What Book Will Make Whose List????????????????

                       Try to keep up with me, girls, because I want this post to be concise.  Let's start with the books on The Times list that I have read.

                        1.Before The Fall, by Noah Headley
                        2. My Name Is Lucy Barton, by Elizabeth Strout
                        3. The Nix, by Nathan Hill
                        4.  The Sport Of Kings, by C.E. Morgan

                          That is almost a list, right there.  Each of the books has its own complete posting, which you can refer back to, girls!!!!!!!!!!  What I would say here is that I would strike "My Name Is Lucy Barton" from the list.  It is a moving book, but nothing more than Elizabeth Strout doing what she does.

                            There are some books I MUST read on here.
                             1. Barkskins, by Annie Proux
                             2. Here I Am, by Jonathan Safran-Foer
                             3. Moonglow, by Michael Chabon
                             4. Today Will Be Different, by Maria Semple
                             5.  The Vegetarian, by Han Kang

                              Again, a list in itself.  And no, I am not disdaining Lethem, Russo and others, it is just these are the books I have my eye on, want  to get to first, and feel should and/or may end up on the list.

                                The range of fiction this year is so wide and varied that I cannot pick what The Times will narrow down to five, except to say I am certain that no matter what some short story or poetry collection that escapes me will be on the list.

                                  What should be on the list?  In other  words, what is MY list?  here goes!

                                   1. The Nix, by Nathan Hill--clearly Book Of The Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                   2. The Queen Of The Night, by Alexander Chee--a close second!!!!!!!!!!!
                                   3. The Sport Of Kings, by C.E. Morgan--wonderfully old fashioned, but yet a brilliant present day study of American aristocracy in terms of horse raising!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                   4. Surrender, New York--Caleb Carr, present day serial killer; it adds up, to me!!!!!!!!!!!
                                   5. Here I Am, by Jonathan Safran-Foer--always intellectually stimulating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    We will discuss my selections, versus The Times, when they release their Ten Best List.  Meanwhile turn off those computers, and get busy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     We've got a lot of reading to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!