Last Sunday the New York Times published a piece called “A Literary Look Back at 2013.” The 10 Bookends columnists each wrote a paragraph in answer to the question: “What was the most interesting literary development—welcome or lamentable—of the year?” Zoë Heller discussed the great Social Media vs. Jonathan Franzen debate (concluding that the “yakkers, braggers and bullies did themselves proud”); Francine Prose mentioned the opportunities crowdfunding is providing for publishers and writers; and Adam Kirsch talked about how, in spite of all the doom and gloom about the book industry, sales of books in all formats actually grew.

This article inspired me to come up with my own literary look back at 2013. Here are the highlights:

...Like Merrick, August (Auggie) Pullman, the main character in R.J. Palacio’s Wonder, is far from being intellectually debilitated. Home-schooled until the age of 10, he scores well enough on an entrance exam to be admitted to a competitive middle school. Auggie does all the typical things boys his age do; he feels ordinary, he explains in the opening chapter of the book. The reaction to his story, however, is anything but.