My 10 favorite books of 2009

'Tis the season for end-of-the-year lists. But why let the MSM have all the fun?

Herewith, arranged alphabetically, are my ten favorite books of 2009.  All of these are great, and many of them make me proud to be a writer. (Note: These are books I read in '09. A few were published in other years.)

Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon

Somehow Chaon managed to create a lock-yourself-in-the-bathroom-to-see-how-it-turns-out thriller that's also a nuanced meditation on the fluidity of identity. Oh, and...