Dec 30

BOTNS Books Podcast #58: Our Favorites (and Yours) of 2009

By Michael Kindness Podcasts Add comments

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Books on the Nightstand, Episode 58 (31:48)

It’s the end of the year, which of course means a “Best of 2009” list. But you’re not only going to get our list, but also the top vote getters in our readers’ poll. Thanks to all 144 of you who voted! Here are the top vote-getters:

1. The Help
2. The Girl Who Played With Fire
3. Catching Fire
4. Cutting for Stone
5. Await Your Reply
6. When You Reach Me
7. Waiting for Columbus
8. Let the Great World Spin
tie:
9. Little Bee
10. A Gate at the Stairs
11. Her Fearful Symmetry

And then, there were two books near the top 11 that were completely not on our radar, but sound fascinating to us: An Irreverent Curiosity by David Farley and Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie.

Now we come to our favorites of the year. They are in no particular order, and the links will take you back to the original discussion of the book.

Michael’s Five Favorite Books of 2009 (plus one!)

Ann’s Five Favorite Books of 2009

Finally, Ann and Michael each discuss a book that got votes on the Best of 2009 poll, that they wish they had gotten a chance to read this year. Michael tells us about A Happy Marriage by Rafael Yglesias and Ann discusses A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick.

(You can listen to the podcast by using the player at the top of this post. If you’re using Internet Explorer, click twice to listen. If your browser does not support javascript, you won’t see the player; click the link below the player to listen, or right-click to download the episode. If you are receiving this post by email and cannot see the player at the bottom of the message, please visit http://www.booksonthenightstand.com to listen)
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We encourage you to write down or print out the title information and shop at your local bookstore. Titles link to LibraryThing, a social networking site that allows you to catalog your home library. LibraryThing also links to various online purchasing options. Here are the books from this post:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Putnam hardcover
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson, Knopf hardcover
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, Scholastic Press hardcover
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, Knopf hardcover
Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon, Ballantine hardcover
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, Wendy Lamb Books hardcover
Waiting for Columbus by Thomas Trofimuk, Doubleday hardcover
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann, Random House trade paperback
Little Bee by Chris Cleave, Simon & Schuster hardcover
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore, Knopf hardcover
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffeneger, Scribner hardcover
An Irreverent Curiosity by David Farley, Gotham hardcover
Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie, Picador trade paperback
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, Delacorte hardcover
Stitches by David Small, Norton hardcover
Beowulf on the Beach by Jack Murnighan, Three Rivers Press trade paperback
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, Knopf Books for Young Readers trade paperback
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist, Other Press trade paperback
A Happy Marriage by Rafael Yglesias, Publisher format
A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick, Algonquin hardcover
(all information is for the U.S. editions).
  • http://www.bostonbibliophile.com Marie

    Loved CUTTING FOR STONE- the best book with the worst title! So glad to see it on the lists! :-)

  • http://www.bostonbibliophile.com Marie

    Loved CUTTING FOR STONE- the best book with the worst title! So glad to see it on the lists! :-)

  • Stan Hynds

    Thanks for a great show. You are part of my Wednesday morning routine. Please keep it up. You two are so good it’s as if…how shall I put it? Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there.
    Know what I mean?

  • Stan Hynds

    Thanks for a great show. You are part of my Wednesday morning routine. Please keep it up. You two are so good it’s as if…how shall I put it? Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there.
    Know what I mean?

  • http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/ Stacy

    Many of these are on my wish lish, but the only one I’ve read is Stitches. Thanks for compiling such an inclusive list :)

  • http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/ Stacy

    Many of these are on my wish lish, but the only one I’ve read is Stitches. Thanks for compiling such an inclusive list :)

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    Marie, Stan and Stacy, thank you!!

    hOh, and Stan: thanks for the laugh. Your words will make me out and out.

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    Marie, Stan and Stacy, thank you!!

    hOh, and Stan: thanks for the laugh. Your words will make me out and out.

  • http://bestsellers.about.com/ ErinCollazoMiller

    ‘Cutting for Stone’ is on my Top 10 list too. It was possibly one of the most underrated books of the year. I hope it gets more attention when it is released in trade paperback.

  • http://bestsellers.about.com/ ErinCollazoMiller

    ‘Cutting for Stone’ is on my Top 10 list too. It was possibly one of the most underrated books of the year. I hope it gets more attention when it is released in trade paperback.

  • http://www.chickwithbooks.blogspot.com Suzy Levin

    Great list of books! I know I voted for The Unit & Little Bee, but I also read Burnt Shadows and enjoyed it very much. Thanks for putting it all together!

  • http://www.chickwithbooks.blogspot.com Suzy Levin

    Great list of books! I know I voted for The Unit & Little Bee, but I also read Burnt Shadows and enjoyed it very much. Thanks for putting it all together!

  • http://pkintheterrarium.blogspot.com/ PK

    A great wrap-up to a great year. So many wonderful choices, lovely to see two of my faves here — CUTTING FOR STONE and THE UNIT. As always, you two do a marvelous job on behalf of the whole community of book lovers. Happy New Year! I’ll be listening in 2010, as always.

  • http://pkintheterrarium.blogspot.com/ PK

    A great wrap-up to a great year. So many wonderful choices, lovely to see two of my faves here — CUTTING FOR STONE and THE UNIT. As always, you two do a marvelous job on behalf of the whole community of book lovers. Happy New Year! I’ll be listening in 2010, as always.

  • http://bfishreads.blogspot.com Beth F

    Interesting lists — I loved Hunger Games and Catching Fire, but for some reason I didn’t list them when I made my top reads list.

    Happy new year!

  • http://bfishreads.blogspot.com Beth F

    Interesting lists — I loved Hunger Games and Catching Fire, but for some reason I didn’t list them when I made my top reads list.

    Happy new year!

  • Shannon

    The Book Thief was by far my favortite book that I read in 2009 also! What a great book, I don’t think I have cried that much over a book since I read The Time Traveler’s Wife. I am really looking forward to reading The Unit also!

    Happy New Year!!

  • Shannon

    The Book Thief was by far my favortite book that I read in 2009 also! What a great book, I don’t think I have cried that much over a book since I read The Time Traveler’s Wife. I am really looking forward to reading The Unit also!

    Happy New Year!!

  • akingman

    Thanks, Shannon, and Happy New Year to you! I hope you love The Unit — it shouldn’t make you cry, but I think you’ll enjoy it.

  • akingman

    Thanks, Shannon, and Happy New Year to you! I hope you love The Unit — it shouldn’t make you cry, but I think you’ll enjoy it.

  • Vanessa

    I loved this list. I contemplated voting and am sorry I didn’t but I rarely read books the year they are published (for a variety of reasons including being too cheap to buy hardbacks.) This gave me lots of ideas for next year tho.

    Despite all of the above however, I have read two of the books on this list thanks to the podcast and about 10 more are on my to read list already.

  • Vanessa

    I loved this list. I contemplated voting and am sorry I didn’t but I rarely read books the year they are published (for a variety of reasons including being too cheap to buy hardbacks.) This gave me lots of ideas for next year tho.

    Despite all of the above however, I have read two of the books on this list thanks to the podcast and about 10 more are on my to read list already.

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    I’m always conflicted about limiting such lists to a year, but I knew that if we didn’t limit it, there would be so many different titles nominated that there just wouldn’t be enough to make a clear list of “winners.”

    We also love paperbacks, and in fact Wednesday’s episode is devoted to books that we love that are coming out in paperback this month.

    Thanks, Vanessa!

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    I’m always conflicted about limiting such lists to a year, but I knew that if we didn’t limit it, there would be so many different titles nominated that there just wouldn’t be enough to make a clear list of “winners.”

    We also love paperbacks, and in fact Wednesday’s episode is devoted to books that we love that are coming out in paperback this month.

    Thanks, Vanessa!

  • Merry

    Happy New Year to BOTNS – you are such a valuable resource and I thank you for keeping me informed on good books to read. The year end wrap up was fantastic, I have made my list of all the books I missed (yes, me too Michael, so many books, so little time, I feel your frustration!). I have been working with the new book index to make book selections and I want you to know it is very helpful, easy to navigatel and a great addition to the site! Keep up the great reviews, suggestions etc… Thank you!

  • Merry

    Happy New Year to BOTNS – you are such a valuable resource and I thank you for keeping me informed on good books to read. The year end wrap up was fantastic, I have made my list of all the books I missed (yes, me too Michael, so many books, so little time, I feel your frustration!). I have been working with the new book index to make book selections and I want you to know it is very helpful, easy to navigatel and a great addition to the site! Keep up the great reviews, suggestions etc… Thank you!

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Michael Kindness

    Thanks for the kind words Merry and we’re thrilled you love the new book index!

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Michael Kindness

    Thanks for the kind words Merry and we’re thrilled you love the new book index!

  • Jim McGeoch

    I am one of your iTunes Podcast listeners. The show is fun and a great learning expeience. Whata concept! What will they think of next, digital books? It’s nice to know that others read and enjoy it.

  • Jim McGeoch

    I am one of your iTunes Podcast listeners. The show is fun and a great learning expeience. Whata concept! What will they think of next, digital books? It’s nice to know that others read and enjoy it.

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    Ha! Thanks, Jim :)

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    Ha! Thanks, Jim :)

  • http://www.ihatebooks.wordpress.com Amanda

    The Book Thief was also my favourite book in 2009. Even better, it was written by a young Australian author. It’s so good to see Australian authors getting recognition on a worldwide scale. I still don’t see how (or why) the book is classed as ‘young adult’ fiction. It was very much an adult read. I loved it. Every moment of it. I rarely re-read books and I just know that I’m going to read the Book Thief again.

    Ps. I’ve just discovered your podcast and I love it! I’ve downloaded lots of episodes and I’ll leave you some positive feedback on ITunes. I live in Alice Springs, Outback Australia, so rest assured that your podcast has a cross-cultural appeal.

  • http://www.ihatebooks.wordpress.com Amanda

    The Book Thief was also my favourite book in 2009. Even better, it was written by a young Australian author. It’s so good to see Australian authors getting recognition on a worldwide scale. I still don’t see how (or why) the book is classed as ‘young adult’ fiction. It was very much an adult read. I loved it. Every moment of it. I rarely re-read books and I just know that I’m going to read the Book Thief again.

    Ps. I’ve just discovered your podcast and I love it! I’ve downloaded lots of episodes and I’ll leave you some positive feedback on ITunes. I live in Alice Springs, Outback Australia, so rest assured that your podcast has a cross-cultural appeal.

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Michael Kindness

    Thanks so much for the kind words Amanda… We have several listeners in Australia and New Zealand… we’ll need to find money in the Books on the Nightstand budget to take a trip down under!

    (In case you couldn’t read between the lines and see the sarcasm, there *isn’t* a Books on the Nightstand budget!)

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Michael Kindness

    Thanks so much for the kind words Amanda… We have several listeners in Australia and New Zealand… we’ll need to find money in the Books on the Nightstand budget to take a trip down under!

    (In case you couldn’t read between the lines and see the sarcasm, there *isn’t* a Books on the Nightstand budget!)

  • http://booksonthenightstand.com/2010/01/when-you-reach-me-newbery-winner.html When You Reach Me… Newbery Winner! | Books on the Nightstand

    [...] Stead’s When You Reach Me was awarded the prestigious Newbery Medal. You may remember that I recently announced this as one of my favorite books of 2009 (it was also #6 on the list of our listeners’ [...]

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