992
The Player
1989
Henry V
1988
A Fish Called Wanda
1987
The Princess Bride
1985
Brazil
1984
Stop Making Sense
1982
Blade Runner
1975
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1962
Lawrence of Arabia
1942
Casablanca
The Palm Beach Story
1940
His Girl Friday
