It can't possibly be almost the end of the year, can it? Christmas shopping is in progress.In that spirit there's a list of top reads from the past year after the jump, in no particular order other than abecedarian, arranged by type.
If you're still hungry for selections and suggestions after trawling through mine, there are other lists, by other people, covering all five (six?) Readings stores and beyond. And there's a very comprehensive US/international roundup at The Millions, of course. I might not be back for a little while, as there's plenty of good book news around - follow the blogs here (scroll down for the feeds) and you won't be bored.
What I want for Christmas: Peter Carey's Parrot and Olivier, Lorrie Moore's A Gate at the Stairs, botanical prints I've had framed, which will be ready to pick up next Friday, a bottle of brandy and a month's supply of Zero lemonade.
AND...safe holidays for everyone.
Novels
Auster, Paul. The Book Of Illusions
Castro, Brian. The Bath Fugues
Conte, Steve. The Zookeeper's War
Coetzee, J.M. Disgrace
Fitzgerald, Penelope. The Blue Flower
Hyland, M. J. This Is How
Kennedy, Cate. The World Beneath
Lalami, Laila. Secret Son
Leigh, Julia. The Hunter
__________. Disquiet
Malouf, David. An Imaginary Life
Mills, Jennifer. The Diamond Anchor
Murnane, Gerald. The Plains (preferred this, on the whole, to Barley Patch, which was nonetheless also intriguing.)
Nowra, Louis. Ice
Perkins, Emily. Novel About My Wife
Roth, Philip. Indignation
Toibin, Colm. Brooklyn
Valmorbida, Elise. The TV President
Short Stories (individual authors, discontinuous narratives and anthologies)
Amsterdam, Steve. Things We Didn't See Coming
Ford, Richard. Rock Springs
Le, Nam. The Boat
Poetry
Aitken, Adam. Eighth Habitation
Beveridge, Judith. Storm and Honey
Clemens, Justin. Villain
Curnow, Nathan. The Ghost Poetry Project
Middleton, Kate. Fire Season
Porter, Dorothy. Akhenaten
____________The Bee Hut
Literary biography
Boey, Kim Cheng. Between Stations
Juers, Evelyn. House Of Exile
Kefala, Antigone. Sydney Journals
Biography and travel
Andrews, Julie. Home
Cummings, Stephen. Will It Be Funny Tomorrow, Billy?
Dempster, Lisa. Neon Pilgrim
Martin, Steve. Born Standing Up (almost qualifies as a literary bio because he is a very smart guy. As well as being wild and crazy.)
Non-fiction NOS (Not Otherwise Specified)
Garner, Helen. True Stories
Fitzgerald, Penelope. A House Of Air: Selected Writings
The naughties weren't very naughty, were they? Happy holidays and come back soon. I hope you get the brandy.
Posted by: Meredith | December 12, 2009 at 03:52 PM
HEH, not so naughty at all. I might go and get some brandy tomorrow, for the pudding as well as myself. Happy Christmas, Meredith.
Posted by: genevieve | December 12, 2009 at 04:08 PM
Hope you had a lovely Christmas, genevieve! :)
Posted by: CW | December 27, 2009 at 10:42 AM
I don't know why but I'm really struggling to fully take it in. Another decade almost over. Y2K to GFC. I suppose that's right, but my head's spinning. I'm going to try to take my time on the next one.
Posted by: Alec Patric | December 28, 2009 at 05:41 PM
Heh, the first Google result for GFC was Geelong Football Club. It's official, I have been drinking the brandy.
I did have a lovely Christmas, thank you, CW, and am kicking back with some suitably readerly gifts - Carey, (Lorrie) Moore, Hitchcock (that's Dr. Karen, not the director). And was blown away by John Adams on SBS last night - the decor, the ambience, the scholarly attention to detail. Magnificent stuff.
Alec, I agree fully about the next ten...OWWW. I bought a Who mag to share with my daughter and found the roundup rather overwhelming. Is it foolish to remark that maybe we have too much information?
Posted by: genevieve | December 28, 2009 at 05:55 PM