Best Books of the Year
Menu

The New York Times

New York Times 100 Notable Books 2009

New York Times 100 Notable Books 2009 names 100 books across 2 categories. 41 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Fiction & Poetry

  1. A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Mooresource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Short History of Women by Kate Walbertsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. A Village Life by Louise Glücksource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Amateur Barbarians by Robert Cohensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. American Rust by Philipp Meyersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchellisource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Await Your Reply by Dan Chaonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloysource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Chronic City by Jonathan Lethemsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Dearest Creature by Amy Gerstlersource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Do Not Deny Me by Jean Thompsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Don’t Cry by Mary Gaitskillsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada, translated by Michael Hofmannsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Towersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Family Album by Penelope Livelysource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Follow Me by Joanna Scottsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Generosity by Richard Powerssource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Wallssource (opens in a new tab)
  19. How it Ended by Jay McInerneysource (opens in a new tab)
  20. In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddinsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Invisible by Paul Austersource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi by Geoff Dyersource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCannsource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Love and Obstacles by Aleksandar Hemonsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. Love and Summer by William Trevorsource (opens in a new tab)
  27. My Father’s Tears by John Updikesource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishigurosource (opens in a new tab)
  29. Nothing Right by Antonya Nelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  30. Once the Shore by Paul Yoonsource (opens in a new tab)
  31. One D.O.A., One on the Way by Mary Robisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  32. Sag Harbor by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  33. The Anthologist by Nicholson Bakersource (opens in a new tab)
  34. The Art Student’s War by Brad Leithausersource (opens in a new tab)
  35. The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein by Peter Ackroydsource (opens in a new tab)
  36. The Confessions of Edward Day by Valerie Martinsource (opens in a new tab)
  37. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolversource (opens in a new tab)
  38. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waterssource (opens in a new tab)
  39. The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk, translated by Maureen Freelysource (opens in a new tab)
  40. The Sky Below by Stacey D’Erasmosource (opens in a new tab)
  41. The Song Is You by Arthur Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  42. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwoodsource (opens in a new tab)
  43. Too Much Happiness by Alice Munrosource (opens in a new tab)
  44. Typhoon by Charles Cummingsource (opens in a new tab)
  45. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantelsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. A Country of Vast Designs by Robert W. Merrysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Fiery Peace in a Cold War by Neil Sheehansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. A Paradise Built in Hell by Rebecca Solnitsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Ayn Rand and the World She Made by Anne C. Hellersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Born Round by Frank Brunisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Cheever by Blake Baileysource (opens in a new tab)
  7. City Boy by Edmund Whitesource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Closing Time by Joe Queenansource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Cold by Bill Streeversource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Columbine by Dave Cullensource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Cowboys Full by James McManussource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Dancing in the Dark by Morris Dicksteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Dorothea Lange by Linda Gordonsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Empire of Liberty by Gordon S. Woodsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Flannery by Brad Goochsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Fordlandia by Greg Grandinsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Hiding Man by Tracy Daughertysource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Horse Soldiers by Doug Stantonsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. In Fed We Trust by David Wesselsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Lit by Mary Karrsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Lords of Finance by Liaquat Ahamedsource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Losing Mum and Pup by Christopher Buckleysource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Lost in the Meritocracy by Walter Kirnsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Louis D. Brandeis by Melvin I. Urofskysource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Methland by Nick Redingsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. My Paper Chase by Harold Evanssource (opens in a new tab)
  27. Open by Andre Agassisource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Raymond Carver by Carol Sklenickasource (opens in a new tab)
  29. Satchel by Larry Tyesource (opens in a new tab)
  30. Securing the City by Christopher Dickeysource (opens in a new tab)
  31. Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew B. Crawfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  32. The Age of Entanglement by Louisa Gildersource (opens in a new tab)
  33. The Age of Wonder by Richard Holmessource (opens in a new tab)
  34. The Case for God by Karen Armstrongsource (opens in a new tab)
  35. The Evolution of God by Robert Wrightsource (opens in a new tab)
  36. The Fires of Vesuvius by Mary Beardsource (opens in a new tab)
  37. The First Tycoon by T. J. Stilessource (opens in a new tab)
  38. The Good Soldiers by David Finkelsource (opens in a new tab)
  39. The Ground Truth by John Farmersource (opens in a new tab)
  40. The Invention of Air by Steven Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  41. The Last Empress by Hannah Pakulasource (opens in a new tab)
  42. The Lost Child by Julie Myersonsource (opens in a new tab)
  43. The Lost City of Z by David Grannsource (opens in a new tab)
  44. The Mercy Papers by Robin Rommsource (opens in a new tab)
  45. The Myth of the Rational Market by Justin Foxsource (opens in a new tab)
  46. The Strangest Man by Graham Farmelosource (opens in a new tab)
  47. The Third Reich at War by Richard J. Evanssource (opens in a new tab)
  48. The Weight of a Mustard Seed by Wendell Steavensonsource (opens in a new tab)
  49. The Wilderness Warrior by Douglas Brinkleysource (opens in a new tab)
  50. Thelonious Monk by Robin D. G. Kelleysource (opens in a new tab)
  51. When Everything Changed by Gail Collinssource (opens in a new tab)
  52. Why This World by Benjamin Mosersource (opens in a new tab)
  53. Worse Than War by Daniel Jonah Goldhagensource (opens in a new tab)
  54. Yours Ever by Thomas Mallonsource (opens in a new tab)
  55. Zeitoun by Dave Eggerssource (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)

The most recommended books of 2009