Best Books of the Decade 2010–2019
From Lit Hub to Time, EW to Esquire; everyone’s out to name the best books of the last decade. Here’s my take on it — rather the ULTIMATE top 10 (way too hard) — here’s my top pick from the last ten years — and what I wrote about them at the time.
2010 — The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell (UK, Published 2010)
I loved Cloud Atlas and now I love this book even more. Part historical novel of the Dutch East Indies, part Ninja rescue mission — this should have won the Man Booker.
2011 — Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Ethiopia, Published 2009)
Could this be one of the greatest stories ever written? Twin brothers from Ethiopia, the art of medicine, and love in all its twisted forms.
2012 — Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain (USA, Published 2012)
Best book of 2012?? The Great American Novel!? Billy — Iraq veteran, one day back at a football game. Gripping.
2013 — Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (USA, Published 2013)
OMG.. best book of the year!? Young Boy, new York, lost painting, Russian friend, furniture restoration. Not quite up there with Secret History… but WOW.
2014 —We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Fowler (USA, Published 2014)
Family Saga Monkey Style
2015 — Quicksand by Steve Toltz (Australia, Published 2015)
I didn’t write anything for this one? Must have been a ripper Aussie tale!
2016 — Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue (Cameroon, Published 2016)
Simply written, a sad debut novel about a family from Cameroon trying to make in NYC; with time spent working with a rich, white Wall Street Family. Not what you expect.
2017 — All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (USA, Published 2014)
Why had I not read this earlier (2014 Pulitzer Winner)?! Two children, one blind, set in WW2. The power and connection of radios and the horror of wars.
2018 — The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton (Australia, Published 2018)
One of those books I never would have picked up on my own. A murder, family and art history and mystery over 150 years. How did she keep track of time and characters!?
2019 — An Orchestra of Minorities — Chigozie Obioma (Nigeria, Published 2019)
OK THIS COULD EASILY BE IN MY TOP 10 FOR 2019. Even better than his debut ‘The Fishermen’. Starting with a poor chicken farmer in Nigeria, and then a move to Cypress, the beauty in this book is the beautiful characters and narrative, all circling around the fabulous hero of the book Chinoso. Highly recommended for a great Christmas present / holiday read.
