Favorite/Best book of 2010?

[Anonymous]

Just wondering, I was reading over some of the top ten lists, and wondered what other people thought.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/12/books/review/10-best-books-of-2010.html?_r=1
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/awards-and-prizes/article/45070-best-books-of-2010.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/12/books-of-the-year-2010/8289

[Anonymous]

Granted I don't read tons of newly published books - it usually takes me a while to catch up - but my favorite new book this year (non-fiction) was

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

[Anonymous]

I'd say my favorite 2010 book was The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, a novel by Aimee Bender. Last night I finished The Warmth of Other Suns, which shows up on several of the "best" lists; I thought it was an amazing book & I'd recommend it to anyone, but it was also somewhat dense and in places overwhelmingly depressing. (I'm also pregnant right now, so it's possible that I wouldn't have been so upset by it without all these hormones.)

[Anonymous]

I just read The Glass Castle- it was great. Very sad.

[Anonymous]

I don't get to read much these days, either, and honestly with all the stress and time committments, what I read is NOT hardcore by any means.

I loved Henrietta Lacks, as well. The writer really pegged Baltimore, IMO, which brings back fond memories.

I loved The Passage, too.

I think I'll try to pick up a couple of the books mentioned, like Freedom. They sound very interesting.

[Anonymous]

I read a sample of Henrietta Lacks and just wasn't grabbed by it--but on the recommendation of the two PPs (particularly the comment that it "pegged" Baltimore), I think I'll give it another shot.

[Anonymous]

Two that are on the NY Times Top 100 that I really enjoyed:

Room, by Emma Donoghue
The Lotus Eaters, Tatjana Soli

I also really liked Await Your Reply, by Dan Chaon (think this was a 2008 or 2009 NY Times top 100).

A Visit From the Good Squad is going on my to-buy list. I'd read a great review of it a while back, but it made both the NY Times Top 10 and the Publisher's Weekly Top 10, so now I feel like I have to buy it.