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By Aaron Block, on January 18th, 2010 This is the seventh and final installment in our Best Books of 2009 series. Read the other six here.
AKA, The Aaron Block Awards For My Favorite Comics of 2009, Presented By Aaron Block
Rather than pretend to claim any kind of comprehensive look at the best comics of the past year, I thought I’d give out special awards to the books that I most enjoyed. There are likely better books than what I’ve included here (Asterios Polyp anyone?) but these are the five closest to my heart.
 “Fulfillment of Potential” Award — Detective Comics #854 — present, written by Greg Rucka; illustrated by J.H. Williams III
The critics who assailed DC for playing up the modern Batwoman’s sexuality, or who argued that a reviving her as a lesbian was mere tokenism, were silenced when writer Greg Rucka gave her the spotlight in Detective Comics 854. No mere token or object of fanboy fantasy, Batwoman is a strong, nuanced lead character, and Detective contains easily the most satisfying character work in mainstream comics. Though much of the story-so-far is familiar (particularly in the Bat-world: struggles with dual identity, loss of family members, bittersweet victories), Rucka manages to pull fresh ideas from those conventions, and all without irony or cynicism.
Artist J.H. Williams III deserves much of the credit for the book’s unique feel. More than a gifted storyteller, Williams continues to reinvent the architecture of mainstream comics, employing unconventional layouts that often stretch across two pages, but still reveal the scene gradually. And he continues to experiment with style, using a stable, Alex Toth-like line for flashback scenes and switching to an ethereal painterly style for the present. Credit is also due to colorist Dave Stewart, who’s vibrant reds stand out in nearly ever panel, particularly in Batwoman’s close-ups; her red hair and lips, contrasted with the otherworldly white of her skin and dark black costume suggest all of the emotional complexity of Rucka’s script.
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By Mike Beeman, on January 11th, 2010 Keep up with the rest of this series here.
I distrust the idea of books/movies/albums “of the year” because the fact of something being published/released/produced in a particular calendar year seems pretty irrelevant. Each year-end finds us with lists of books that are supposed to represent the previous year period in some way, but even the most reflexive author has a pretty slim chance of writing and publishing a book within one year. Most of my “books of the year” were probably completed in 2007, at the latest (and in case of translations, were written much earlier).
The idea that any reader can find the “top books” of a year suggests that they have read and evaluated every book that has been published, has always seemed pretty is impossible, too. So, in the end, we are left with a random and subjective list of books one person happened to enjoy, and my addition to the “best of ’09″ genre is certainly made in that spirit. …
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By David Duhr, on January 4th, 2010 Read the other installments in our Best Books 2009 series here.
While the archives show that I reviewed only one, I read seven books published in 2009. Not even the smoothest-fielding shortstop can stick around the Majors if he hits .143, but for some reason these C4 guys are keeping me in their stable. I’ll be the first to say it—the emperors are wearing no clothes. And believe me, folks, being a former roommate of theirs, it ain’t a pretty sight. Lots of pasty white skin.
A natural number for any Best Of list is five, but all seven of these books met or exceeded my expectations, and discarding two proved too difficult. Any list comprised of all possible entries is, by logic, both a Best Of and Worst Of. So here, in order by author’s surname, are my seven best and worst (and middling) 2009 books.
The Thing Around Your Neck, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Adichie, one of Nigeria’s (and humanity’s) best young writers, has spent much of her life ping-ponging between Nigeria and the U.S., so it’s little surprise that the stories in this collection do the same. What is surprising is the consistency of her tone and delivery between these settings. Nigerians living in their own homeland feel no more comfort in their surroundings than do Nigerians in the States. All are adrift, steadily being weighted down by their own personal thing around their neck.
The intent here is to show both halves how the other lives, and Adichie accomplishes this with grace and style. If she expands the final story, “The Headstrong Historian,” into a novel, she’ll win the Booker, the Orange, the this, the that …
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By Eric Markowsky, on December 28th, 2009 Here’s the fourth installment of our Best Books of 2009 series, all about nonfiction. Keep up with the rest of the series here.
And now for something a little different…
Yes, the books I’m about to recommend all came out this year (at least in paperback), and, yes, I can absolutely recommend these books to interested readers without any hesitation on my part. But before reading on, you might just want to consider one word of warning: poetry.
It’s not a subject we’ve touched on much here at C4, but it is a subject we (or at least I) would like to address more in the coming year since digital publishing has implications for this form, too. For now, I’d simply like to offer, in no particular order, four new titles from four of my favorite poets as a reminder to anyone out there who might care to know it that good poetry is still being written today. …
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By Marc Velasquez, on December 21st, 2009 Here’s the third installment of our Best Books of 2009 series, all about nonfiction. Keep up with the rest of the series here.
Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers
 Perhaps you know Eggers for his earlier work—his memoir, his first novel, his story collection—each brilliant, but each also a product of a writer willing to let attempts at amusement get in the way of storytelling. Zeitoun is not of that lineage. Here, Eggers realizes the strength of the story, and allows it carry the load.
The book’s central figure, Abdulrahman Zeitoun, is a Syrian immigrant and business owner who has built quite a comfortable life for himself in New Orleans. He has an American wife, three children, and is a responsible and hardworking citizen. When his wife and children evacuate the city in anticipation of Katrina, Zeitoun stays behind to look after their house and a few of their properties. In the storm’s aftermath, Zeitoun paddles around the streets in a canoe to help other stranded residents. Then he mysteriously disappears.
What happens to Abdulrahman Zetioun is unjust and sickening, and Eggers does an excellent job of letting that story speak for itself. This book is a terrific piece of journalism, revealing an appalling aspect of Katrina recovery. Eggers has a point to make with this book; he does so without being preachy. In a way, his point seems to make itself. As readers, we can only hope Eggers’s future projects are similar to this.
[McSweeney's page about Zeitoun]
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By Sean Clark, on December 14th, 2009 This is the second installment of this year’s best book series. Read the other contributors’ picks here.
Little Bee, by Chris Cleave
 This is hands-down my favorite book of 2009. Cleave does just about everything right. The multiple voices are distinct and expertly rendered, the characters memorable, and the plotting tight. It is also a deep and moving book.
I really enjoyed the distinct voices, and the young boy, who considers himself Batman, is one of the most adorable characters I’ve read in a while. The book affected me in ways books don’t often do, and a lot of my respect for this novel stems from that.
It’s tough to explain the plot without giving things away. From my review (read the full review here):
I won’t spoil the plot, as the tangle of the characters’ lives is the crux of the book. Little Bee is a novel about a Nigerian refugee, self-named Little Bee, escaping to Britain. It is a novel about how one single moment, one action or inaction, can change the lives of many people, even those worlds apart. It is a novel about humanity. It is about the complacency and willful ignorance Westerners silently allow themselves at the expense of other humans just like them, in the name of comfort afforded by the imbalance of “global” economy. When confronted with these consequences of our lifestyle we’d rather sweep them under the rug like dust, or write a check to Unicef, or leave the world to politicians and businessmen because it’s easier.
I liked this novel because it was at once complex and simple. It’s easy to read and still the writing is excellent. Apparently it’s going to be a movie soon, so do yourself a favor and give this a read before Nicole Kidman steps in. …
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By Nico Vreeland, on December 7th, 2009 Keep up with the entire Best Books of 2009 series here.
It’s the end of the year, and time for another C4 book recommendation series (you can check out our last one, Literary Beach Books, here). For the next few Mondays, we’ll be chronicling our favorite books of 2009, but we’ll be doing it a little differently than most places.
Instead of all of all of us hammering out a ranked list nobody really agrees with, each of our contributors will give their own favorite books of 2009, along with a brief rationale for each choice. There’s no committee compromising here, just handfuls of books that somebody loved.
Here’s the first installment. Check back Mondays for more.
Dark Places, by Gillian Flynn
 Dark Places is a gripping mystery about Libby Day, a woman whose family was murdered by her brother when she was seven. Twenty-four years later, she starts investigating the murders herself, and finds a whole lot more than she bargains for.
The narrative alternates between Libby’s perspective and flashbacks from the perspectives of her brother and mother during the weeks leading up to the murders. That’s not exactly my favorite structure, and I was more than a little skeptical when I started reading. Additionally, Libby isn’t all that likable, and Flynn’s prose leaves something to be desired (like her titles).
But Dark Places stands as proof that great storytelling wins out. Flynn writes excellent dialogue, creates compelling characters, and plots this book remarkably well. The result is one of the most gripping novels I’ve read in a long time. If you like mysteries and you’ve got a tolerance for a fair amount of violence, this book is a can’t-miss.
For more description, check out my full review here. …
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“Fulfillment of Potential” Award — Detective Comics #854 — present, written by Greg Rucka; illustrated by J.H. Williams III
