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LATEST ISSUE OF
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus talks to Chris Pavone about The Accident, his latest thriller in which ordinary lives are thrust into spectacular jeopardy.
Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit


Best of 2010

THE BEST DEBUT FICTION OF 2010
A KIND OF INTIMACY by Jenn Ashworth
A KIND OF INTIMACY
by Jenn Ashworth
BLACKLANDS by Belinda Bauer
Kirkus StarBLACKLANDS
by Belinda Bauer
MATTAPONI QUEEN by Belle Boggs
MATTAPONI QUEEN
by Belle Boggs
THE HOUSE ON SALT HAY ROAD by Carin Clevidence
THE HOUSE ON SALT HAY ROAD
by Carin Clevidence
OLD BORDER ROAD by Susan Froderberg
Kirkus StarOLD BORDER ROAD
by Susan Froderberg
See full list >
THE BEST NONFICTION OF 2010
MURDER CITY by Charles Bowden
Kirkus StarMURDER CITY
by Charles Bowden
THE PUBLISHER by Alan Brinkley
Kirkus StarTHE PUBLISHER
by Alan Brinkley
AT HOME by Bill Bryson
Kirkus StarAT HOME
by Bill Bryson
MADISON AND JEFFERSON by Andrew Burstein
Kirkus StarMADISON AND JEFFERSON
by Andrew Burstein
COMPOSED by Rosanne Cash
Kirkus StarCOMPOSED
by Rosanne Cash
See full list >
THE MOST DISAPPOINTING NONFICTION OF 2010
LONG WAY HOME by Bill Barich
LONG WAY HOME
by Bill Barich
SLEEPWALK WITH ME by Mike Birbiglia
SLEEPWALK WITH ME
by Mike Birbiglia
EXTRA LIVES by Tom Bissell
EXTRA LIVES
by Tom Bissell
SPENT by Avis Cardella
SPENT
by Avis Cardella
MY LIFE AS A RUSSIAN NOVEL by Emmanuel Carrère
MY LIFE AS A RUSSIAN NOVEL
by Emmanuel Carrère
See full list >
PLEASANT SURPRISES OF 2010
LETTERS TO MY TORTURER by Houshang Asadi
LETTERS TO MY TORTURER
by Houshang Asadi
CAESARS' WIVES by Annelise Freisenbruch
Kirkus StarCAESARS' WIVES
by Annelise Freisenbruch
ANARCHY EVOLUTION by Greg Graffin
Kirkus StarANARCHY EVOLUTION
by Greg Graffin
GOLD DIGGERS by Charlotte Gray
Kirkus StarGOLD DIGGERS
by Charlotte Gray
ACROSS AMERICA BY BICYCLE by Alice Honeywell
ACROSS AMERICA BY BICYCLE
by Alice Honeywell
See full list >
THE BEST MEMOIRS OF 2010
CLAIMING GROUND by Laura Bell
Kirkus StarCLAIMING GROUND
by Laura Bell
A JOURNEY by Tony Blair
Kirkus StarA JOURNEY
by Tony Blair
HOW DID YOU GET THIS NUMBER by Sloane Crosley
Kirkus StarHOW DID YOU GET THIS NUMBER
by Sloane Crosley
THE FINE WISDOM AND PERFECT TEACHINGS OF THE KINGS OF ROCK AND ROLL by Mark Edmundson
Kirkus StarTHE FINE WISDOM AND PERFECT TEACHINGS OF THE KINGS OF ROCK AND ROLL
by Mark Edmundson
THE TICKING IS THE BOMB by Nick Flynn
Kirkus StarTHE TICKING IS THE BOMB
by Nick Flynn
See full list >
THE BEST BIOGRAPHIES OF 2010
THE PUBLISHER by Alan Brinkley
Kirkus StarTHE PUBLISHER
by Alan Brinkley
FIRST FAMILY by Joseph J. Ellis
Kirkus StarFIRST FAMILY
by Joseph J. Ellis
EMPIRE OF DREAMS by Scott Eyman
Kirkus StarEMPIRE OF DREAMS
by Scott Eyman
CHARLIE CHAN by Yunte Huang
Kirkus StarCHARLIE CHAN
by Yunte Huang
KAY THOMPSON by Sam Irvin
KAY THOMPSON
by Sam Irvin
See full list >
THE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL DOOMSDAY TOMES OF 2010
THE PLUNDERED PLANET by Paul Collier
THE PLUNDERED PLANET
by Paul Collier
THE WEATHER OF THE FUTURE by Heidi Cullen
THE WEATHER OF THE FUTURE
by Heidi Cullen
CLIMATE WARS by Gwynne Dyer
CLIMATE WARS
by Gwynne Dyer
DIET FOR A HOT PLANET by Anna Lappé
DIET FOR A HOT PLANET
by Anna Lappé
EAARTH by Bill McKibben
Kirkus StarEAARTH
by Bill McKibben
See full list >
THE BEST BOOKS FOR FOODIES OF 2010
52 LOAVES by William Alexander
52 LOAVES
by William Alexander
RIPE by Arthur Allen
RIPE
by Arthur Allen
AMERICAN WASTELAND by Jonathan Bloom
Kirkus StarAMERICAN WASTELAND
by Jonathan Bloom
PALMENTO by Robert V. Camuto
PALMENTO
by Robert V. Camuto
THE VERTICAL FARM by Dickson Despommier
THE VERTICAL FARM
by Dickson Despommier
See full list >
2010 NON-STARRED BOOKS THAT READERS SHOULD REVISIT
NOTHING TO ENVY by Barbara Demick
NOTHING TO ENVY
by Barbara Demick
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN EXECUTION by David R. Dow
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN EXECUTION
by David R. Dow
PIRATE STATE by Peter Eichstaedt
PIRATE STATE
by Peter Eichstaedt
GET CAPONE by Jonathan Eig
GET CAPONE
by Jonathan Eig
APPETITE FOR AMERICA by Stephen Fried
APPETITE FOR AMERICA
by Stephen Fried
See full list >
THE “WE’RE NOT DRINKING THE KOOL-AID” LIST OF 2010 (ACCLAIMED BOOKS—OR BOOKS BY ACCLAIMED AUTHORS—THAT DIDN’T LIVE UP TO OUR EXPECTATIONS)
BY NIGHTFALL by Michael Cunningham
BY NIGHTFALL
by Michael Cunningham
ABOUT A MOUNTAIN by John D’Agata
ABOUT A MOUNTAIN
by John D’Agata
IMPERIAL BEDROOMS by Bret Easton Ellis
IMPERIAL BEDROOMS
by Bret Easton Ellis
FREEDOM by Jonathan Franzen
FREEDOM
by Jonathan Franzen
WILLIE MAYS by James S. Hirsch
WILLIE MAYS
by James S. Hirsch
See full list >
THE BEST POLITICAL BOOKS OF 2010
HERDING DONKEYS by Ari Berman
Kirkus StarHERDING DONKEYS
by Ari Berman
MAKING OUR DEMOCRACY WORK by Stephen Breyer
MAKING OUR DEMOCRACY WORK
by Stephen Breyer
MY NUCLEAR FAMILY by Christopher Brownfield
Kirkus StarMY NUCLEAR FAMILY
by Christopher Brownfield
CULTURES OF WAR by John W. Dower
Kirkus StarCULTURES OF WAR
by John W. Dower
POISONING THE PRESS by Mark Feldstein
POISONING THE PRESS
by Mark Feldstein
See full list >
THE BEST MYSTERIES OF 2010
NOWHERE TO RUN by C.J. Box
Kirkus StarNOWHERE TO RUN
by C.J. Box
THE BRICK LAYER by Noah Boyd
THE BRICK LAYER
by Noah Boyd
THE GLASS RAINBOW by James Lee Burke
Kirkus StarTHE GLASS RAINBOW
by James Lee Burke
WORTH DYING FOR by Lee Child
WORTH DYING FOR
by Lee Child
EDGE by Jeffery Deaver
Kirkus StarEDGE
by Jeffery Deaver
See full list >
THE BEST FICTION OF 2010
SUNSET PARK by Paul Auster
Kirkus StarSUNSET PARK
by Paul Auster
EXLEY by Brock Clarke
Kirkus StarEXLEY
by Brock Clarke
THE STORM by Margriet de Moor
Kirkus StarTHE STORM
by Margriet de Moor
THE PRIVILEGES by Jonathan Dee
THE PRIVILEGES
by Jonathan Dee
POINT OMEGA by Don DeLillo
Kirkus StarPOINT OMEGA
by Don DeLillo
See full list >
THE BEST ZOMBIE AND VAMPIRE BOOKS OF 2010
THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin
THE PASSAGE
by Justin Cronin
THE FALL by Guillermo del Toro
THE FALL
by Guillermo del Toro
PAUL IS UNDEAD by Alan Goldsher
PAUL IS UNDEAD
by Alan Goldsher
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER by Seth Grahame-Smith
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER
by Seth Grahame-Smith
HANDLING THE UNDEAD by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Kirkus StarHANDLING THE UNDEAD
by John Ajvide Lindqvist
See full list >
THE BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY OF 2010
THE BIRD OF THE RIVER by Kage Baker
Kirkus StarTHE BIRD OF THE RIVER
by Kage Baker
BEARERS OF THE BLACK STAFF by Terry Brooks
BEARERS OF THE BLACK STAFF
by Terry Brooks
SIDE JOBS by Jim Butcher
Kirkus StarSIDE JOBS
by Jim Butcher
THE PALACE OF IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS by Jennifer Fallon
THE PALACE OF IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS
by Jennifer Fallon
SHADOWS IN THE CAVE by Caleb Fox
SHADOWS IN THE CAVE
by Caleb Fox
See full list >
2010 BEST FICTION: THE TOP 25
SUNSET PARK by Paul Auster
Kirkus StarSUNSET PARK
by Paul Auster
EXLEY by Brock Clarke
Kirkus StarEXLEY
by Brock Clarke
THE STORM by Margriet de Moor
Kirkus StarTHE STORM
by Margriet de Moor
THE PRIVILEGES by Jonathan Dee
THE PRIVILEGES
by Jonathan Dee
POINT OMEGA by Don DeLillo
Kirkus StarPOINT OMEGA
by Don DeLillo
See full list >
2010 BEST NONFICTION: THE TOP 25
MURDER CITY by Charles Bowden
Kirkus StarMURDER CITY
by Charles Bowden
THE PUBLISHER by Alan Brinkley
Kirkus StarTHE PUBLISHER
by Alan Brinkley
MADISON AND JEFFERSON by Andrew Burstein
Kirkus StarMADISON AND JEFFERSON
by Andrew Burstein
COMPOSED by Rosanne Cash
Kirkus StarCOMPOSED
by Rosanne Cash
CHASING THE SUN by Richard Cohen
Kirkus StarCHASING THE SUN
by Richard Cohen
See full list >
BEST COMIC NOVELS OF 2010
THE SEVEN YEAR BITCH by Jennifer Belle
THE SEVEN YEAR BITCH
by Jennifer Belle
FATED by S.G. Browne
Kirkus StarFATED
by S.G. Browne
BABYLON NIGHTS by Daniel Depp
BABYLON NIGHTS
by Daniel Depp
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE by Wendy Holden
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
by Wendy Holden
THE FINKLER QUESTION by Howard Jacobson
Kirkus StarTHE FINKLER QUESTION
by Howard Jacobson
See full list >
BEST BOOKS ABOUT LOVE AND LOSS OF 2010
TO THE END OF THE LAND by David Grossman
Kirkus StarTO THE END OF THE LAND
by David Grossman
GREAT HOUSE by Nicole Krauss
GREAT HOUSE
by Nicole Krauss
SUPER SAD TRUE LOVE STORY by Gary Shteyngart
Kirkus StarSUPER SAD TRUE LOVE STORY
by Gary Shteyngart
A CURABLE ROMANTIC by Joseph Skibell
A CURABLE ROMANTIC
by Joseph Skibell
THE LOVERS by Vendela Vida
Kirkus StarTHE LOVERS
by Vendela Vida
See full list >
INDIE BEST OF 2010
SWEDE by Robert G. Masin
SWEDE
by Robert G. Masin
CANEVILLE SUMMER by Andrew Philip Decker
CANEVILLE SUMMER
by Andrew Philip Decker
THE ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS by Manitonquat
THE ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS
by Manitonquat
EADRIC THE GRASPER by Jayden Woods
Kirkus StarEADRIC THE GRASPER
by Jayden Woods
FACING THE WALL by Mary S. King
Kirkus StarFACING THE WALL
by Mary S. King
See full list >