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Best of 2009 Part One: Book-ish

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.

  • Ryan W. Bradley has pumped gas, changed oil, painted houses, swept the floor of a mechanic's shop, worked on a construction crew in the Arctic Circle, fronted a punk band, and managed an independent children's bookstore. He now works in marketing. His latest book is Nothing but the Dead and Dying, a collection of stories set in Alaska. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife and two sons.

5 thoughts on “Best of 2009 Part One: Book-ish

  1. 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.

  2. 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 …

    1. 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.

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