I tried to do a top 10, but I just couldn’t do it. So many wonderful books that I just couldn’t leave out. Same problem when I tried a top 20. And so what follows is my top 25. And every one is a gem.
THE PICTURES
THE TITLES (& LINKS)
Marraine: A Portrait of my Godmother by Oriel Malet
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Red House Mystery by A. A. Milne
The Great Western Beach by Emma Smith
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Doreen by Barbara Noble
South Riding by Winifred Holtby
The Herring Seller’s Apprentice by L C Tyler
True Murder by Yaba Badoe
The Solitude of Thomas Cave by Georgina Harding
The Doves of Venus by Olivia Manning
The Captain’s Wife by Eilunned Lewis
High Wages by Dorothy Whipple
Among The Mad by Jacqueline Winspear
Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen by Fay Weldon
Paul Ferroll by Caroline Clive
Tales of Terror from the Black Ship by Chris Priestley
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
Chess by Stefan Zweig
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Night Thoughts of a Country Landlady: Being the Pacific Experiences of Miss Emma Nightingale in Time of War presented by Edith Olivier and illustrated by Rex Whistler
London War Notes 1939 to 1945 by Mollie Panter-Downes
The Boy with the Cuckoo-clock Heart by Mathias Malzieu
The Girl With Glass Feet by Ali Shaw
No stats – one of my resolutions for the year was no counting and I’m sticking to it.
All I’m going to say is that I’ve had a great reading year!
Fleur in her World 
I’m surprised to discover that I haven’t read any of your favourites. I have several in my TBR pile – and will be starting Elegance of the Hedgehog soon.
I hope you have a wonderful 2010!
Wow, I haven’t read a single one of your books and only have one in my TBR pile. I need more time to read!
I love your list!! I should just copy and paste this to my tbr…
I like the college of book covers. I bet that took forever to do. I like your list too although I haven’t read any of them. I just like hearing about what you’ve read.
What a fantastic list of books!!
The Housekeeper was on my favorite list too. And a few of these are already on my wish list thanks to you 🙂
The only one on your list I’ve read is The Yellow Wallpaper, but a number of them are on my to-read-someday list.
You had a great reading year. Wishing you all the best in 2010.
I must read True Murder, The Elegance of the Hedgehog and finally start the Maisie Dobbs books. What a delightful list!
Happy New Year!
I’ve only read a couple of these, but the whole list makes me drool. I think your no stats resolution is a strong one, although I’m too much of a numbers nerd to go through with it. 😉
Wonderfully varied list…have read a few, such as the Weldon (years ago, and must read it again), the Gilman (have read it a few times and love it every time) and the Wilde … I started the Barbery and think I will like it but it got overrun by end-of-yearish events. It’s still next to my bed though! (Discovered you through Saturday Salon)
I love the layout (and content!) of this post. I think no stats is a great resolution. I’m wondering if you are carrying that over to this year? I have been waiting impatiently for my library to have The Elegance of the Hedgehog – really looking forward to that one and High Wages too – Someone at a Distance was a gem!