As we near the end of the year, the annual flurry of "best of 2006" lists has begun. I'll use this post to link to some of the lists I find, and will update it as necessary. It will presumably not be comprehensive, nor will I comment on the selections (no matter how good or bad I find them, I'm going to try to be very strict with myself about this). I'll post my own list as we get closer to the end of the year (because there's still another month to read!).
- The New York Times has its "100 Notable Books of the Year", and also the "10 Best Books of 2006". These are each evenly split between fiction and nonfiction.
- The Christian Science Monitor lists "Best Nonfiction 2006" and "Best Fiction 2006". Quite a few of each.
- The Boston Globe has best fiction (by Gail Caldwell) and nonfiction (by Michael Kenney) lists, with commentary.
- The Book World editors at the Washington Post list their "10 Best of the Year" (five and five). They've also got long-lists for fiction and nonfiction with subsection links for each.
- At the UK Times, there is a list for everyone (and I do mean everyone). Erica Wagner offers her list of best fiction titles, Peter Kemp takes us on a round-the-world tour through his favorite fiction, and Marcel Berlin examines the top crime books of 2006. There's also a "Books of the Year" roundup from Alberto Manguel, Marina Warner, Paul Muldoon, Craig Raine, A.N. Wilson and Elaine Showalter. Wilson gets a prize for using the word "unputdownable". Christopher Hart tackles biography (best as well as worst), John Burnside reviews memoirs, Derwent May focuses on nature books. Richard Dixon has fun with reference books, as does Erica Wagner (again) with esoterica. The lists go on ... and on, and on from history to poetry to art, sports, photography, &c. - they're all here.
- The Independent calls their list "The Finest Books of the Year" - they also have subject links off to the right of the main list.
- LibraryThing group "What Are You Reading Now" has a thread going for members' "Top Five for 2006" (and now "Bottom Five for 2006" as well).
- I forgot Publisher's Weekly also has their "Best Books of the Year" list up. Lots of categories.
- Metacritic has a "list of lists" aggregating a whole bunch of other sites' best and worst.
- Slate writers now have their best book lists up.
- The LATimes editors post their favorite fiction and favorite nonfiction lists.
- "Best of the literary crop" from the Salt Lake Tribune.
- NPR lists some independent booksellers' picks of '06.
- More to come, I'm sure! If you see a good (or bad) list I've missed, send it along!
