Top 9 Books of 2009

I'm sorry if this post is a little bit late. I know there are some of you who are interested to know what books I've read last year. But work happened. So I wasn't able to make the list right away.

But, anyways, while I haven't read a much new books in 2009 (12 new books), here's my top 9 books.

1. Let The Great World Spin 9.8
Author: Colum McCann
The best book I've read this year. This novel is about different lives and culture colliding everyday, showing us that we're all connected by place or event, whether you're a judge, a housewife, a monk, a prostitute, an artist, a nurse or a high wire walker. Truly, this is beautiful book.


2. When Skateboards Will Be Free 9.5 [Review]
Author: Said Sayrafeizadeh
I was so curious about this book's title. So much that I bought it without reading its synopsis. At first, I thought it was about skater culture. But it is actually a memoir of a child growing up a socialist in a capitalist's world. It's the most heartwarming, as well as heartbreaking tale I've read so far.


3. Far North 9.4
Author: Marcel Theroux
Far North is about a world where global warming has reduced civilization through famine and floods and has turned the once frozen wasteland of Siberia -the setting in the story- a habitable settlement. It may not be as good as The Road. But it's still a good post-apocalyptic fiction.


4. Genesis 9.3 [Review]
Author: Bernard Beckett
Set in a technologically advance island nation, Genesis is a book for the young adult. Hence, the story has no complex plot or sub-plots. But the book is full of philosophical debates, such as modernism vs. traditionalism, that will satiate your intellect. Definitely the best sci-fi I've read this year.


5. Zeitoun 9.0 [Review]
Author: Dave Eggers
Zeitoun is a riveting story of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a Syrian-born American and a well-known contractor in New Orleans, who was falsely accused as a terrorist and was imprisoned by the US Government after being stranded by Hurricane Katrina. The scary part: this book is a non-fiction.


6. The Year of the Flood 8.9
Author: Margaret Atwood
One of the eeriest books I've read. Atwood knows her speculative fiction well. Loosely tied to Oryx and Crake, the setting in this book is a dying world -corporate run and materialistic, where people kill people for sport, food and organs. While still far from our own reality, it's still too possible to happen.


7. The Next 100 Years 8.6 [Review]
Author: George Friedman
This is a non-fiction book the forecasts the future. But it didn't use any crystal ball as a guide. Instead, it's written with the best geopolitical insights. While it's too American-centric, I enjoyed reading it because I learned a lot about the upcoming technology, like hypersonic jets and wireless energy transfer.


8. The Book of Dead Philosophers 8.5 [Review]
Author: Simon Critchley
I bought this book only because I wanted to learn about various philosophers, and maybe even study their work. But this book turned out to be a miscellany of anecdotes and short writings of the deaths of some 190 philosophers. Still a lot of fun to read though, and you do learn a lot of philosophy from it.


9. Lowboy 8.4 [Review]
Author: John Wray
The story in this book is about a schizophrenic boy who's off his meds and wandering underground the New York subway system, with a mission to save the world from global warming. While I didn't like its story, it's still an interesting read because it lets the readers experience schizophrenia.


Well, that's that. Hopefully, I'd be able to read more new books this 2010 (I'm aiming for 20) so I could make a better list for next year.

My other Top 9 of 2009:
Top 9 Games of 2009
Top 9 Films of 2009
Top 9 Music of 2009

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