1. Atlas Sound – Logos
2. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
3. Animal Collective – Meriweather Post Pavillion
4. DOOM – Born Like This
5. The XX – s/t
6. Real Estate – s/t
7. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
8. Japandroids – Post- Nothing
9. Lotus Plaza – The Floodlight Collective
10. Woods – Songs of Shame

So The New York Times Book Review has named The Vast Fields of Ordinary one of eight notable children’s books of 2009, which is pretty amazing. To celebrate this occasion, I thought I’d list my notable books of 2009.

A note: none of the great books I read in 2009 actually came out in 2009 but that’s just because I’m always reading old stuff. One of my resolutions for 2010 is to read more current stuff.

Notable Books I Read in 2009

The Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood

I think this was maybe my favorite of any book that I read this year. I hadn’t read any Isherwood before picking this up, but I fell in love on the first page. This book follows the adventures of a group of expatriates living in Berlin right as the Nazis are taking control of Germany. There’s a lot of joy in these stories despite the terrifying political backdrop against which they take place. It’s a (gay) classic for a reason. Read it, folks. Or read it again if you already have.

The Skating Rink by Roberto Bolaño

Anyone who knows me knows about my love for all things Bolaño. For those who aren’t familiar with him, he’s a Chilean author who passed away in 2003. FSG and New Directions are in the process of translating his work into English. It’s pretty astonishing how great it all is. The Skating Rink is a little noir novel that takes place in a town called Z. It’s a good place to start for those who are ambivalent about diving into his larger works like 2666 or The Savage Detectives. You can find one of my favorite short stories by him here.

The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

I never thought I’d read this book. Why? Because I always thought I would hate it. But what I found instead was a really depressing story about the impossibilities of romantic love. And then end? Super depressing as well, which I like. I don’t have anything against happy endings, but there will always be a special place in my heart for novels (or films) that end on a bit of a bummer. I should get that checked out.

Atmospheric Disturbances by Rivka Galchen

This book operates on a very simple premise: a man’s wife walks into the house and he is suddenly sure it is not actually her but an imposter. The rest of the novel moves like one of those awful dreams where it’s impossible to save yourself from danger no matter how hard you try. A beautiful first novel, one I found myself recommending a lot this year.

Our Lady of the Flowers by Jean Genet

This was actually recommended to me by a friend. My things-to-read list is usually so long that I find it difficult to squeeze in recommendations, but this is one that I actually went out and bought. And I’m glad I did. The book is the rambling, romantic, and surreal story of an imprisoned homosexual who spends his time telling and retelling the story of his life and the lives of his fellow inmates (and intimates). It’s hard to tell where reality ends and hallucination begins. The book’s greatest feat is that when you’ve finished, you feel as if Genet has pinned down the meaning of love and all its disorienting contradictions.

So there they are. Go read ‘em all. Or buy them as Christmas gifts. Books are good, ya?

Another 2010 resolution I have is to update my blog a bit more, so keep an eye out in the coming weeks for my top 10 records of 2009.

Happy reading!

Nick

Hey everyone,

Check this out. OUT Magazine has named me one of this year’s OUT 100. It’s a huge honor, and big thanks to editor Aaron Hicklin for including me in this list of talented individuals.

I’m hard at work on book #2. I said to someone recently that it’s not so much a sequel to The Vast Fields of Ordinary as much as its b-side. I think that’s the description I’m going to stick with. The story once again takes place in Cedarville, Iowa, but this time there will be a new cast of characters…although expect to see a few folks from the first book to pop up here and there. A little Decora Whitman anyone?

More soon, ya’ll. And as always, thanks for reading.

Nick

Hello everyone!

On Thursday, September 10th, I’ll be reading at The KGB Bar as part of the Behind the Book Reading Series. I’ll be reading with the marvelous Stacey D’Erasmo. The whole thing kicks off at 7pm. The KGB Bar is located at 85 East Fourth Street in Manhattan’s East Village.

Also, you can listen to an interview I did on NPR’s with Here & Now’s Robin Young.

And if you haven’t already be sure to visit me on Facebook and become a fan.

Back to work on the second novel….

Nick

Hey everyone,

The Vast Fields of Ordinary is officially available in stores and online! I’ll be doing a few events around New York City, and you should all come out if you have the chance.

On Thursday, May 28, I’ll be reading and signing books at The Corner Bookstore. It’s at 1313 Madison Avenue at 93rd Street on the Upper East Side. The staff there has been kind enough to throw me a release party. It all begins at 6 p.m., and rumor has it there will be free cheese! Oh, and there will also be books for sale. If you haven’t purchased the book yet, support an independent bookstore by buying your copy there.

There’s also another shindig at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3, at Book Court in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. The store is located at 163 Court Street between Pacific and Dean. Book Court is another great independent bookstore, so again, if you haven’t purchased a book yet, wait and get one there.

Hope you all can make it!

Nick

Hey everyone!

David Levithan has kindly invited me to read at the Teen Author Reading night he curates at the Jefferson Market Branch of the New York Public Library. The reading begins at 6 pm and will also feature Cecil Castelucci, Susane Colasanti, Sarah Cross, Jenny Han, Nina Malkin, Emma McLaughlin and Nikki Wheir, and Kieran Scott.

Stop by! Not only will you hear some great authors, but we can bounce up and down and squeal about how excited we are for my book to come out the next day!

Nick

A lot of people have asked if there are actual songs or bands that inspired me while I was writing The Vast Fields of Ordinary. I think all questions about inspiration and the writing process in general are bit tricky, especially when people are attempting to draw lines between fictional events and an author’s reality. That being said, there are a handful of songs that make me think of Dade and the world I tried to create around him, and you can listen to them all here. Enjoy.

Nick

Hey everyone,

This is the blog portion of the site. I’m just getting settled, but I promise to start posting soon. It’ll mostly just be news about the book and maybe a random record/film/book review or two, but I promise it will be completely awesome and the highlight of your daily internet surfing.

I also wanted to mention that this site was designed by Adam Penly, and the photograph was taken by Eric Luc. Eric also took my author photo and is one of the most talented photographers around. Big ups to both of these awesome guys for lending their time and talent to my site.

More soon!

Nick