Favourite Fiction Titles of 2009

If you've been tuned in to CBC Information Morning lately - you may have heard a few librarians from Halifax Public Libraries talking up great books from the last year. I was lucky enough to participate in the panel on Adult Fiction that aired on Thursday, Dec 10th, where I was joined by Atlantic Canada's 100 Greatest Books co-author Stephen Clare. Looking back over a year of great fiction - it's always hard to pick just a few.

These lists are by no means definitive - but here are the ones each of us mentioned.

Stephen's Canadian Picks:

Hit and Mrs. by Lesley Crewe: four friends get into trouble with the mob in this mad cap adventure in NYC.

Seven Ravens by Lesley Choyce: memoir of two summers in which the author contemplates life and nature.

What We're Made Of by Ryan Turner: debut short story collection from a local author.

Night Work by Randall Maggs: poetry about hockey!

The Bishop's Man by Linden Macintyre: Giller Prize winning novel of sexual abuse and the Catholic priesthood.

Galore by Michael Crummey: history and folklore are intertwined in a saga spanning generations of a rural Newfoundland family.

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Kristina's International Picks:

Little Bee (The Other Hand) by Chris Cleave: Tale of a young Nigerian girl who has fled to the UK & of the English couple with a chilling connection to her. Compellingly examines global conflicts, those who are impacted & those who can choose to remain unaware.

The Thing Around your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Personal & political short stories of Nigerians in America & Africa, beautifully rendered in Adichie’s delicate & profound prose.

The Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz: 3rd laugh-out-loud tale of Izzy Spellman and her dysfunctional family detective agency.

Tokyo Fiancee by Amelie Nothomb: latest from a popular European author. A tale of cultural discovery and romance set in Japan.

Sum: forty tales from the afterlives by David Eagleman: microstories that contemplate what happens after we die.

The best part about year end lists, is that they give you the opportunity to talk about your favourites from the last year - feel free to add your picks below!