I’ve read a lot of books so far in 2012, but two of them, published this past month, stand out: Wild by Cheryl Strayed and City of Bohane by Kevin Barry.

Wild is Strayed’s memoir of hiking the Pacific Crest Trai in 1995l. Before you roll your eyes about another look-at-me-doing-something-unusual-and-getting-a-book-deal-out-of-it-memoir, this one is different. It’s raw and beautiful and if the horse scene doesn’t make you cry then I don’t know what will. I was at the car wash when I read this part. Imagine crying at the car wash. Sometimes she makes really dumb decisions, ones that make you cringe, but it’s her honesty and voice that make this book worth reading.

When you read City of Bohane, don’t expect to know what’s going on for the first twenty pages. Don’t give up! Imagine a sort of Gangs of New York in Ireland in the future. In a version of magical realism, the Irish city of Bohane sometime in the future, is run by a gang called the Fancy. Imagine descriptions of clothing that bring to mind Alexander McQueen except they’re worn by the gangsters of the Fancy. There’s a love story in there and some major violence and Barry’s lyrical language makes it all seem so alive.

Go and read both of these books! I’ll be back to mention some other things I’ve read and liked and some things I’ve cooked later this week.