It strikes me that 2009 was an average year for books, even if Philip Roth did come up with one of his rare stiffs, but then it was a below-average year for almost everything else, so perhaps we should be grateful.

My best books of the year:

Nonfiction

A Strange Eventful History, by Michael Holroyd — A strange but eventful book that doesn’t know when to stop but remains fascinating so long as it focuses on the relationship and careers of Henry Irving and his assorted mistresses.

The Death of Conservatism, by Sam Tanenhaus — The best book by a conservative about the intellectual — or, more accurately, unintellectual — crack-up.

Somewhere Towards the End, by Diana Athill — Just about the wisest book about growing old I’ve ever read, and quite possibly a modern classic.

Flannery, by Brad Gooch — I liked Gooch’s book about Frank O’Hara better than I liked this one, but then I like O’Hara better than I like Flannery O’Connor, who is really just a little too weird even for a weird trade. Still, a fine biography.

Beg, Borrow and Steal, by Michael Greenberg — The travails of a writing life.

Fiction

The Anthologist, by Nicholson Baker — A sometimes sad but mostly funny book about a blocked poet.

Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi, by Geoff Dyer — Two novellas by the brilliant English author, who never comes out of the same place twice.

Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel — Elizabethan history as it should be written, with an emphasis on devious characters and wit.
Love and Summer, by William Trevor — A muted but still effective effort by the great Irish writer.