Favorites of 2000 through 2009
(This is a list I made on January 1, 2010, of my twenty favorite books, movies, and albums of the decade. I’ve left it unaltered.)
Books
1. The Complete Short Stories by J. G. Ballard
2. Oh Pure and Radiant Heart by Lydia Millet
3. Paris Stories by Mavis Gallant
4. Esther Stories by Peter Orner
5. Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
6. The Selected Levis by Larry Levis
7. The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway
8. The Torturer’s Wife by Thomas Glave
9. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
10. In the Forest of Forgetting by Theodora Goss
11. The Great Gatsby: A Graphic Adaptation by Nicki Greenberg
12. Ornithologies by Joshua Poteat
13. Metropole by Ferenc Karinthy
14. Mirror Kingdoms by Peter S. Beagle
15. Novelties and Souvenirs by John Crowley
16. The Ecstatic by Victor LaValle
17. The Best People in the World by Justin Tussing
18. National Anthem by Kevin Prufer
19. The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily by Dino Buzzati
20. Bonsai by Alejandro Zambra
Movies
1. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
2. Elling
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
4. In America
5. You Can Count On Me
6. Robot Stories
7. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
8. Children of Men
9. Lost in Translation
10. Son of the Bride
11. The Eye (2002 and Chinese, not 2008 and American)
12. A History of Violence
13. Donnie Darko
14. Me and You and Everyone We Know
15. 3-Iron
16. Reprise
17. Happy Accidents
18. Talk to Her
19. 28 Days Later...
20. Elephant
Albums
1. Melody Mountain by Susanna and the Magical Orchestra
2. The Execution of All Things by Rilo Kiley
3. Castaways and Cutouts by The Decemberists
4. Alas, I Cannot Swim by Laura Marling
5. To Sing You Apple Trees by Rockettothesky
6. Duck-Rabbit by Alog
7. Handsome Devil by Jim Bianco
8. Riot on an Empty Street by Kings of Convenience
9. Trouble by Ray LaMontagne
10. Moonstruck by Barbara Buccholz
11. Inland Empires by Joel RL Phelps and the Downer Trio
12. The Snake by Wildbirds and Peacedrums
13. Homesongs by Adem
14. Lost and Safe by The Books
15. Paper Anniversary by Christine Fellows
16. All Hail West Texas by The Mountain Goats
17. 1000 Kisses by Patty Griffin
18. Begin to Hope by Regina Spektor
19. I Am a Bird Now by Antony and the Johnsons
20. Songs from the Deep Forest by Duke Special