Today is the one day of the year where it’s proper to use that annoying “see ya next year” joke, and what better way of ending out a banner year than to follow the tradition of years past (2004 [1], 2005 [2]), and list a few of my “bests” from A.D. 2006:
Best Novel (read in 2006): It’s a toss-up this year between two very different but equally grand novels: A Confederacy of Dunces [3], by John Kennedy Toole, and The Children of Men [4] by P.D. James. Dunces is by far the funniest novel I’ve ever read, and James’ work (which has just been released as a feature film) is remarkable in its use of literary device to both draw attention to current issues facing mankind and to appropriate spiritual themes.
Best Nonfiction: David Wells’ No Place for Truth: or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology [5]. It’s more than a decade old, but it still captures quite well the current state of evangelicalism, its deficiencies, and the key ingredient that’s missing.
Best Movie: Like last year, I didn’t make it out to the cinemas that much (I think that M. Night Shyamalan’s The Lady in the Water was the only one I made it out to see on the big screen). For the titles I saw on DVD, the quality of selection was pretty sparse. I did, however, spend much of the summer watching a different film noir [6] selection each week. I saw many of the classic greats, including the 1949 Orson Welles classic, The Third Man [7], which as a 57 year-old film takes the honors for my best of 2006.
Best TV Show: If it had actually aired this year, Lost might get the nod for best TV show. But since ABC thinks it can stay on top with only 6 “Best. Episode. Ever.” spots, it gets demoted a bit in my book. Also demoted is House, which — while it still has good characters — has resorted to unnecessary plot gimmicks. These demotions notwithstanding, I’ll have to go with The Office [8] as 2006’s best. There’s never been another show that does awkward better, and awkward is in.
Best Reality TV Show: Ever since the 33rd season of Survivor, I’ve pretty much given up on “reality” TV. Then, I got cable and discovered The Discovery Channel. Two of its recent shows have kept me and my wife riveted: Man v. Wild [9] with the inimitable Bear Grylls [10], and Everest: Beyond the Limit [11] — a harrowing record of this year’s expedition.
Best Comment Left At TruePravda: That will have to go to Ron Lowe’s successful attempt at outdoing my eulogy for Dr. Ronald H. Nash [12]. In fact, the position of Lowe’s comment and my post should probably be reversed!
Best Quote: (from the ultrasound tech) “I’m 99.9% sure it’s a girl!”
What are your 2006 bests?