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New York Times 100 Notable Books 2006

New York Times 100 Notable Books 2006 names 100 books across 2 categories. 46 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Fiction & Poetry

  1. A Woman in Jerusalem by A. B. Yehoshua, translated by Hillel Halkinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngartsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. After This by Alice McDermottsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Against the Day by Thomas Pynchonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Alentejo Blue by Monica Alisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. All Aunt Hagar's Children by Edward P. Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Apex Hides the Hurt by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Arthur and George by Julian Barnessource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Averno by Louise Glücksource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iwealasource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Black Swan Green by David Mitchellsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Brookland by Emily Bartonsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Collected Poems, 1947-1997 by Allen Ginsbergsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Digging to America by Anne Tylersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Eat the Document by Dana Spiottasource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Everyman by Philip Rothsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Forgetfulness by Ward Justsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Gallatin Canyon by Thomas McGuanesource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Gate of the Sun by Elias Khoury, translated by Humphrey Daviessource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Golden Country by Jennifer Gilmoresource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichiesource (opens in a new tab)
  22. High Lonesome by Joyce Carol Oatessource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Intuition by Allegra Goodmansource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Last Evenings on Earth by Roberto Bolaño, translated by Chris Andrewssource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Lisey's Story by Stephen Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. New and Collected Poems, 1964-2006 by Ishmael Reedsource (opens in a new tab)
  27. Old Filth by Jane Gardamsource (opens in a new tab)
  28. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  29. Only Revolutions by Mark Z. Danielewskisource (opens in a new tab)
  30. Skinner's Drift by Lisa Fugardsource (opens in a new tab)
  31. Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pesslsource (opens in a new tab)
  32. Strong Is Your Hold by Galway Kinnellsource (opens in a new tab)
  33. Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky, translated by Sandra Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  34. Terrorist by John Updikesource (opens in a new tab)
  35. The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel by Amy Hempelsource (opens in a new tab)
  36. The Dead Fish Museum by Charles D'Ambrosiosource (opens in a new tab)
  37. The Dissident by Nell Freudenbergersource (opens in a new tab)
  38. The Dream Life of Sukhanov by Olga Grushinsource (opens in a new tab)
  39. The Echo Maker by Richard Powerssource (opens in a new tab)
  40. The Emperor's Children by Claire Messudsource (opens in a new tab)
  41. The Inhabited World by David Longsource (opens in a new tab)
  42. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desaisource (opens in a new tab)
  43. The Keep by Jennifer Egansource (opens in a new tab)
  44. The Lay of the Land by Richard Fordsource (opens in a new tab)
  45. The Possibility of an Island by Michel Houellebecq, translated by Gavin Bowdsource (opens in a new tab)
  46. The Road by Cormac McCarthysource (opens in a new tab)
  47. The Stories of Mary Gordon by Mary Gordonsource (opens in a new tab)
  48. The Translator by Leila Aboulelasource (opens in a new tab)
  49. The Uses of Enchantment by Heidi Julavitssource (opens in a new tab)
  50. Twilight of the Superheroes by Deborah Eisenbergsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. America at the Crossroads by Francis Fukuyamasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Andrew Carnegie by David Nasawsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. At Canaan's Edge by Taylor Branchsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Ava Gardner by Lee Serversource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sidessource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Blue Arabesque by Patricia Hamplsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Clemente by David Maranisssource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallacesource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbertsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Falling Through the Earth by Danielle Trussonisource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Fiasco by Thomas E. Rickssource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Field Notes from a Catastrophe by Elizabeth Kolbertsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Flaubert by Frederick Brownsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Fun Home by Alison Bechdelsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Happiness by Darrin M. McMahonsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Heat by Bill Bufordsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Iran Awakening by Shirin Ebadisource (opens in a new tab)
  18. James Tiptree, Jr. by Julie Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Jane Goodall by Dale Petersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Kate by William J. Mannsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Lee Miller by Carolyn Burkesource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbricksource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Oracle Bones by Peter Hesslersource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Prisoners by Jeffrey Goldbergsource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Programming the Universe by Seth Lloydsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. Queen of Fashion by Caroline Webersource (opens in a new tab)
  27. Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prosesource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Redemption by Nicholas Lemannsource (opens in a new tab)
  29. Self-Made Man by Norah Vincentsource (opens in a new tab)
  30. State of Denial by Bob Woodwardsource (opens in a new tab)
  31. Strange Piece of Paradise by Terri Jentzsource (opens in a new tab)
  32. Sweet and Low by Rich Cohensource (opens in a new tab)
  33. Temptations of the West by Pankaj Mishrasource (opens in a new tab)
  34. The Afterlife by Donald Antrimsource (opens in a new tab)
  35. The Blind Side by Michael Lewissource (opens in a new tab)
  36. The Courtier and the Heretic by Matthew Stewartsource (opens in a new tab)
  37. The Discomfort Zone by Jonathan Franzensource (opens in a new tab)
  38. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  39. The Great Deluge by Douglas Brinkleysource (opens in a new tab)
  40. The Greatest Story Ever Sold by Frank Richsource (opens in a new tab)
  41. The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wrightsource (opens in a new tab)
  42. The Lost by Daniel Mendelsohnsource (opens in a new tab)
  43. The Most Famous Man in America by Debby Applegatesource (opens in a new tab)
  44. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollansource (opens in a new tab)
  45. The Places in Between by Rory Stewartsource (opens in a new tab)
  46. The United States of Arugula by David Kampsource (opens in a new tab)
  47. The War of the World by Niall Fergusonsource (opens in a new tab)
  48. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egansource (opens in a new tab)
  49. Things I Didn't Know by Robert Hughessource (opens in a new tab)
  50. Uncommon Carriers by John McPheesource (opens in a new tab)

About the New York Times 100 Notable Books

nytimes.com blocks automated fetches, so counts come from archive.nytimes.com (2006-2013) and Wayback Machine snapshots (2014-2024) of each year's NYT page. NYT blocks archiving of the 2025 page; 2025 counts come from the yearendlists.com copy of the list. Categories follow NYT's Fiction & Poetry / Nonfiction grouping (2018-2022 from each book's genre tag). Titles drop subtitles.

Organization: The New York Times. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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