My Favorite Books of 2009

These are not in any order other than the order in which I read them. You will find a lot of memoir and short story collections this year.

Rowing Without Oars by Ulla-Carin Lindquist – Lindquist was a well-known TV journalist in Sweden who was stricken by a debilitating, progressive disease. This memoir is about her family and her life through the end of her life. While the subject matter is sad, the manner in which she writes about what she is going through and its effects on her family is moving and up-lifting.

Irina by Irina Baronova – this isn’t for everyone but I was captivated. Baronova was one of Balanchine’s “baby ballerinas” who came to prominence in post-revolutionary Paris during the Golden Age of ballet. She recently died and I learned she had written a memoir, which I just had to have.

Fierce Attachments by Vivian Gornick – a high-charged, startling memoir about growing up in New York with an emotionally challenging mother. It almost felt like I had held my stomach in from tension the whole time I was reading it.

Female Trouble by Antonya Nelson – I gave this short story collection to so many people this year! It’s amazing. I had the great luck to spend a week in Nelson’s workshop at the Napa Valley Writers Conference this summer and listening to her made me appreciate her work all the more (and set me off on a rush of reading lots of short story collections).

The Street by Ann Petry – this is a Harlem Renaissance novel about a single-mother trying to raise her child. Gritty and grabbing. Couldn’t put it down.

Firebird by Mark Doty – an extraordinary memoir about growing up. If I describe it any further it will sound much less powerful than it is.

Safekeeping by Abigail Thomas – Abigail Thomas is a big discovery for me this year. I read her two memoirs (this and “A Three Dog Life”) as well as her book on writing memoir. All are wonderful but I made myself list just one. I chose “Safekeeping” because of its startling use of narrative. I find it inspiring and whenever I am stuck in my own writing I think of this book and sometimes pull it out and read a few pages.

The Best Day The Worst Day by Donald Hall – this memoir is about poet Hall’s relationship with his wife, poet Jane Kenyon, as she dies of cancer. Heart-wrenching and sad and such a wonderful view of a couple in love.

The Last Summer of the World by Emily Mitchell – a World War I novel about the photographer Edward Steichen, who was tasked with photographing battle fields. A big, fun subplot about Auguste Rodin too.

Grant and Twain by Mark Perry – a great book about the friendship between Ulysses Grant and Mark Twain and the story behind the writing and publication of Grant’s memoir. A fun and informative read.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer – don’t know how I missed this when it came out.

Where Did You Sleep Last Night? by Danzy Senna – a memoir about the author’s parents idealistic and short-lived bi-racial marriage in the 60’s and her search to learn more about her father’s family. I saw the author read aloud from her book and then read her novel “Symptomatic” which is also wonderful.

Runaway by Alice Munro – one of the current masters of the short story form.

Going to Meet the Man by James Baldwin – don’t know how I missed this collection of short stories. I pieced them out so that the book would last longer.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett – enjoyed every moment of this. Wonderful as an audiobook.

After Rain by William Trevor – Trevor is such a master. This is a set of short stories. His depiction of the narrow-minded claustrophobia of Irish life is almost too painful to read at times.

Southern Cross by Skip Horack – wonderful short story collection and his first book. I got to hear him speak at the Napa Valley Writers Conference.

For Grace Received by Valeria Parrella – this is a set of short stories by a contemporary Neapolitan writer. Very interesting view of Naples.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov – it was one of my objectives to fill in the Nabokov gap in my reading. I did this as an audiobook, read by Jeremy Irons. Completely chilling.

Gifts of War by Mackenzie Ford – another World War I novel about a man working in intelligence. The book is written under a nom de plume by a well-known historian. A wonderful story and very well-crafted.