TopPicks Index
Top 10 Contemporary Authors
While it is impossible to rank the most important authors in contemporary literature, here is a list of ten important (English language) authors with some biographical notes and links to more information about them and their work.
Top 10 Best Novels of The Century (so far)
While "best" is a subjective description, we feel certain that these ten are indeed the best literary novels published since the year 2000.
Top 10 2006 Holiday Gift Books
2006 has been very generous to book-lovers, and consequently we have a plethora of titles to choose from for our holiday gift-giving. This year avoid the mall, and give them a book from the eclectic selection of the best that emerged from the publishing houses this year.
Top 10 Books of 2006
Looking for some good reading? The Ten Best works of Literature from 2006 will not fail you. Learn more about each book and each author by clicking on the review links.
Top 10 Best Books from 2005
Join us in celebrating The Ten Best works of Literature from 2005. Learn more about each book and each author by clicking on the associated links.
Top 10 Fathers Day Gift Books
Fathers day is upon us and you know what Dad wants. He wants a sea kayak, a gass grill, or one of those Segway personal transport devices. But you're too cheap to get him any of those gifts. How about a nice book? Even if he doesn't read it, you can! And at the very least, it will look good on the shelf with unread books from past years fathers day gifts.
Top 10 2005 Holiday Gift Books
2005 has been very generous to book-lovers, and consequently we have a plethora of titles to choose from for our holiday gift-giving. This year avoid the mall, and give them a book from the eclectic selection of the best that emerged from the publishing houses this year.
Top 10 Literary Works of 2005
Join us in celebrating The Ten Best works of Literature for 2005. This list is culled from literary works reviewed this year by About Contemporary Literature.
Top 10 Literary Works of 2004
The best in this literature for 2004 includes a variety of offerings from writers of various national backgrounds. There's a work of experimental fiction, an alternate history, an historical fantasy, and a collection of short stories in this list of ten. There are several award winners and runners-up.
Top 10 Books about Work
What we do to make a living, and that which truly ignites us from the inside out are often different and disparate things. The exploration of how to move these closer together, or at least find some kind of peace at work, has become a popular topic in a time when "what you do" tends to be interpreted as "who you are." A number of books have been written of late to guide the wandering through this exploration.
Top 10 Books of Summer 2005
Long flights to exotic destinations, lounging by the pool, or even just sneaking away from the kids for a few moments of solitude - summer activities beg for good books. And here they are - ten hot titles for your hot summer!
Top 10 Books at the Beach - Day 2
The beach is a great place to read, and over the next three days, I'm going to chronicle what these vacationers here at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina are reading.[br][br]Beach reads are classicly trashy novels, so these are in no way recommendations - just a survey of the first 10 readers and their books over three days.
Top 10 Books at the Beach - Day 1
Four days at the beach has rendered me unable to stop myself. I've restrained so far, but now I find myself walking right up to strangers to ask what they're reading. The beach is a great place to read, and over the next three days, I'm going to chronicle what these vacationers here at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina are reading.
Top 10 Books at the Beach - Day 3
The beach is a great place to read, and over the next three days, I'm going to chronicle what these vacationers here at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina are reading.[br][br]Beach reads are classicly trashy novels, so these are in no way recommendations - just a survey of the first 10 readers and their books over three days.
Top 10 Nonfiction of 2004
The best of this year's nonfiction includes a number of biographies as well as a humor collection and a work that explores place. It's hard to pick only ten from the year's offerings, but we'll give it a try!
Top 10 2004 Holiday Gift Books
The holidays are upon us, and with them the mad dash to outlying malls and plazas in the search for the quaint consummables that will put a smile on our loved ones' faces. NOT THIS YEAR! This year, avoid the mall, the lines, the traffic! This year, take your pick from my list of ten holiday gift books, one or more of which will delight, amaze, and just generally make your family and friends feel warm all under.
Top 10 Books on Spirituality
Spirituality, unlike religion, can encompass many faiths or no faith at all. It is an intangible quality that serves to guide us through life's challenges, pitfalls, and even times of great joy. Here is a list of books that address human efforts toward spirituality from various angles and down different paths.
Top 10 Banned Books
Book Sense is a national marketing campaign on behalf of the independent bookstores of America. Independent booksellers with Book Sense have created this list of ten banned books in support of Banned Books Week, September 25 to October 2, 2004
Top 10 Young Adult Books
Young adult literature is usually characterized by having a young protagonist, a limited number of characters, few subplots, a compressed timespan, and a positive resolution. The YA audience is typically thought to be between the ages of 12 to 19 years, but much YA literature written today, including the Harry Potter books, and Philip Pullman's and Cornelia Funke's work has had crossover appeal to an adult audience.