A positive by-product of the economic recession may be that people start reading more books. This is pure speculation on my part. I'm just thinking there's less disposable income floating around and those that have it are being frugal. Books are cheap. There are also lots of them, so as entertainment goes, they can address even the most arcane interests. I'm not going to say that books are fun (they are!), or edifying (gain insight!), or a friend to your imagination (unlike reality tv) or any of those after-school-special platitudes about reading. To nudge you towards your closest independent bookstore, I'm going to appeal to the pocketbook AND offer book suggestions from two local experts. Why are they experts? Because they've managed to find time to read a lot in 2008 and that makes them a rare species.
Debra Ginsberg is a San Diego writer whose latest novel is called The Grift . The New York Times just dubbed The Grift a Notable Crime Book for 2008. The other resource we tapped is Lucia Silva, manager of Book Works in Del Mar. They joined Tom Fudge on These Days this morning to talk about their favorite books from 2008. You can find their recommendations (and some from our listeners) after the jump.
