The New York Times most notable books for 2009 has been released. Here's the link to the most recent list, and past years. There are another fifty books or so from the nonfiction list, but I didn't retype all of them out! There were a few on the nonfiction side that intrigued me though. I have read 3 of the books this year, bolded, and there are a few others I'd like to read, italicized, but I haven't heard of most of them at all.
Have you read any of these? Any recommendations or warnings?
- Amatuer Barbarians by Robert Cohen
- American Rust by Philipp Meyey
- The Anthologist by Nicholson Baker
- The Art Student's War by Brad Leithauser
- Asterios Polyp by David Mazzuchelli
- Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon
- Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy
- The Case Book of Victor Frankenstein by Peter Ackroyd
- Chronic City by Johnathan Letham
- The Confessions of Edward Day by Valerie Martin
- Dearest Creature by Amy Grestler
- Do Not Deny Me: Stories by Jean Thompson
- Don't Cry:Stories by Mary Gaitskill
- Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada
- Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower
- Family Album by Penelope Lively
- Follow Me by Joanna Scott
- A Gate at the Stairs by Lorri Moore
- Generosity: An Enhancement by Richard Powers
- Half- Broke Horses: A True Life Novel by Jeannette Walls
- How It Ended: New and Collected Stories by Jay McInerney
- In Other Rooms, In Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin
- Invisible by Paul Auster
- Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi by Geoff Dyer
- The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
- Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips
- Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
- The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
- Love and Obstacles: Stories by Aleksander Hemon
- Love and Summer by William Trevor
- The Museum of Innocence by Orham Pamuk
- My Father's Tears: And Other Stories by John Updike
- Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Kazou Ishiguro
- Nothing Right: Short Stories by Antonya Nelson
- Once the Shore: Stories by Paul Yoon
- One DOA, One on the Way by Mary Robison
- Sag Harbour by Colson Whitehead
- A Short History of Women by Kate Walbert
- The Sky Below by Stacey D'Arasmo
- The Song is You by Arthur Phillips
- Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro
- Typhoon by Charles Cumming
- A Village Life by Louise Gluck
- Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
- The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
I have the Nicholson Baker book, but haven't read it yet--I heard him speak and read from it this fall, and it sounded great. Kate Walbert's A Short History of Women was amazing; Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned was pretty good; I really want to read the Valerie Martin book, because I love her other novels, especially Property. Lorrie Moore is always worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteSo I have only read one of these (The Little Stranger) - I need to read more newly published books, obviously. I'm surprised Her Fearful Symmetry wasn't on the list, given how hyped it was.
ReplyDeleteI am reading The Little Stranger now. :)
ReplyDeleteamy - thanks for the recs, I just read your Lorrie Moore review. I've never heard of her before. I think the library has that one, so I'll keep my eye out for it.
ReplyDeletejenny - I liked The Time Traveller's Wife, but I haven't felt any great desire to look for her newest. I liked The Little Stranger, but it wasn't as strong as some of her other books.
kailana - how is it going? I remember needing to talk to someone who had read it after I finished it because I was a bit confused.