New York Times 10 Best Books of 2009

This e-single includes reviews of the 10 books, fiction and nonfiction, that The Times selected as the 10 Best Books of 2009. One of the pleasures of this e-single is the chance to see the sometimes surprising chemistry between reviewers and authors, particularly when it comes to fiction. Jonathan Lethem, whose 'Chronic City' made our list, reviewed Lorrie Moore's novel 'A Gate at the Stairs,' which made it too, while Curtis Sittenfeld, whose novel 'Prep' was one of the 10 Best in 2005, reviewed Maile Meloy's story collection 'Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It,' a winner in 2012. Any book review editor will attest that persuading fiction writers to assess other people's fiction can be a struggle. These were heartening exceptions to the rule.