I’m glad to be coming in on the whole end of the year list thing at the point where every one is sick of year end lists. Such timing fits my personality well. No doubt, though, that if there is a fun thing about so many lists is seeing how different some of them can be. And with that prelude I present my various book-related “bests”:
Best Books of 2009 (in no particular order):
American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell
Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower
Big World by Mary Miller
The Women by TC Boyle
Sunnyside by Glen David Gold
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon
Everything Was Fine Until Whatever by Chelsea Martin
Best Book Read In 2009, But Published Prior-To:
Minotaur by Benjamin Tammuz
Best Writer I Had Previously Not Read, But Am Now Super Stoked Someone Introduced Me To:
Gary Amdahl (author of Visigoth and I Am Death)
Best Author Name:
Wells Tower (c’mon, like anyone else had a chance)
Best Book After Keeping Readers Waiting For Much Too Long For A New Book:
Peter Sears for his new poetry collection, Green Diver
Thanks for playing, stay tuned for similar drivel regarding music and miscellany.
I’m glad you’ve found Gary Amdahl’s work. Those are both amazing books– I can remember reading VISIGOTH for the first time and feeling those first few stories take my head off. So good.
Me too, Matt! I could tell just a page or two into the first story in Visigoth that I was going to have my mind blown!
i like your list — will include your recommendations on my already huge list of recommendations! i am getting kinda tired of these best 10 lists (i don’t mean here — they’re everywhere!!) i just told someone i’m going to do a top 7 mediocre list …
thanks, lauren. i would totally dig a top 7 mediocre list. i was considering doing a best of the worst list as well, but that would only end up offending people. instead as a capper to my lists i’ve got something special in store.
Hey, I think Barb Johnson might be a contender for best author name.