ALL-TIME FAVORITES. Favorites by year follow this.
NO GREAT MISCHIEF by Alistair MacLeod
THE PRESIDENT AND THE FROG by Carolina De Robertis
THE BANYAN TREE by Christopher Nolan
THE MOOR’S LAST SIGH by Salman Rushdie
LOST CHILDREN ARCHIVE by Valeria Luiselli
THE RADETZKY MARCH by Joseph Roth
WAVE OF TERROR by Theodore Odrach
THE COWARD’S TALE by Vanessa Gebbie
SLAVES OF SOLITUDE by Patrick Hamilton
PANTHER IN THE BASEMENT by Amos Oz
Short Stories: FIRST PERSON, SINGULAR by Haruki Murakami
and LAST STORIES by William Trevor
Non-fiction: I WILL NEVER SEE THE WORLD AGAIN by Ahmet Altan
IN PURSUIT OF LIFE by Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema
and THE HARE WITH AMBER EYES by Edmund De Waal
FAVORITES for 2022:
INVISIBLE INK by Patrick Modiano, a unique and unforgettable addition to Modiano’s life work
THE PRESIDENT AND THE FROG by Carolina De Robertis
LIFE SENTENCES by Billy O’Callaghan
FIVE TUESDAYS IN WINTER (short stories) by Lily King
THE SENTENCE by Louise Erdrich
BIG RED: A Novel Starring Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles
Most exciting story collections: THAT OLD COUNTRY MUSIC by Kevin Barry
and ANIMAL PERSON by Alexander MacLeod
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FAVORITES FOR 2021:
LEONARD AND HUNGRY PAUL by Rónán Hession (tie)
STILLICIDE by Cynan Jones (tie)
HARLEM SHUFFLE by Colson Whitehead
LOVE AND FURY: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft by Samantha Silva
THE HOUSE ON VESPER SANDS by Paraic O’Donnell
SERGEANT SALINGER by Jerome Charyn
THE ELEPHANT OF BELFAST by S. Kirk Walsh
CATCH THE RABBIT by Lana Bastašić
GAME OF THE GODS by Paolo Maurensig
Most unusual presentation of racial justice story: THE TREES by Percival Everett
Most important historical discovery: THE PASSENGER by Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz
Most intriguing debut novel: DIAMOND HILL by Kit Fan
The most enjoyable and eye-opening story collection I have read in years: FIRST PERSON, SINGULAR by Haruki Murakami
Most psychologically involving classic: IZA’S BALLAD by Magda Szabo
Most emotionally real depiction of national fascism: THE TWILIGHT ZONE by Nona Fernandez
Most effective popular novel: THE PLOT by Jean Hanff Korelitz
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FAVORITES FOR 2020:
THE TURNCOAT by Siegfried Lenz
LOST CHILDREN ARCHIVE by Valeria Luiselli
VIA NEGATIVA by Daniel Hornsby
THE TREASURE OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR by Serge Pey
SCHRÖDINGER’S DOG by Martin Dumont
THE ADVENTURES OF CHINA IRON by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara
THE TEACHER by Michal Ben-Naftali
SERENADE FOR NADIA by Zulfu Livaneli
Most engaging, funny, and fun: LEONARD AND HUNGRY PAUL by Rónán Hession
Most intriguing story based on history: I’M STAYING HERE by Marco Balzano
Most Surprising “Lost” Novel, Recently Discovered: THE TURNCOAT by Siegfried Lenz from 1951.
Short Stories: BLUEBEARD’S FIRST WIFE by Ha Seoong-Nan and EVERYTHING INSIDE by Edwidge Danticat
Best satire and dark humor: FERDINAND: The Man with the Kind Heart by Irmgard Keun
Most creative mystery: SISTERS by Daisy Johnson and THE DRIVER’S SEAT by Muriel Spark
Most surprising Classic Novel: CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Best Biographical Novel: MISS AUSTEN by Gill Hornby
Non-fiction: DRESSED FOR A DANCE IN THE SNOW: Women’s Voices from the Gulag by Monika Zgustova
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FAVORITES FOR 2019:
THROW ME TO THE WOLVES by Patrick McGuinness
A DEVIL COMES TO TOWN by Paolo Maurensig
NIGHT BOAT TO TANGIER by Kevin Barry
THE MAN WHO SAW EVERYTHING by Deborah Levy
SMOKE AND ASHES by Abir Mukherjee
DISAPPEARING EARTH by Julia Phillips
SPRINGTIME IN A BROKEN MIRROR by Mario Benedetti
THE SUBSTITUTION ORDER by Martin Clark
HAPPINESS, AS SUCH by Natalia Ginzburg
THE WILD BOY by Paolo Cognetti
Most Inspiring Book of the Year: I WILL NEVER SEE THE WORLD AGAIN by Ahmet Altan
Best Novella of the Year: SPACE INVADERS by Nona Fernandez
Most Important “Lost Book” of US World War II History: NO-NO BOY by John Okada
Most Surprising Novel from a Little-Heard Country: IT WOULD BE NIGHT IN CARACAS by Karina Sainz Borgo
Most Thought-Provoking Novel (of a Real Nuclear Meltdown): SACRED CESIUM GROUND by Yusuke Kimura
Most Surprising Debut (tie): THE SUN ON MY HEAD by Geovani Martins and THE SECRETS WE KEPT by Lara Prescott
Best Scandinavian Noir (maybe ever): KNIFE by Jo Nesbo
Most Fascinating Autobiography/Biography: UNQUIET by Linn Ullmann
Most Astonishing Collection of Stories (tie): ARID DREAMS by Duanwad Pimwana and MARS by Asja Bakic
Most Unusual Older Book in Translation: LIFE FOR SALE (1968) by Yukio Mishima
Most “Modern” Classic Novel, newly republished: HAPPINESS, AS SUCH by Natalia Ginzburg, 1973
Most Surprising Ending–A PUZZLE FOR FOOLS by Patrick Quentin
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FAVORITES FOR 2018:
(tie) THE SHEPHERD’S HUT by Tim Winton
(tie) LAST STORIES by William Trevor
SLEEP OF MEMORY by Patrick Modiano
INDIAN HORSE by Richard Wagamese
MIDWINTER BREAK by Bernard MacLaverty
(tie) WASHINGTON BLACK by Esi Edugyan
(tie) THERE THERE by Tommy Orange
THE ORDER OF THE DAY by Eric Vuillard
Most unusual “novel” of the year: BORDER DISTRICTS by Gerald Murnane
Most Enlightening Autobiography: GROWING PAINS: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY by artist Emily Carr
Best Mystery: IN A LONELY PLACE by Dorothy B. Hughes
Best Scandinvian Noir: THE DYING DETECTIVE by Leif GW Persson
Most Memorable Story Collections: LAST STORIES by William Trevor and A LUCKY MAN by Jamel Brinkley, two collections, totally different styles.
Most Intriguing Fictionalized Biography: THEORY OF SHADOWS by Paolo Maurensig, the story of chess master Alexandre Alekhine and his death in Spain.
Most Fascinating Non-Fiction Mystery: CONAN DOYLE FOR THE DEFENSE by Margalit Fox
Best Rediscovered Classic: IN BLACK AND WHITE, written in 1928, by Junichiro Tanizaki
Most useful non-fiction: THE RBG WORKOUT: How She Stays Strong and You Can, Too by Bryant Johnson
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FAVORITES FOR 2017:
(tie) Karl Geary–MONTPELIER PARADE
(tie) Mike McCormack–SOLAR BONES
Julie Lekstrom Himes–MIKHAIL AND MARGARITA
Sebastian Barry–DAYS WITHOUT END
Salman Rushdie–THE GOLDEN HOUSE
Josephine Rowe–A LOVING, FAITHFUL ANIMAL
Hendrik Groen–THE SECRET DIARY OF HENDRIK GROEN, 83 1/4 YEARS OLD
Camille Laurens–WHO YOU THINK I AM
Alice McDermott–THE NINTH HOUR
Most surprising: Hiromi Kawakami–THE NAKANO THRIFT SHOP
Most fun to read: Lawrence Block, Editor: IN SUNLIGHT AND IN SHADOW: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper
Best new edition of a 100-year-old novel: Junichiro Tanizaki–DEVILS IN DAYLIGHT
Favorite short story collection: Penelope Lively–THE PURPLE SWAMP HEN
Most interesting experimental novels: Mike McCormack–SOLAR BONES and N. J. Campbell–FOUND AUDIO
Most exciting debut novels: Karl Geary–MONTPELIER PARADE and Ian Bassingthwaighte–LIVE FROM CAIRO
Non-Fiction: Douglas Preston–THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD
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FAVORITES FOR 2016:
Juan Gabriel Vasquez–REPUTATIONS
Max Porter–GRIEF IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS
Richard Hines–NO WAY BUT GENTLENESSE
Thomas Keneally–NAPOLEON’S LAST ISLAND
Juan Gomez Barcena–THE SKY OVER LIMA
Wackiest Literary Novel: Ian McEwan–NUTSHELL
Most Powerful Revived Classic: Magda Szabo–THE DOOR
Most Intriguing Collection of Short Stories: Mai Al-Nakib–THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF OBJECTS
Most Engrossing Non-Fiction: Richard Hines–NO WAY BUT GENTLENESSE. The author, a child at the time, tames a wild hawk, not in the usual way of dominance, but solely with gentleness.
Most Fascinating Biographical Non-Fiction: Ross King–MAD ENCHANTMENT: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies
Most Interesting Fictionalized Story of a Real Event (tie): John Preston–THE DIG, a story of archaeology and the new discoveries regarding the earliest settlers of England, and David Dyer–THE MIDNIGHT WATCH: The Titanic and the Californian, the story of the ship which was closest to the Titanic when it struck and which might have saved hundred of lives, but didn’t.
Most Intriguing Experimental Novels: Max Porter–GRIEF IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS and Yoel Hoffmann–MOODS
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FAVORITES FOR 2015
Patrick Modiano–SUSPENDED SENTENCES
Colum McCann–THIRTEEN WAYS OF LOOKING
David Stacton–JUDGES OF THE SECRET COURT: A Novel About John Wilkes Booth
Valeria Luiselli–THE STORY OF MY TEETH
Richard Wagamese–MEDICINE WALK
Irmgard Keun–THE ARTIFICIAL SILK GIRL
Edward St. Aubyn–LOST FOR WORDS
Chantel Acevedo–THE DISTANT MARVELS
Gail Hareven–LIES, FIRST PERSON
Best Book that Defies Genre: EMBLEMS OF THE PASSING WORLD by Adam Kirsch. Photographs by August Sander (1876 – 1964) inspire Kirsch to write poems to accompany them. Dramatic and insightful.
Newly Republished Classic of the Year: A CAT, A MAN, AND TWO WOMEN by Junichiro Tanizaki–1935
Best Book by a Forgotten Author: THE JUDGES OF THE SECRET COURT by David Stacton
Most Powerful Memoir–Goran Rosenberg–A BRIEF STOP ON THE ROAD FROM AUSCHWITZ
Most Fun–Ellen Meister–DOROTHY PARKER DRANK HERE
Most Important Literary Discoveries: Ernst Haffner–BLOOD BROTHERS and Irmgard Keun–THE ARTIFICIAL SILK GIRL. (Both of these books were published in 1932 – 1933 in Germany, and banned by authorities the following year, with all copies confiscated and destroyed. Copies of both were found in the late 1970s, and they were then reprinted – and now translated.)
Most Insightful Contemporary Short Stories: Colin Barrett–Young Skins, and Jack Livings– THE DOG
Most Exotic Short Stories: Denise Roig–BRILLIANT (set in Abu Dhabi)
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FAVORITES FOR 2014
Bohumil Hrabal–HARLEQUIN’S MILLIONS
Anthony Doerr–ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE
Juan Gabriel Vasquez–THE SOUND OF THINGS FALLING
Valeria Luiselli–FACES IN THE CROWD
Rabih Alameddine–AN UNNECESSARY WOMAN
Richard Flanagan–THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP NORTH
Haruki Murakami–COLORLESS TSUKURU TAZAKI AND HIS YEARS OF PILGRIMAGE
Merethe Lindstrom–DAYS IN THE HISTORY OF SILENCE
Deirdre Madden–TIME PRESENT AND TIME PAST
Jonas T. Bengtsson–A FAIRY TALE
Favorite Novella: Antonio Skarmeta–A DISTANT FATHER
Favorite mysteries: William McIlvanney–LAIDLAW and THE PAPERS OF TONY VEITCH
Most unusual short story collection: Dorthe Nors, KARATE CHOP
Most Important Memoirs: Galsan Tschinag, THE BLUE SKY and THE GRAY EARTH, and Diogo Mainardi, THE FALL
Most Unusual Memoir: Tete-Michel Kpomassie, AN AFRICAN IN GREENLAND
Favorite Classics: Christina Stead–THE LITTLE HOTEL and Elizabeth Taylor–A GAME OF HIDE AND SEEK
Favorite Non-Fiction: Laurel Braitman–ANIMAL MADNESS and Roger Rosenblatt–THE BOY DETECTIVE
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FAVORITES FOR 2013
Anthony Marra–A CONSTELLATION OF VITAL PHENOMENA
Patricio Pron–MY FATHERS’ GHOST IS CLIMBING IN THE RAIN
Rodrigo Rey Rosa–THE AFRICAN SHORE
Kate Southwood–FALLING TO EARTH
Favorite Classics (reissued): Russell Hoban, TURTLE DIARY; Dorothy Baker, YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN; Alfred Hayes, MY FACE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE, Georges Simenon, ACT OF PASSION
Favorite Short Story Collection: Jessica Francis Kane–THIS CLOSE and Kevin Barry–DARK LIES THE ISLAND
Favorite Mystery: Claudia Pineiro, A CRACK IN THE WALL; Jussi Adler-Olsen–A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH and Gene Kerrigan, DARK TIMES IN THE CITY
Outstanding non-fiction: Paul Theroux– LAST TRAIN TO ZONA VERDE
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FAVORITES FOR 2012
Vanessa Gebbie–THE COWARD’S TALE
Robin Sloan–MR. PENUMBRA’S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE
Mahmoud Saeed–THE WORLD THROUGH THE EYES OF ANGELS
Vaddey Ratner–IN THE SHADOW OF THE BANYAN
Louise Erdrich–THE ROUND HOUSE
Georgina Harding–PAINTER OF SILENCE
Elizabeth Jolley–MR. SCOBIE’S RIDDLE
Tan Twan Eng–THE GARDEN OF EVENING MISTS
Patrick McGuinness–THE LAST HUNDRED DAYS
Favorite historical novel: Hilary Mantel–BRING UP THE BODIES
Best Novels with an Unsavory Plot Line: John Banville, ANCIENT LIGHT and PURE by Andrew Miller
Favorite thrillers: Victor del Arbol–THE SADNESS OF THE SAMURAI and Daniel Silva–THE FALLEN ANGEL
Favorite Non-Fiction/Biography: Edmund De Waal, THE HARE WITH AMBER EYES and Timothy Egan, SHORT NIGHTS OF THE SHADOW CATCHER
Favorite Fictionalized Biography: Douglas Savage: A MOUTHFUL OF DUST: A PORTRAIT OF A WRITER IN SEARCH OF HIS OWN RED BADGE OF COURAGE
Most Interesting Short Stories: Mo Yan–SHIFU, YOU’D DO ANYTHING FOR A LAUGH
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FAVORITES FOR 2011
Jamil Ahmad–THE WANDERING FALCON
Julian Barnes–THE SENSE OF AN ENDING
Michael Ondaatje–THE CAT’S TABLE
James Sallis–THE KILLER IS DYING
Sebastian Barry–ON CANAAN’S SIDE
Philip Hensher–KING OF THE BADGERS
Erri De Luca–THE DAY BEFORE HAPPINESS
Henry Sutton–GET ME OUT OF HERE
Special Recognition, Non-Fiction: Steve Sem-Sandberg–THE EMPEROR OF LIES, an important book – a true literary epic – of the people of Lodz, Poland, during the Holocaust
Special Category: Tarek Shahin, RISE, A Story of the Egyptian Revolution (a graphic novel)
Favorite Classics read this year: Paul Bowles–THE SPIDER’S HOUSE and Penelope Lively–MOON TIGER
Favorite Mysteries: Jussi Adler-Olsen–THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES, Jo Nesbo–THE SNOWMAN and Kate Atkinson–STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG
Short Stories: THE ARTIST OF DISAPPEARANCE by Anita Desai
Nonfiction: ON THE STATE OF EGYPT by Alaa Al Aswany
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FAVORITES FOR 2010
IN THE COMPANY OF ANGELS by Thomas E. Kennedy
THE MUSEUM OF INNOCENCE by Orhan Pamuk
QUARTET IN AUTUMN by Barbara Pym (a classic novel)
SMALL KINGDOMS by Anastasia Hobbet
TO HELL WITH CRONJE by Ingrid Winterbach
THE THOUSAND AUTUMNS OF JACOB DE ZOET by David Mitchell
BABY JESUS PAWN SHOP by Lucia Orth
MUNIRA’S BOTTLE by Yousef Al-Mohaimeed
A KIND OF INTIMACY by Jenn Asworth
NOT TO DISTURB by Muriel Spark (a classic novel)
Favorite Mysteries of the Year: WINTERLAND by Alan Glynn and THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST by Stieg Larsson.
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FAVORITES FOR 2009
LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN by Colum McCann
CENSORING AN IRANIAN LOVE STORY by Shahriar Mandanipour
ALL THE LIVING by C. E. Morgan
THE YACOUBIAN BUILDING by Alaa al-Aswany
AMERICAN VISA by Juan de Recacoechea
THE ANTHOLOGIST by Nicholson Baker
THE ACCORDIONIST’S SON by Bernardo Atxaga
THE WINTER VAULT by Anne Michaels
Special recognition: Because of its scale, scope, and historical significance, WAVE OF TERROR by Theodore Odrach (translated by his daughter Erma Odrach) achieves a special place on this list and is now on my list of All-Time Favorites.
Favorite Mystery of the Year: THE SIEGE by Stephen White
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FAVORITES FOR 2008
A CURIOUS EARTH by Gerard Woodward
MRS. PALFREY AT THE CLAREMONT by Elizabeth Taylor
THE LEGAL LIMIT by Martin Clark
THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by Muriel Barbery
A MANUSCRIPT OF ASHES by Antonio Munoz-Molina
WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS by Kate Atkinson
LITTLE CRIMINALS by Gene Kerrigan
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Stieg Larsson
Non-fiction: JANE’S FAME: How Jane Austen Conquered the World by Claire Harman
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FAVORITES FOR 2007
LIONS AT LAMB HOUSE by Edwin Yoder
SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN by Paul Torday
THE UNCOMMON READER by Alan Bennett
A SEASON OF FIRE AND ICE by Lloyd Zimpel
THE GIRL ON THE VIA FLAMINIA by Alfred Hayes, a classic
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SOME FAVORITES FOR 2006
THE INHERITANCE OF LOSS by Kiran Desai
A WOMAN OF JERUSALEM by A. B. Yehoshua
THE CLUB OF ANGELS by Luis Fernando Verissimo
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SOME FAVORITES FOR 2005:
THE WORK OF WOLVES by Kent Meyers
THE SEA by John Banville (on my list of all-time favorites)
THE PAINTED DRUM by Louise Erdrich
BORGES AND THE ETERNAL ORANGUTANS by Luis Fernando Verissimo
LIGHTHOUSEKEEPING by Jeanette Winterson
APRIL FOOL’S DAY by Josip Novakovich
Non-fiction: THIS WAS NOT OUR WAR: Bosnian Women Reclaiming the Peace by Swanee Hunt
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SOME FAVORITES FOR 2004
(Non-fiction) IN PURSUIT OF LIFE by Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema (on the All-Time Favorites list)
THE TYRANT’S NOVEL by Thomas Keneally
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SOME FAVORITES FOR 2003:
WINTERING: A NOVEL OF SYLVIA PLATH by Kate Moses
THE SHADOW WITHOUT A NAME by Ignacio Padilla
GENIUS OF THE SEA by Naeem Murr
