"The Guardian" newspaper, like its counterpart "The Observer", asked a number of authors, writers, poets and editors to chose the best books of the year for them.
Anthony Browne chose Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan, calling it "strange and beautiful."
Peter Carey chose the final volume of The Paris Review Interiews, stating "The four volumes together will make a generous gift for anyone who writes or reads. One volume would be not too shabby either."
Hilary Mantel picked This Is How by M.J. Hyland: "Maria Hyland is like no one else writing today; her work is spare, ungiving, a challenge. At the same time, it is deeply humane."
David Peace included The Death of Bunny Munro by Nick Cave in a long list of his best.
Simon Schama considered that Nam Le's The Boat "has (at least) three stories that will shake you through and through."
Anthony Browne chose Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan, calling it "strange and beautiful."
Peter Carey chose the final volume of The Paris Review Interiews, stating "The four volumes together will make a generous gift for anyone who writes or reads. One volume would be not too shabby either."
Hilary Mantel picked This Is How by M.J. Hyland: "Maria Hyland is like no one else writing today; her work is spare, ungiving, a challenge. At the same time, it is deeply humane."
David Peace included The Death of Bunny Munro by Nick Cave in a long list of his best.
Simon Schama considered that Nam Le's The Boat "has (at least) three stories that will shake you through and through."
Tell me, why do these newspapers insist on doing Best ofs a month before the end of the year. Is it too much to ask to actually wait OR are no new books published in December so it doesn't matter!
They will have actually seen all the books to be published during the year by the time they put their lists together. They'll be looking at March/April books now.