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ALL-TIME FAVORITES.   Favorites by year follow this.

NO GREAT MISCHIEF by Alistair MacLeod

THE PRESIDENT AND THE FROG by Carolina De Robertis

IRONWEED by William Kennedy

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

TROUBLES by J. G. Farrell

THE COWARD’S TALE by Vanessa Gebbie

SLAVES OF SOLITUDE by Patrick Hamilton

PANTHER IN THE BASEMENT by Amos Oz

THE SEA by John Banville

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

NO-NO BOY by John Okada

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

THE FALLEN by Carlos Alvarez

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

TRUST by Domenico Starnone

THE ELEPHANT OF BELFAST by S. Kirk Walsh

CATCH THE RABBIT by Lana Bastašić

TRIO by William Boyd

THE PROMISE by Damon Galgut

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:

SHADOWPLAY by Joseph O’Connor

THE TURNCOAT by Siegfried Lenz

A BURNING by Megha Majumdar

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

and A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell

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FAVORITES FOR 2019:

SARAH JANE by James Sallis

THROW ME TO THE WOLVES by Patrick McGuinness

A DEVIL COMES TO TOWN by Paolo Maurensig

YOUNG ONCE by Patrick Modiano

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 

A LUCKY MAN by Jamel Brinkley

SMALL COUNTRY by Gael Faye

MIDWINTER BREAK by Bernard MacLaverty

WARLIGHT by Michael Ondaatje

LOVE IS BLIND by William Boyd

COVE by Cynan Jones

(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

Amos Oz–JUDAS

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

Ya’a Gyasi–THE HOMEGOING

Fay Weldon–BEFORE THE WAR

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-FictionDouglas Preston–THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD

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FAVORITES FOR 2016:

Juan Gabriel Vasquez–REPUTATIONS

Javier Cercas–OUTLAWS

Patrick Modiano–LITTLE JEWEL

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

Anne Enright–THE GREEN ROAD

Louise Erdrich-LAROSE

Christopher Nicholson–WINTER

Joan London–THE GOLDEN AGE

Wackiest Literary Novel:  Ian McEwan–NUTSHELL

Most Powerful Revived Classic:  Magda Szabo–THE DOOR

Most Intriguing Collection of Short StoriesMai 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

Per Petterson–I REFUSE

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

Colin Barrett–YOUNG SKINS

Helen Macdonald–H IS FOR HAWK

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

Jane Smiley–SOME LUCK

Jonas T. Bengtsson–A FAIRY TALE

Donal Ryan–THE SPINNING HEART

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

Kate Atkinson–LIFE AFTER LIFE

Anthony Marra–A CONSTELLATION OF VITAL PHENOMENA

Patricio Pron–MY FATHERS’ GHOST IS CLIMBING IN THE RAIN

Rodrigo Rey Rosa–THE AFRICAN SHORE

Fay Weldon–KEHUA!

Hitomi Kawakami–THE BRIEFCASE

Zachary Karabashliev–18% GRAY

Dan Vyleta–THE CROOKED MAID

Jhumpa Lahiri–THE LOWLAND

Jaspreet Singh–HELIUM

Colum McCann–TRANSATLANTIC

Laleh Khadivi–THE WALKING

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

Dan Vyleta–THE QUIET TWIN

Kim Scott–THAT DEADMAN DANCE

Louise Erdrich–THE ROUND HOUSE

Santiago Gamboa–NECROPOLIS

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

Rana Dasgupta–SOLO

James Sallis–THE KILLER IS DYING

Sebastian Barry–ON CANAAN’S SIDE

Philip Hensher–KING OF THE BADGERS

Louise Dean–THE OLD ROMANTIC

Evelio Rosero–GOOD OFFICES

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

FAME by Daniel Kehlmann

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

TURBULENCE by Giles Foden

NOT TO DISTURB by Muriel Spark (a classic novel)

CHEF by Jaspreet Singh

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

LOWBOY by John Wray

THE YACOUBIAN BUILDING by Alaa al-Aswany

AMERICAN VISA by Juan de Recacoechea

THE ANTHOLOGIST by Nicholson Baker

LONG DIVISION by Andrea Cohen

GENEROSITY by Richard Powers

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 YearTHE 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

A MERCY by Toni Morrison

THE LEGAL LIMIT by Martin Clark

THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by Muriel Barbery

A MANUSCRIPT OF ASHES by Antonio Munoz-Molina

THE REDBREAST by Jo Nesbo

KARNAK CAFE by Naguib Mahfouz

WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS by Kate Atkinson

LITTLE CRIMINALS by Gene Kerrigan

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO  by Stieg Larsson

Non-fictionJANE’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

GRUB by Elise Blackwell

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

THE TORTOISES by Veza Canetti

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SOME FAVORITES FOR 2006

THE INHERITANCE OF LOSS by Kiran Desai

A WOMAN OF JERUSALEM by A. B. Yehoshua

THEFT by Peter Carey

OLD FILTH by Jane Gardam

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)

SMALL ISLAND by Andrea Levy

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-fictionTHIS 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 MASTER by Colm Toibin

THE TYRANT’S NOVEL by Thomas Keneally

SNOW by Orhan Pamuk

THE DOUBLE by Jose Saramago

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SOME FAVORITES FOR 2003:

DANCER by Colum McCann

WINTERING: A NOVEL OF SYLVIA PLATH by Kate Moses

THE SHADOW WITHOUT A NAME by Ignacio Padilla

GENIUS OF THE SEA by Naeem Murr

KARTOGRAPHY by Kamila Shamsie

 

 

 

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