2011 was a sad year in the course of leisure reading. Blame that on professional school. Nonetheless, these are the titles I read.

The Last Lecture Randy Pausch

I hate to say this about someone attempting a worthwhile exit while suffering from cancer, but I found this lackluster. A good exposure into the mind of the terminally ill, but at times Pausch is self-absorbed and impressed with himself, even though he attempts to be humble. 

Does This Mean You’ll See Me Naked?: Field Notes from a Funeral Director Robert Webster

I bought this on a whim hoping to read some interesting, quirky stories. There were some, but it was not jam-packed. It’s more of a memoir, but from someone who has a career we’re not often exposed to. Well, at least not the behind the scenes parts. Memorable stories include a guy who was buried in his truck, retrieval of bodies from the deceased’s home, and drastic measures to reconstruct the human form. Recommended if you’re a quick reader.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Raymond Carver

I got this to read the story which Everything Must Go was based on. The film is very, very different from the short story. They might have been able to get away without even crediting Carver. I’ve read other Carver collections, and this one is just as good. I had a hard time getting through it though, because his writing style is so similar to mine. I felt like I was reading myself, and I grew sick of that. But I pushed through, and in the end I’d definitely recommend Carver to other readers.