Kyle's Top Ten Books of 2009

Last year I posted a "best of" book list that cheated a little. It included 17 "notable" books and the books weren't necessarily published in 2008--I just had to have read them in 2008. This year I've decided just to make a list of my ten 10 faves published during 2009. On the list are three Danish novels that I really enjoyed, one collection of stories, one novella, a novel-in-stories (if you can call it that), some English-language novels, and one work of nonfiction.

A note about this list: I didn't assign any order. I don't like rankings, particularly ones that are subjective in nature, and the judgment of books is always subjective.  And yes, the list no doubt reflects my tastes to a degree.

The list:

Julia Butschkow, Apropos Opa

Jakob Ejersbo, Eksil (Exile)

Matt Bell, The Collectors
Sherman Alexie, War Dances
Simon Fruelund, Verden og Varvara (The World and Varvara)
Jayne Anne Phillips, Lark & Termite
Dylan Landis, Normal People Don't Live Like This
China Mieville, The City and the City
Richard Powers, Generosity: An Enhancement
Dennis Drabelle, Mile High Fever: Silver Mines, Boom Towns, and High Living on the Comstock Lode