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Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly Best Books 2009

Publishers Weekly Best Books 2009 names 140 books across 12 categories. 50 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Children's Fiction

  1. A Season of Gifts by Richard Pecksource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collinssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Fire by Kristin Cashoresource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Going Bovine by Libba Braysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. If I Stay by Gayle Formansource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylorsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Storksource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Purple Heart by Patricia McCormicksource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvatersource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tansource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Nesssource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kellysource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  14. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Steadsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Andersonsource (opens in a new tab)

Children's Nonfiction

  1. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoosesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Marching for Freedom: Walk Together Children and Don't You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridgesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum by Candace Flemingsource (opens in a new tab)

Children's Picture

  1. All the World by Liz Garton Scanlonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Crow Call by Lois Lowrysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Dinotrux by Chris Gallsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthalsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. John Brown: His Fight for Freedom by John Hendrixsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Otis by Loren Longsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Stagecoach Sal by Deborah Hopkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World by Marilyn Nelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Curious Garden by Peter Brownsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors by Chris Bartonsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkneysource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales by Lucy Cousinssource (opens in a new tab)

Comics

  1. A Drifting Life by Yoshihiro Tatsumisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchellisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Driven by Lemons by Josh Cottersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Footnotes in Gaza by Joe Saccosource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth by Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos H. Papadimitriousource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Parker: The Hunter by Darwyn Cooke and Richard Starksource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Pluto by Naoki Urasawasource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe by Bryan Lee O'Malleysource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Stitches by David Smallsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Photographer: Into War-Torn Afghanistan with Doctors Without Borders by Emmanuel Guibert and Didier Lefèvresource (opens in a new tab)
  11. You'll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man by Carol Tylersource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. A Dark Love by Margaret Carrollsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Await Your Reply by Dan Chaonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Big Machine by Victor LaVallesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Captive of Sin by Anna Campbellsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Child of Fire by Harry Connollysource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghesesource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Dark Places by Gillian Flynnsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Drood by Dan Simmonssource (opens in a new tab)
  9. How to Sell by Clancy Martinsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Hunt at the Well of Eternity by Gabriel Huntsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddinsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi by Geoff Dyersource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Nemesis by Jo Nesbøsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. New World Monkeys by Nancy Maurosource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Once the Shore by Paul Yoonsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Ravens by George Dawes Greensource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Sag Harbor by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Soulless by Gail Carrigersource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Spooner by Pete Dextersource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Believers by Zoë Hellersource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The Cry of the Sloth by Sam Savagesource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Fate of Katherine Carr by Thomas H. Cooksource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The Last War by Ana Menendezsource (opens in a new tab)
  25. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waterssource (opens in a new tab)
  26. The Man in the Wooden Hat by Jane Gardamsource (opens in a new tab)
  27. The Scarecrow by Michael Connellysource (opens in a new tab)
  28. The Vagrants by Yiyun Lisource (opens in a new tab)
  29. Tinkers by Paul Hardingsource (opens in a new tab)

Lifestyle

  1. Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Kellersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Child Care Today: Getting It Right for Everyone by Penelope Leachsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Gourmet Today by Ruth Reichlsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy by Lidia Bastianich and Tanya Manualisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehansource (opens in a new tab)

Mystery

  1. Bryant and May on the Loose by Christopher Fowlersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Londongrad by Reggie Nadelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Cloud Pavilion by Laura Joh Rowlandsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Dark Horse by Craig Johnsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Lord of Death by Eliot Pattisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Silent Hour by Michael Korytasource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Wrong Mother by Sophie Hannahsource (opens in a new tab)

Nonfiction

  1. A Fiery Peace in a Cold War: Bernard Schriever and the Ultimate Weapon by Neil Sheehansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater by Frank Brunisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America by Barbara Ehrenreichsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays by Zadie Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Cheever: A Life by Blake Baileysource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Columbine by Dave Cullensource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789--1815 by Gordon S. Woodsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Food for Thought, Thought for Food by Richard Hamilton and Vincente Todolosource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City by Greg Grandinsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Gabriel García Márquez by Gerald Martinsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Green Metropolis by David Owensource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunnsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan by Doug Stantonsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Jazz Loft Project: Photographs and Tapes of W. Eugene Smith from 821 Sixth Avenue, 1957--1965 by Sam Stephensonsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Land of the Lost Souls: My Life on the Streets by Cadillac Mansource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Larry's Kidney by Daniel Asa Rosesource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grannsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home by Rhoda Janzensource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong by Terry Teachoutsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew B. Crawfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kiddersource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard Holmessource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealersource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The Good Soldiers by David Finkelsource (opens in a new tab)
  25. The Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream by Patrick Radden Keefesource (opens in a new tab)
  26. True Compass: A Memoir by Edward M. Kennedysource (opens in a new tab)
  27. Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauersource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Yes Means Yes! Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape by Jaclyn Friedman and Jessica Valentisource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Chronic by D.A. Powellsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Museum of Accidents by Rachel Zuckersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Bitter Withy by Donald Revellsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Collected Poems of C.P. Cavafy by Daniel Mendelsohnsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Upgraded to Serious by Heather McHughsource (opens in a new tab)

Religion

  1. Angry Conversations with God: A Snarky but Authentic Spiritual Memoir by Susan E. Isaacssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality by Barbara Bradley Hagertysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albomsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. In Due Season: A Man's Life by Paul Wilkessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Judas: A Biography by Susan Gubarsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Muslims in America: A Short History by Edward E. Curtis IVsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Rashi by Elie Wieselsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Case for God by Karen Armstrongsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The End of Suffering: Finding Purpose in Our Pain by Scott Cairnssource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Future of Faith by Harvey Coxsource (opens in a new tab)

SF/Fantasy/Horror

  1. Boneshaker by Cherie Priestsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Lovecraft Unbound by Ellen Datlowsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The City & the City by China Miévillesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Devil's Alphabet by Daryl Gregorysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupisource (opens in a new tab)

Top 10

  1. A Fiery Peace in a Cold War: Bernard Schriever and the Ultimate Weapon by Neil Sheehansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Await Your Reply by Dan Chaonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Big Machine by Victor LaVallesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Cheever: A Life by Blake Baileysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddinsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi by Geoff Dyersource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grannsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew B. Crawfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Stitches by David Smallsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard Holmessource (opens in a new tab)

About the Publishers Weekly Best Books

Year is PW's list year, not the publication year. 2009-2025 come from the PW Best Books site, one page per section; category is that page's section name. 2006-2008 come from PW's magazine articles, which list the year's picks by section and have no Top 10, so those years have no Top 10 rows. 2009 has no Romance list (PW added it in 2010). A Top 10 book also appears in its genre section, so it has two rows. Illustrator and photographer credits are dropped; translators are kept.

Organization: Publishers Weekly. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2009