best of 2011: year’s end

Yes, I know there’s some time left. Perhaps I will add to this if the final weeks change anything, but I wanted to get this up with some time to spare, and maybe inspire you to share YOUR best books of the year! In no particular order, I give you the best books I read in 2011.

Those published in 2011:

• Dethroning the King, Julie Macintosh. Nonfiction.
• Fire Season, Philip Connors. Nonfiction.
• The Heroine’s Bookshelf, Erin Blakemore. Nonfiction.
• The Paris Wife, Paula McLain. Fiction.
• Hemingway’s Boat, Paul Hendrickson. Nonfiction.
• The Barbarian Nurseries, Héctor Tobar. Fiction.
• The Great Night, Chris Adrian. Fiction.
• Clara and Mr. Tiffany, Susan Vreeland. Fiction.
• The Story of Beautiful Girl, Rachel Simon. Fiction.
• Turn of Mind, Alice LaPlante. Fiction.
• Once Upon a River, Bonnie Jo Campbell. Fiction.

Those published previous to 2011:

• The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson. Nonfiction.
• Main Street, Sinclair Lewis. Fiction.
• Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier. Fiction.
• Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut. Fiction.
• In Cold Blood, Truman Capote. (Non)Fiction ??
• Some Tame Gazelle, Barbara Pym. Fiction.
• Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead, Barbara Comyns. Fiction.
• We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson. Fiction.
• Kushiel’s Dart, Jacqueline Carey. Fiction.

I’m so glad to know such great recommenders!! Thomas sent me a copy of Some Tame Gazelle as a prize for having cute dogs, and Simon recommended Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead. My editor at Shelf Awareness, Marilyn, assigned me Hemingway’s Boat and The Barbarian Nurseries. Raych doesn’t know it but she inspired me to read Rebecca, and a series of blogs influenced me to finally get around to In Cold Blood and We Have Always Lived in the Castle (I’m sorry I can’t remember who you all are… but you made a difference!). And finally, Amy has recommended several great books to me this year, most notably Kushiel’s Dart. Thank you all so much; you make it all worthwhile!

So how about it? Please tell me you have a best-of post to come, hmmm? Post a link here so we can all share around. And thanks for the recommendations! 🙂