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My 2004 Literary Oscars
Jan. 3rd, 2005 05:11 pmNow that 2004 is over, I thought I'd put together a list of the best things I've read this year. I'm not taking into account when any of these books were published, just when I read them. Also, only books that I read for the first time during '04 are eligible. Links lead back to my original posts about each of the books.
Without further ado, the first category:
Best short story collection: I didn't read many story collections this year, but the two best entries in this category are definitely Trust Me by John Updike and The Birthday of the World by Ursula K. LeGuin. It's hard to decide between those two, but I've gotta go with The Birthday of the World
Best short story: I read too many wonderful stories to possibly choose only one. The best ones were "Elsie by Starlight" by John Updike, "Paradises Lost" and "Unchosen Love" by Ursula K. LeGuin, and Alice Munro's story trio of "Chance", "Soon", and "Silence".
Best non-fiction: This is actually a competition this year, since for the first time in ages, I read more than one non-fiction book in a year! How To Be Alone by Jonathan Franzen is the clear winner.
Best young adult novel: Summerland by Michael Chabon. No question about it.
Worst novel: By far the most disappointing book I read this year was Pigs In Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver. Also nominated in this category were Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison, and The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler.
Best novel: There are three books nominated in this category: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon (you may not want to follow this link if you haven't read the book--I stupidly give away the best scene in the book!), The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, and The Centaur by John Updike. Oh, how can I possibly choose between these three? I can't. It's just going to have to be a three-way tie.
And now (drumroll, please) the biggest award of all...
Author of the year! And the winner is...Michael Chabon! Without a doubt, my heart belonged to Michael Chabon in 2004. I read more books of his than of any other author this year. He gave me some of the best baseball writing I've ever read, two beautifully excruciating first kiss scenes, prose that was consistently vivacious and inventive, and a character with whom I fell head over heels in love.
Without further ado, the first category:
Best short story collection: I didn't read many story collections this year, but the two best entries in this category are definitely Trust Me by John Updike and The Birthday of the World by Ursula K. LeGuin. It's hard to decide between those two, but I've gotta go with The Birthday of the World
Best short story: I read too many wonderful stories to possibly choose only one. The best ones were "Elsie by Starlight" by John Updike, "Paradises Lost" and "Unchosen Love" by Ursula K. LeGuin, and Alice Munro's story trio of "Chance", "Soon", and "Silence".
Best non-fiction: This is actually a competition this year, since for the first time in ages, I read more than one non-fiction book in a year! How To Be Alone by Jonathan Franzen is the clear winner.
Best young adult novel: Summerland by Michael Chabon. No question about it.
Worst novel: By far the most disappointing book I read this year was Pigs In Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver. Also nominated in this category were Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison, and The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler.
Best novel: There are three books nominated in this category: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon (you may not want to follow this link if you haven't read the book--I stupidly give away the best scene in the book!), The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, and The Centaur by John Updike. Oh, how can I possibly choose between these three? I can't. It's just going to have to be a three-way tie.
And now (drumroll, please) the biggest award of all...
Author of the year! And the winner is...Michael Chabon! Without a doubt, my heart belonged to Michael Chabon in 2004. I read more books of his than of any other author this year. He gave me some of the best baseball writing I've ever read, two beautifully excruciating first kiss scenes, prose that was consistently vivacious and inventive, and a character with whom I fell head over heels in love.
