Favourite Reads from 2008 - A Library Wholesaler's Picks Part One. . .

Today's list comes to us from Calgary and Brad Wojak - the adult book buyer at United Library Services.

Best of 2008 (in no particular order):

Riding Toward Everywhere by William T. Vollmann

The Man Game by Lee Henderson
I was shocked that this didn’t even make it onto any of the major shortlists.

Lush Life by Richard Price
Leaving his amazing ear for dialogue aside, Price is an amazing storyteller.

Never Shoot a Stampede Queen by Mark Leiren-Young

History of the World for Rebels and Somnambulists by Jesus Del Campo

Stoner by John Williams
Another lost classic reissued by the fantastic folks at the New York Review of Books

Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

Vampyres of Hollywood by Adrienne Barbeau and Michael Scott

Esther’s Inheritance by Sándor Márai

Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O’Nan

And for good measure an 11th book. I am not sure this should really count, as it does not get released for a few months yet, but it is a reissue so I am going to add it. It was also the book I forced on the most people…

A Meaningful Life by L.J Davis
A black comedy about race, gentrification and middle class anxiety. I can’t wait for this one to be back in print so I can stop passing around my copy to all of my friends.

Maylin's note: This book will be re-issued by NYRB Classics in March, 2009