Top Ten Books I Read in 2009

I'm gonna give you two lists, actually. The books listed do not necessarily have a 2009 publication date and are listed in no particular order.

Top Five Fiction

1. American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell- An excellent collection of short stories about Michiganders living on the fringe, trying to love and be loved in the midst of their shitty lives.

2. Clockers by Richard Price- The other side of the American dream. If you like The Wire, you'll love Price, but then again, if you like The Wire, you should already know Price.

3. Suttree by Cormac McCarthy- Roger Ebert considers this McCarthy's masterpiece and I'm inclined to agree. Dark, sad, funny, and contains some of the most beautiful passages I have read in the English language.

4. Pastoralia by George Saunders- Reading Saunders for the first time is the reason I keep looking for new writers. A brilliant collection of short stories full of grace, humor, and sorrow.

5. Oblivion by David Foster Wallace- I'd been putting off reading this collection, but it was everything I'd hope it would be. Classic Wallace though displays him evolving as well. Some of his funniest and saddest work.

Top Five Non-Fiction

1. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers- Eggers continues to push American letters into new realms. A devasting, frustrating, frequently hopeful look at the mess that was Hurricane Katrina.

2. Comfortably Numb by Charles Barber- An eye-opening look at Depression, SSRI's, and slimy Big Pharma.

3. Among the Thugs by Bill Buford- Oh, Buford, where have you been all my life? This book about English football supporters, explores the consciousness of the crowd from the front lines. Brave, insightful, disturbing, and funny as hell.

4. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan- Not much more needs to be said about this much beloved dissection of the contemporary American diet. It changed my diet (for now).

5. Smoke and Mirrors by Dan Baum- I haven't finished this quite yet, but I can already tell it deserves to be on this list. The history of the War on Drugs. Astonishingly detailed and well researched.

Honorable Mentions

Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
2666 by Roberto Bolano
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
With by Donald Harington
Acme Novelty #19 by Chris Ware
Elegant Complexity by Greg Carlisle