During the next week, I’m going to be posting some recommendations for the best short story collections of 2009, as recommended by various experts (and I do mean experts — got some knowledgeable peeps ready to hold forth).
Until that point, however, I refer you to some of the best-of lists cropping up about town.
For starters, go to The Front Table, which has a top 20 list with a balance between fiction and nonfiction. (by the way, I have seen “Stitches,” the graphic memoir, on about a gazillion best-of lists so far. I predict stratospheric sales).
Short of time? Skylight Books has a heavy-on-the-nonfiction five-minute guide (including the Johnny Cash graphic novel!)
If you want to go to the Goliath of “Top 10” lists, hit up the New York Times. Surprised to see “Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It” by Maile Meloy on the list — a short story collection that wasn’t on my radar. (Also, see The Literary Saloon’s valid complaint on the make-up of the Top 100 list).
Scott Esposito at Conversational Reading first critiques the New York Times list as just reinforcing popular opinion, then offers an anti-Times list — books that didn’t make it but should have.
Paste Magazine is spot-on with its Top 10 debuts of the decade — especially with letting Rivka Galchen’s “Atmospheric Disturbances” lead the pack. All things being equal between Capgras Syndrome novels, I preferred “Atmospheric Disturbances” to Richard Power’s “Echo Maker.”
Of course, check out the always reliable “Year in Reading” from The Millions. The many contributors make for eclectic yet wise selections.
2 comments
“Stitches” is really great. My friends are all for it. I think the New York Times list is the best of the lot.
I like the Paste Magazine selection. Rivka Galchen’s work is superb. For me, Richard Power’s Echo Maker is better. No doubt the compilaer of the Paste Magazine have done good work. This is Diana from Israeli Uncensored News.