2010

Compiling a list of best books of the year always turns me into an optimist -- though lamentations for the decline of literacy are widespread, every year certain authors keep producing books that are better researched, more insightful and more readable than ever before.

For this list of the best books of 2010, I have relied on nominations from regular Seattle Times reviewers (and reserved a couple for myself). Their names follow each recommendation, and the words of praise that follow are, for the most part, theirs. I'm grateful for the work they do year-round to bring notice of good books to Seattle Times readers -- I couldn't do it without them.