REVIEWER PICKS

Many readers write to tell us how much they enjoy the writing of our reviewers so we thought it would be fun to ask our writers to give us their personal lists of the "Best of 2002." Included is a mix of hardcover and paperback titles, all published this year. Take a moment to read these varied lists of titles, and see if you agree with their selections!Please note that due to personal and professional commitments all of our reviewers were not able to participate in this feature.

Kate Ayers

CITY OF THE BEASTS by Isabel Allende (Young Adult, hardcover). Isabel Allende simply writes an intriguing story, no matter her subject. This tale of the quest for a Bigfoot-like Beast takes the reader on a wild ride up the Amazon and through the jungle, teaching its young protagonists great life lessons.

THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE by Michel Faber (Historical fiction, hardcover). Despite the wonderfully rich character construction and an engaging plot, Faber's prose was the gripper here for me. He strings words together so artfully that the end result is a necklace of sparkling jewels.

THE LIONS OF LUCERNE by Brad Thor (Thriller, hardcover). It was a delight to discover a new writer who could craft a thriller with nearly as much aplomb and maturity as Ludlum. Thor builds a satisfying page turner to escape into on a windy, stormy day.

PHARAOH (Volume II of Kleopatra) by Karen Essex (Historical fiction, hardcover). Karen Essex researched her subject, the life of Kleopatra, extraordinarily well and then imagined all the minute details of her life and political strategies. This perspective of the Egyptian queen as a military force while demonstrating how she used her sexuality to further her cause shows Kleoptra as more a cunning royal than a lusty vixen. A refreshing view.

RUSH HOME ROAD by Lori Lansens (Fiction, hardcover). The unlikely pairing of a young white girl and a 70-something black woman weaves itself into a heartwarming story. Watching the relationship grow over the course of the pages touches an emotional chord and brings a slow, poignant smile to one's face.

Shannon Bloomstran

Hardcover:
ATONEMENT by Ian McEwan
THE BONDWOMAN'S NARRATIVE by Hannah Crafts

Paperback:
THE CORRECTIONS by Jonathan Franzen
EMPIRE FALLS by Richard Russo
NICKEL AND DIMED by Barbara Ehrenreich

Melissa Brown

1. THE CONQUEST by Yxta Maya Murray (Hardcover)
Mystery, romance, tragedy...what more could a reader ask for! THE CONQUEST was an easy choice for my top adult fiction pick thanks to Murray's exceptional storytelling. This was the first book in years to keep me up all night.

2. MESSAGES FROM THE BOMBING RANGE by Jim Hunter (Paperback)
Reminiscent of Gary Snyder's work, this volume of poetry is one of the most enjoyable samples of nature poems I've found. Hunter's passion for the mountains of Alaska is so well-reflected in his writing that he's my 2002 top poetry pick.

3. TRAPPED by James Alan Gardner (Paperback)
I'm not a big science-fiction/fantasy reader, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In fact, I liked it so much that I went out and bought the rest of James Alan Gardner's work!

4. THE WAYS OF GRACE by Linda Francis Lee (Paperback)
THE WAYS OF GRACE was my favorite romance novel of the year. This contemporary love story was unlike any other romance I've read. Lee has an amazing ability to build realistic characters and weave a captivating story line.

5. AMERICAN by Chris Matthews (Hardcover)
Void of Matthews' Hardball tactics, AMERICAN was a surprisingly tender reflection on America. This book gave me renewed faith and pride in my country, making it my number one non-fiction pick of 2002.

Rob Cline

Fiction:
LIFE AT THESE SPEEDS by Jeremy Jackson (Hardcover)
A quirky debut novel about a high school track star, LIFE AT THESE SPEEDS manages to avoid nearly all "sports book" cliches with its memorable narrator whose running comes effortlessly but whose emotional life is in turmoil.

Nonfiction:
ALL MY LIFE FOR SALE by John D. Freyer (Hardcover)
John Freyer sold everything he owned on eBay and then set out to "visit" his old possessions. ALL MY LIFE FOR SALE is a surprisingly rich book detailing the ways in which our possessions define us and elucidate our memories.

Curtis Edmonds

Paperback: SEABISCUIT: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. Simply the most exciting, involving book of the year, bringing distant characters from a dusty, historic past to vivid, sparkling life.

Hardcover: SUMMERLAND by Michael Chabon. A mystical journey through the Far Territories weaves strands from the mythologies of Native Americans, Norsemen and baseball fans --- and results in a memorable, splendid tale.

Jami Edwards

1. PEACE LIKE A RIVER by Leif Enger (Paperback). A lyrical, moving, and gently humorous novel about families and faith that I found completely enchanting.

2. BEL CANTO by Ann Patchett (Paperback). Patchett is finally getting the attention she deserves with this wonderful novel that manages to combine the love of opera singing with a hostage situation.

3. THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold (Hardcover). This novel told from the unique point of view of a murdered girl in heaven was so compelling that I read it in one sitting.

4. CARTER BEATS THE DEVIL by Glen David Gold (Paperback). Not only is this novel striking to look at, it's a fun and interesting read as well.

5. CULTIVATING DELIGHT: A Natural History of My Garden by Diane Ackerman (Paperback). Even as a non-gardener I found naturalist and poet Diane Ackerman's beautifully written chronicle of a year in her own garden an outstanding read.

6. STUFFED: Adventures of a Restaurant Family by Patricia Volk (Paperback). This fascinating memoir is both a touching and funny look at families and food.

7. ARAFAT'S ELEPHANT: Stories by Jonathan Tel (Paperback). I liked these taut short stories both for their writing and their view of Middle Eastern culture.

8. MY FIRST MOVIE: Twenty Celebrated Directors Talk About Their First Film by Stephen Lowenstein (Paperback). This is a must for any film buff.

9. THESE GRANITE ISLANDS by Sarah Stonich (Paperback). Both for the gracious writing style and the intelligent storyline, I loved this deceptively simple novel told from the point of view of a dying woman looking back on her life.

10. I, THE DIVINE: A Novel in First Chapters by Rabih Alameddine (Paperback). The structure of multiple vignettes as the fictional Lebanese American narrator tries to write the first chapter of her memoir is the perfect backdrop for her identity confusion.

Sarah Egelman

EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED by Jonathan Safran Foer (Hardcover)
STUPID WHITE MEN by Michael Moore (Hardcover)
THE CORRECTIONS by Jonathan Franzen (Paperback)
OLD RELIGION by David Mamet (Hardcover)

Robert Finn

SAILORS TO THE END by Gregory A. Freeman (Nonfiction, hardcover). A fascinating and detailed examination of a naval disaster that killed 134 American sailors and disabled a huge aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War.

SAKHAROV: A Biography by Richard Lourie (Nonfiction, hardcover). A thoroughly engrossing biography of the late dissident Russian physicist that explores his character as well as his life.

Barbara Gershenbaum

1. HELLO TO THE CANNIBALS by Richard Bausch (Hardcover)
The story of Victorian explorer Mary Kingsley told through the voice of a contemporary woman who writes a play about her.

2. THE EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK by Stephen L. Carter (Hardcover)
The first novel from a Yale law professor, recounting the impact of the death of an African American judge and the secrets his son must uncover.

3. THE LITTLE FRIEND by Donna Tartt (Hardcover)
The poignant tale of a little girl determined to find the killer of the brother she never knew.

4. THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold (Hardcover)
A murdered teenager tells her story from her perch in her personally fantasized version of Heaven.

5. THE ANALYST by John Katzenbach (Hardcover)
An interesting novel in which a psychoanalyst is given a few days to remember a mistake he made in his past, or he will die.

Melissa Morgan

ATONEMENT by Ian McEwan (Hardcover)
THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE by Michel Faber (Hardcover)
THE EYRE AFFAIR by Jasper Fforde (Hardcover)
LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel (Hardcover)
EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED by Jonathan Safran Foer (Hardcover)
THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold (Hardcover)
THE DIVINE ECONOMY OF SALVATION by Pricila Uppal (Hardcover)
MINIATURES by Norah Labiner (Hardcover)
THE STORY OF LUCY GAULT by William Trevor (Hardcover)
CARAMELO by Sandra Cisneros (Hardcover)

I chose each of these because I either felt the narrative was stronger than anything else I've read all year or simply because the storyline was so unlike anything else out there right now --- and in many cases, both. A great year for the novel.

Andrew Musicus

1. THE FLYSWATTER: How My Grandfather Made His Way in the World by Nicholas Dawidoff (Biography, hardcover)
Prior to reaching the highest rung of academia at Harvard, Alexander Gerschenkron fled the Russian Revolution, barely escaped Nazi terror in Austria, worked the shipyard docks in California and made his reputation as a brilliant economist at the Federal Reserve. Written by Gerschenkron's grandson, Nicholas Dawidoff, this biography is more compellingly weird than any fiction could invent.

2. I'LL TAKE YOU THERE by Joyce Carol Oates (Fiction, hardcover)
Oates's nameless protagonist is an airless, quietly suffering student brimming with ideas and trying hard to navigate a social jungle --- Syracuse University sorority life --- she knows nothing about. She is also a wholly original creation, brought to life in a beautifully layered way by one of America's finest writers.

3. HEART OF A SOLDIER by James B. Stewart (Biography, hardcover)
Stewart tells the epic story of 9/11 hero Rick Rescorla, the Morgan Stanley security chief who brought a measure of order to the chaos that was the 44th floor of World Trade Center, Tower Two. Rescorla saved scores of lives that day, only to lose his own and he inspired many others as a leader in both the British and American armed forces.

4. TISHOMINGO BLUES by Elmore Leonard (Fiction, hardcover)
Civil War buffs, a Detroit hit-man, the Dixie Mafia and a mercurial, high-diving loner all conspire to provide a fast-moving entertainment filled with the classic Leonard flourishes and flairs.

Roz Shea

WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN: Reflections on Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for a Faith by Studs Terkel is a real standout. Included are insights from people of every walk of life --- priests, rabbis, ministers, medical professionals --- and random interviews with people on the street. (Paperback)

NIGHT WATCH by Terry Pratchett may well be one of his best, if not THE best. It serves as a prequel to one whole sub-genre of the Disc World series -- the Watch. (Hardcover)

Stuart Shiffman

I have three books to recommend from the past year:
First is MASTER OF THE SENATE by Robert Caro. Caro's biography series of Lyndon Johnson is actually the story of post World War II America. When an author writes an 800-page book that is essentially a page turner, there is little more to say. I only wish the fourth volume would be here soon. (Hardcover)

MY LOSING SEASON by Pat Conroy is a biography of Conroy's final year of college at The Citadel. As the title indicates, it is a story of his final season as a basketball player. The interaction between the team in an era when the old south had not yet seen integration in sports is a fascinating read. Along the way we get a great deal of insight into Conroy. Anyone who read and enjoyed THE GREAT SANTINI will find many
questions about Conroy's life answered in this book. (Hardcover)

Finally, ME AND SHAKESPEARE by Herman Gollob is a book that I reviewed on these pages earlier this year. It is a wonderful story of growing old while growing up. Check out my review as I hate to repeat myself. (Hardcover)

Kathy Weissman

1. ATONEMENT by Ian McEwen. (General Fiction, hardcover). Textured and atmospheric and wholly absorbing (like a nineteenth-century novel), but also imbued with thoroughly modern psychological insights. Romantic, ravishing, yet almost clinical in the density of its detail.

2. UNLESS by Carol Shields (General Fiction, hardcover) She is better at establishing a unique "voice" than almost any writer I know.

3. SERVANTS OF THE MAP by Andrea Barrett (Historical Fiction, hardcover). Barrett's recent work brilliantly combines scientific knowledge and emotional depth --- and this is no exception.

4. BORROWED FINERY by Paula Fox (Autobiography, paperback). A beyond-bad childhood that is given meaning and even, sometimes, beauty by this first-rate writer.

5. THE CLOUDS ABOVE by Andrew Greig (Historical Fiction, paperback). A brilliant, heartbreaking novel about the Battle of Britain that gives equal time to war and love.

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