Top Tens so far:

Our Most Anticipated Novels for 2010

The Gutter Bookshop's Bestsellers 2009

Bob's Top Ten Books Published in 2009

Bob's Top Ten Books Published in 2008

Bob's Top Ten Books Published in 2006

Bob's Top Ten Books Ever!

Bob's Top Ten Children's Books

Thought this would be a bit of fun and give you a few ideas if you're stuck for something to read. Feel free to send us a list if you fancy, I'll stick up as many as I can.

Our Most Anticipated Novels for 2010

So, here are the novels due out in 2010 that we're already getting very excited about! Thanks to people who have contributed ideas (I've given credits where we've used your suggestions). As ever, publication dates may change along the way (dates given are for Irish/UK publication). And inevitably, the list only covers the first half the year as the Autumn schedules won't be in place yet (indeed, some of the books won't be written yet!) I do know of one very exciting children's book due out in the Autumn but I've promised not to say anything just yet....

Let us know of anything we've missed out on and we'll add it to the list, and I'll try to update as I hear of more! The choices are of course personal, and I've restricted it to fiction in this instance as that's what tends to get me most excited.

The list is in publication date order:

The Gutter Bookshop's Bestsellers 2009

We're finally open which means I finally get to do a Top Ten based on sales rather than my own whims... so, on sales alone, here are The Gutter Bookshop's bestsellers for 2009 (or the six weeks of it we were open!)

  1. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
  2. Mr Tayto : Man Inside the Jacket
  3. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
  4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
  5. A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich
  6. Easy Walks Near Dublin by Joss Lynam
  7. The Dubliner 100 Best Restaurants 2010
  8. The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
  9. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... by Richard Carlsson
  10. Zest : Recipes from 62 Top Irish Restaurants

An eclectic selection I think you'll agree! Numbers 5,6,8, and 9 are all from our Staff Picks section which just goes to show what an independent recommendation can do!

Bob's Top Ten Books Published in 2009

Here are my favourite reads from 2009

Bob's Top Ten Books Published in 2008

I thought I'd try to get this updated too! So here are my picks of 2008 - again, these are chosen by my enjoyment value rather than any literary pretensions (and I've avoided the 1-10 approach on purpose - way too difficult!)

Hmm, only got to 8 and mt mind's gone blank... I'll leave it at that for now and add a couple more when my mind is working again!

Bob's Top Ten Books Published in 2006

Ok, so I nicked this idea from Scott Pack's blog (see Contacts) but it seemed like a fun thing to do. I've tried to choose books that I've really enjoyed reading, rather than by their literary value, but hopefully there's a bit of crossover! (I've only included books that I have read, so there's probably stacks of fantastic 2006 books that I haven't got to yet).

  1. So Many Ways to Begin by Jon McGregor
  2. The Night Watch by Sarah Waters
  3. Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami
  4. Christine Falls by Benjamin Black
  5. In The Blood by Andrew Motion
  6. The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox
  7. Digging to America by Anne Tyler
  8. Paula Spencer by Roddy Doyle
  9. Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra
  10. Mothers and Sons by Colm Tóibín

Bob's Top Ten Books Ever!

Way too difficult to put these into any kind of order, it's hard enough trying to come up with a list of ten and I'll probably change it every other day...

Bob's Top Ten Children's Books

Very difficult again, trying to compare the books I adored as a child with some of the great new children's books, but heh, it's only a bit of fun!