ALA 2009 Outstanding Books for the College Bound and Lifelong Learners

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In an effort to mirror the college experience, the 2009 list is divided into five academic disciplines: arts and humanities, history and cultures, literature and language arts, science and technology, and social sciences. It is a combination of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. Titles were selected based on criteria including readability, racial and cultural diversity, balance of viewpoints, variety of formats and genres, and title availability. The committee also attempted to provide balance between modern classic titles and those that are newer or speak to current events.

“Students and lifelong learners can use this list to broaden their horizons in preparation for college entrance exams and courses, to increase and update their knowledge in various subject areas, or to develop an appreciation for other cultures and times,” said Sarajo Wentling, committee chair. “The committee worked hard to create a list with something for everyone.”

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  1. 1.
    The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
    by Sherman Alexie

  2. 4.
    Bitterly Divided: The South's Inner Civil War
    by David Williams

  3. 5.
    Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life
    by Steve Martin

  4. 6.
    The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
    by Junot Diaz

  5. 7.
    Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
    by Jared Diamond

  6. 10.
    Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costume Design
    by Deborah Nadoolman Landis

  7. 13.
    Forgotten Fire (Readers Circle)
    by Adam Bagdasarian

  8. 14.
    Frida: Viva La Vida! Long Live Life!
    by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand

  9. 17.
    Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone (Vintage)
    by Rajiv Chandrasekaran

  10. 19.
    The Known World (Signed First Edition)
    by Edward, P. JONES

  11. 21.
    Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA
    by Tim Weiner

  12. 23.
    The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam
    by Ann Marie Fleming

  13. 24.
    The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale
    by Art Spiegelman

  14. 25.
    New Found Land: Lewis and Clark's Voyage of Discovery
    by Allan Wolf

  15. 26.
    Night Birds
    by Thomas Maltman

  16. 27.
    The Complete Persepolis
    by Marjane Satrapi

  17. 28.

  18. 29.
    The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano
    by Margarita Engle

  19. 30.
    The Power of Myth
    by Joseph Campbell

  20. 31.
    Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea
    by Guy Delisle

  21. 32.
    Our Movie Heritage
    by Tom McGreevey

  22. 34.

  23. 35.
    The Red Tent: A Novel
    by Anita Diamant

  24. 36.

  25. 37.
    Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood
    by Benjamin Alire Saenz

  26. 38.
    ?
    Shakespeare: The World As Stage
    by Bill Bryson

  27. 40.
    The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
    by Anne Fadiman

  28. 41.
    Shooting Under Fire: The World of the War Photographer
    by Peter Howe

  29. 44.
    A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World
    by Tony Horwitz

  30. 45.
    Water for Elephants: A Novel
    by Sara Gruen

  31. 46.
    What Is the What
    by Dave Eggers

  32. 47.
    World Religions: The Great Faiths Explored & Explained
    by John Bowker

  33. 50.
    Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath
    by Stephanie Hemphill

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Created by goodwinmd13 on Jul 20, 2010.
 

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