A few of my bests for 2005:
Best Novel: Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead. It’s one of a kind and should not be missed. I’ve been promising my review for quite some time, and I assure you, it will be posted here not too far into the new year.
Best Nonfiction: Nancy Pearcy’s Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity. It’s an important book that would behoove every Christian to read. I didn’t find so many new ideas in this book as I did a beneficial synthesis of ideas and history pertinent to Christianity today. Pearcy aptly takes on the way evangelicals look at their faith and shows how we often live in two worlds where we should be living in one.
Best Movie: I only saw two movies at the theater this year — a new personal record for cinematic absenteeism! It was as good a year as any to be away from the cinemas. I did catch Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins on DVD and was duly impressed. It’s the best of the Batman series and actually had a little depth to the action. It’s a not typical “best” pick for me, but it was the only movie I watched twice all year. And no, I haven’t yet seen the Narnia film.
Best TV Show: I’ll have to go with Lost. I got the DVDs of season one for Christmas, and after seeing the first few episodes, it already gets my nod for the best. I also watched and was impressed by season one of 24 this summer, but that’s a 2001 show, so it doesn’t count. Prison Break was also pretty interesting. I’ve continued to watch last year’s fave, House, but I fear the show is becoming stale because each episode is just like the other.
Best New Software: Macromedia (Adobe) Dreamweaver 8. I’m still pretty much a hand-coder when it comes to websites, but DW8 design mode is pretty sharp for getting a good idea of what your CSS layout will look like.
Best Tennessee Football Moment (not that there were that many): The comeback from being down 21-0 in the LSU game. In fact, this was the only great Tennessee football moment this year.
Best Radio Talk Show: Bill Bennett’s “Morning in America.” All betting aside, it’s the most even–tempered, faithfully conservative, thoughtful show on the radio.
Best Comment Left At TruePravda: This really would fall more into the “astonishing” category than best, but it would have to be a recent comment left by a 2008 presidential candidate in response to my post about him.
Best Quote: “Ball…Ball…Ball…Ball…” — my son. It’s one of the few words that he says, and he’s passionate about it. The first thing he does when he wakes up is to look for a ball. If it weren’t an NCAA violation, we would have already secured a sports agent for him.
Happy New Year to everyone. The posting drought here at TruePravda is expected to dry up soon. As always, thanks for your readership.
I don’t know about you, but I’m voting for The Impaler. He made his case to me.
Jared:
I have to agree with you on TV shows. Sarah and I have watched seasons 1-3 of 24 on DVD and are awaiting season 4’s arrival at the local video store. Also we just finished watching season 1 of Lost. Both are good shows. The thing I like the best is their linear progression throughout the season. They tell a continual story as opposed to the older TV shows which dealt with problem – climax – resolution all in one episode.
We have been without a TV since before we moved to KY but shows like 24 and Lost almost make me want to go out and get one again. Now we have to wait a whole year until the next lost season comes out in DVD! Oh Well.
Jared, I’m right there with you on the best movie and television series. I’ve also noticed the repetativeness of House. And, is the Impaler for real? He’s so far out there it makes me think its just a guy with a sense of humor. But then again, there are some genuine nuts.