Usually at this time of the year various newspapers, media, and blogs release their Best of 2009 Lists. I am modifying that slightly. Because much of the literature that I read is not always current, I will simply post books that I have encountered this year that have stood out for me.
This could mean an older author and work like Graham Greene's A Gun for Sale or something new such as Colson Whitehead's Sag Harbor. Either way these are books that I have encountered in 2009 that stood out for me.
I'll also link to my individual book reviews for each of those books should you become interested and require more specific commentary. Some of the reviews will link back to my old blog 'ahems and ahahs'. In no particular order or ranking, enjoy.
The Debt to Pleasure by John Lancaster If I could sum up this work in one word it would be: wicked. The book follows Tarquin Winot a gourmand in the truest sense of the world and his various views on food, wine, and the finer things in life. A very pleasant mystery blended with some of the most amazing descriptions of gourmet food I've ever read.
Zot! by Scott McCloud A graphic novel with a hero that comes from the 'golden age' of comics. A bit corny and sentimental about doing the 'right thing' and always 'being true to yourself' combined with some interesting social commentary on commercialism, feminism, & teenage sexuality. It's full of adventure and humor. Check it out.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy One of the most gripping stories I've read all year. I finished this in three or four days, to use a non-word "unputdownable!" A story of a father and a son in a post-apocalyptic waste land struggling to survive. That is all you really need to know. The film is set to release soon, so check it out if you can.
Lush Life by Richard Price This is a hard-boiled detective/crime novel. Set in the heart of New York City, a single crime is examined from the ground up and that includes all of the paperwork, beaurocracy, & politics when a family is shattered by an act of violence. As the hunt for the killer ensues Price examines the way family life and street life collide with one another. If you're a fan of HBO's The Wire you should check this out, Price helped create that show as well.
The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann I somehow missed reviewing this book as a separate post. This is an old school adventure biography set at the turn of the 19th century. British explorer Percy Fawcett disappeared in 1925 during an expedition to find a legendary Amazon city 'Z'. The story is told by David Grann a New York journalist who ventured into the Amazon himself to investigate the circumstances surrounding this disappearance. Part biography and part travel literature, this is a fun story about a time when the world still had dark spots on the maps. You'll be interested to know that this story has been picked up for filming and will star Brad Pitt. This was a very pleasant distraction.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman Neil Gaiman is as close to a true renaissance man as we will ever get in the times that we live. He is a writer, journalist, blogger, and producer of film, television, radio, internet, and literature. Try and name a medium he has not yet tackled and dominated. This urban fantasy novel follows Shadow a recently released inmate who soon finds himself wrapped up in a world that just doesn't make sense any longer. Travelling with people who seem to defy imagination and wield powers the likes of which he has never dreamed. I would share more but it gives far too much away, just take my word and read it.
Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 8:29PM 
Owen Pallett - Heartland
Beach House - Teen Dream
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