The list of Malibu’s Top 10 Books of 2010 is both extremely worldly and intensely local, sometimes within the same book. “The Wave” and “Point Dume” stand out as two books that fully express the range of this year’s list. Both deal with matters of global interest and concern, with strong local perspectives.
Susan Casey in “The Wave” collaborated with local waterman Laird Hamilton to create one of the most exciting, informative and articulate books on the world’s oceans, wave physics, surfing and the impacts of global warming on our seas and our coastlines. It would seem to be required reading for anyone in Malibu who lives at 400 feet above sea level, or less, as well as anyone concerned about climate change and our oceans.
Katie Arnoldi’s “Point Dume” similarly tackles big questions through a local lens. Her novel deals with human and drug trafficking, the ecological impact of their intrusion into the Santa Monica Mountains in particular, and the interlaced consequences of these activities on their surrounding communities. It is also a clever commentary on the distortions and contradictions of U.S. economic, drug and immigration policies, current social mores and the environmental consequences of our drug war programs. These books are just two of the wonderful titles we’ve been reading in Malibu this year.
1. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” by Stieg Larsson, paperback, Vintage, $14.95
2. “Point Dume,” by Katie Arnoldi, hardcover, Overlook Press, $24.95
3. “Man, Interrupted: Welcome to the Bizarre World of OCD, Where Once More is Never Enough,” by James Bailey, Mainstream Publishing, $14.95
4. “Malibu: California’s Most Famous Seaside Community,” by Marian Hall, hardcover, Marian Hall, $40
5. “The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean,” by Susan Casey, hardcover, Doubleday, $27.95
6. “Little Bee,” by Chris Cleave, paperback, Simon & Schuster, $14
7. “Life,” by Keith Richards, hardcover, Little Brown, $29.99
8. “Cutting For Stone,” by Abraham Verghese, paperback, Vintage, $15.95
9. “Tinkers,” by Paul Harding, paperback, Bellevue Literary Review, $14.95
10. “My Fifty Years in Malibu,” by Dorothy Stotsenberg, hardcover, Pepperdine University Press, $20
Book list provided by Diesel, A Bookstore