December 31, 2009
In this issue:
Best Books of
2009, compiled by the Watermark Staff.
Holiday
hours.
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The year-end
issue of News & Notes is always my favorite... because I don't have to write
anything!
As in years
past, I've asked the staff to send me their favorite reads of 2009. Some
were published during the year, some were published decades ago. The key was
they were to have read them during 2009. I warned the staff that I would
publish their lists exactly as they sent them to me, typos and all, because
to make them uniform would be like trying to force everyone to read and like
the same books. Instead, the lists are as unique as the readers.
If you'd like to
see what we read all year, check out our reading pages.
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/staffpicks.html And for our favorites...
here are the lists, presented to you in order of years of service. Enjoy.
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Top Ten Books of 2009:
Bruce Jacobs
1. "Jeff in
Venice, Death in Varansi" by Geoff Dyer. Funny, thought-provoking,
structurally innovative, and well worth the trip.
2. "The
Anthologist" by Nicholson Baker. When you enter Baker's world, you find
a world you never knew you knew or wanted to know.
3. "The
Selected Works of T. S. Spivet" by Reif Larsen. The tale of a modern
Huck Finn traveling east with a sketchbook and an open mind.
4. "American
Rust" by Phillip Meyer.
5. "As They See
'Em" by Bruce Weber
6. "The Letters
of Samuel Beckett: 1920-1940" edited by Fehsenfield and Overbeck.
7. "This Wicked
World" by Richard Lange
8. "Everything
Matters" by Ron Currie, Jr.
9. "Exiles in
the Garden" by Ward Just.
10. "Book of
Clouds" by Chloe Aridjis.
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Sarah Bagby
I looked over my
reading list, and here are my favorites—as least as I look today.
"A Gate at the
Stairs" by Lorrie Moore.
"Homer and
Langley" by E.L. Doctorow.
"Brooklyn"
by Colm Toibin.
"In the Kitchen"
by Monica Ali.
"The Woman
Behind the New Deal" by Kristin Downey.
"Sag Harbor"
by Colson Whitehead.
"Pops" by Terry
Teachout (I'm on page 100 and am completely enjoying this book).
"Moby-Dick" by
Herman Melville.
For a pleasure
read:
"Juliet, Naked"
by Nick Hornby.
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Todd Robins
Kate
Christensen's novel "The Epicure's Lament" is in the running for my
best books of the decade list. In addition, the authors in the top six spots
accomplished something by edging out Jim Carroll's diaries: "Forced Entries"
is a stylish and witty book.
1. "The
Epicure's Lament" by Kate Christensen.
2. "Johnny
One-Eye: A Tale of the American Revolution" by Jerome Charyn.
3. "How It
Ended: New and Collected Stories" by Jay McInerney.
4. "Casanova:
Actor Lover Priest Spy" by Ian Kelly.
5. "Giordano
Bruno: Philosopher Heretic" by Ingrid D. Rowland.
6. "Inherent
Vice" by Thomas Pynchon.
7. "Forced
Entries: The Downtown Diaries 1971-1973" by Jim Carroll.
8. "Shadow And
Light" by Jonathan Rabb.
9. "The
Evolution of Shadows" by Jason Quinn Malott.
10. "Cowboys
Full: The Story of Poker" by James McManus.
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Beth Golay
Sarah was
sitting in my office while I looked over my reading page. I kept saying,
"Yeah, I think that one would have made my list if I'd finished it." It
became such a recurring theme, and we were laughing too much, I decided to
come up with my list later, after I had a few more finishes.
Well, I don't
have any more finishes, so here goes.
Top picks:
"Cutting for
Stone" by Abraham Verghese.
"Homer &
Langley" by E.L. Doctorow.
"Mudbound" by
Hillary Jordan.
"Netherland" by
Joseph O'Neill.
"Olive
Kitteridge" by Elizabeth Strout.
Honorable
mentions:
"Middlesex" by
Jeffrey Eugenides.
"That Old Cape
Magic" by Richard Russo.
"American Wife"
by Curtis Sittenfeld.
"All the Sad
Young Literary Men" by Keith Gessen.
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Mark David Bradshaw
It's that
stretch of the year when one wants little else than an armchair and an
absorbing, transporting book. These five 2009 favorites are perfect
midwinter reads:
1. "Janissary Tree: An
Investigator Yashim Mystery" by Jason Goodwin.
Set in 1830s Istanbul, this rich mystery slips
into the sultan's court and harem, through the ranks of the fabled Janissary
corps, and past all defenses to delight and bewitch readers. It's the best
mystery I've read this year, a must-read for fans of R. N. Morris's St.
Petersburg mysteries "The Gentle Axe" and "A Vengeful Longing." Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0509-010.html
2. "The Case of the Missing
Servant: A Vish Puri Investigation" by Tarquin Hall.
Charming, funny, and vibrant, this mystery set
in modern-day Delhi introduces a fun cast and a lovable central sleuth,
India's "most private investigator." If you like "The Sweetness at the
Bottom of the Pie" or "The Marriage Bureau for Rich People" (two of my other
favorite picks from this year) you have to take this one for a spin!
Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0709-002.html
3. "The Enchanted April" by
Elizabeth von Arnim.
Reading "Miss
Pettigrew Lives For a Day" led me to this 1920s charmer, the basis for a
completely lovely movie from the 1990s: Four Englishwomen meet on a cold,
rainy London day (sound familiar?) and decide to rent a sun-filled Italian
castle for one glorious, flowered month. This is a novel that reminds us
what joy feels like, what it means to be happy, and what friendships are
for.
Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0409-005.html
4. "I Capture the Castle" by
Dodie Smith.
Another
half-forgotten classic novel, this time from the 1940s: Two sisters and
their family inhabit a crumbling castle in the English countryside, where
they read and write and dream of better days. When two eligible Americans
move in down the road, one sister becomes convinced that their fortunes have
changed for the good. This is a beautiful, timeless story of waking up to
the world, and you will love it! Give it to teenagers, too, and fans of Jane
Austen.
Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0609-004.html
5. "The Book of William" by
Paul Collins.
This biography
of a book is my favorite non-fiction read of 2009: Collins follows the
printing and afterlife of Shakespeare's magnum opus, the First Folio that
collected nearly all his plays and preserved them for the ages. The story is
terrifically readable and filled with vivid characters: Avid collectors,
shameless forgers, passionate treasure hunters, and the man who claimed to
be Shakespeare's son all make an appearance.
Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0709-013.html
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Anne Frey
1. "Let the
Northern Lights Erase Your Name" by Vendela Vida.
2. "City of
Thieves" by David Benioff.
3. "The
Gargoyle" by Andrew Davidson.
4. "The
Consequences of Love" by Sulaiman Addonia.
5. "The
Opposite of Love" by Julie Buxbaum.
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Rebekah Rine
Rebekah's
Favorites of 2009:
"The Great
Perhaps" and "The Boy Detective Fails" both by Joe Meno. I just
discovered Meno this year, and I like the cut of his jib. He has about a
dozen books out, so I'm looking forward to reading more.
"The Selected
Works of T.S. Spivet" by Reif Larsen. A really creative, great story - I
loved everything about this book.
"The
Evolution of Shadows" by Jason Quinn Malott. Not just an obligatory
inclusion, this is one of the best books I read this year (and last year,
and the year before... I've read it a few times).
"Homer &
Langley" by E.L. Doctorow. This one is really great.
"There Once
Lived a Woman Who Tried to Kill Her Neighbor's Baby: Scary Fairy Tales" by
Ludmilla Petrushevskaya. I got this book for Christmas, and it's already
made my favorites list.
-
Sue Najim
Here they are,
in no particular order:
"The Book of
Unholy Mischief" by Elle Newmark.
"Vanished Smile"
by R.A. Scotti.
"The Marriage
Bureau for Rich People" by Farahad Zama.
"Baking Cakes in
Kigali by Gail Parkin.
"The Case of the
Missing Servant" by Tarquin Hall.
"The Sweetness
at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley.
"Stone's Fall"
Ian Pears.
"One Nation
Under Dog" by Michael Schaffer.
"The Fourth Part
of the World" by Toby Lester.
Anything by
Christopher Fowler: The Peculiar Crimes Unit Series.
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Shelly Walston
From 1 to 10,
here's my list:
"The Elegance of the
Hedgehog" by Muriel Barbery.
One of the most
beautifully written books I've EVER read. It's luxurious and so very
touching. It reads like a foreign film. If you're looking for beautiful
prose, contemplation of the big questions in life, and a lovely story about
unsuspecting friendships, The Elegance of the Hedgehog should be moved to
the top of your reading list. And if you're looking for a taste of what this
novel has to offer, read pages 105-106. Finally, for those of you who
participated in the War and Peace Challenge, this novel is an even more
delightful treat; there are several nods to Tolstoy throughout!
"Juliet, Naked" by Nick
Hornby.
Not only is this
one of my signed first editions, but it's a GREAT new addition to Hornby's
classics. I'm a sucker for music and relationships, and this book's got
both--and both are done so very well.
"The Song is You" by Arthur
Phillips.
Another great
book about music and relationships. An excellent pairing with Hornby's
"Juliet, Naked."
"City of Thieves" by David
Benioff.
Different from
my "standard" reading taste, this novel is not a typical retelling of
history. Witty and fun, this book opened my eyes to historical fiction for
the year. Great. Grand. Ochen horosho!
"Beat the Reaper" by Josh
Bazell.
This novel is
gritty and not for the faint of heart. Peter Brown is fully capable of
saving lives, but the opposite is also true. Beat the Reaper is a tale of
opposites and dichotomies, a story of attempted salvation and dirty
double-crossing. It's also a strong first-person narrative worth your time
if you like fast-paced mystery and sometimes abrasive detail and dialogue.
'
"Downtown Owls" by Chuck
Klosterman.
A novel of
different perspectives, Downtown Owl captures the lives of various
characters in Owl, North Dakota. This book is sarcastic, biting, and real.
The teachers are hated by the students, the students daydream about
sleeping, and life is revealed as lack-luster, yet the novel is anything but
cliché. There are glorious turns of phrase, and such memorable moments that
I have found myself laughing and crying out loud on numerous occasions. Why
didn't I read this sooner?
"How the Soldier Repairs the
Gramophone" by Sasa Stanisic.
Everyone in our
Longitude Book Club LOVED this novel, especially the youthful voice of
Alexsandr, the protagonist. He's innocent and insightful, funny and
intelligent. He sees his world with a clarity that locates beautiful moments
amid the tragedy of war. Such memorable characters! A real treat. (And
anyone who loves "How the Soldier Repairs the Gramaphone" should try
Jonathan Safron Foer's "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.")
"Man in the Dark" by Paul
Auster.
My first signed
first edition. I'd never read Auster before, and I found myself racing to
the end of this suspenseful novel, hoping that my predictions regarding the
fate of the protagonist were wrong. Entertaining to the max, with such great
voice!
"Let
the Northern Lights Erase Your Name" by Vendela Vida.
A beautifully
written quest novel, Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name is the story of
Clarissa's journey to discover her past. Set in Finland's Lapland region,
this is something different but still universal.
"White Tiger" by Aravind
Adiga.
It reminds me of
Slumdog Millionnaire, but perhaps even grittier.
-
Taylor Jones---
1. "A House for
Mr. Biswas" by V.S. Naipaul.
2. "The
Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present" by
Pitchfork.
3. "Appointment
in Samarra" by John O'Hara.
The others:
"Open: An
Autobiography" by Andre Agassi.
"America in the
Gilded Age: From the Death of Lincoln to the Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" by
Sean Dennis Cashman.
"My Ántonia" by
Willa Cather.
"Michelangelo
Antonioni: The Complete Films" by Seymour Chatman.
"The Shadow Box:
A Drama in Two Acts" by Michael Cristofer.
"Beloved" by
Toni Morrison.
"The Stuff of
Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature" by Steven Pinker.
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Christine Young
1. "Fragile
Eternity" Melissa Marr.
2. "Songs for
the Missing" Stewart O'Nan.
3. '"Paper
Towns" John Greene.
4. "Sunshine"
Robin McKinely.
5. "Same Kind of
Different As Me" Ron Hall & Denver Moore.
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We close at 3:00
p.m. today, and we're closed tomorrow. But we'll be here bright and early on
Saturday to help you fulfill that reading resolution!
Later.
Beth
