The Second Floor Librarians

Fireworks #1, by Camera Slayer on Flickr

As we head toward the end of the year, all the “Best of 2009″ lists start coming out. You’ll find all sorts of best books of the year lists online, but here’s something uniquely Corvallis – a list of the memoirs and biographies you thought were best this year. I generated this list by running a report of the titles that got checked out the most times in 2009. Of course, this means that a book released last month may be popular, but hasn’t had time to achieve greatness in terms of circulation statistics.

Anyway, here are the top 15 memoirs and biographies, as chosen by you, Corvallis library patrons…1. Happens Every Day: An All-Too-True Story by Isabel Gillies

“Gillies pens a fast-paced, intriguing memoir in which she is forced to come to terms with the swift destruction of her picture-perfect life after her husband leaves her for another woman–something her rival reminds her, happens every day.”

2. Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist by Michael J. Fox

“The beloved actor–and #1 bestselling author–writes about the personal philosophy that has carried him through his darkest hours, and speaks with others who have emerged from difficult periods with optimism to spare.”

3. Losing Mum and Pup: A Memoir by Christopher Buckley

“Bestselling author Buckley’s most personal and transcendent work–the tragicomic true story of the year in which he lost both of his parents.”

4. Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer

This was just released in September, which is why it’s not at #1. Otherwise, in terms of demand so far, this would easily be in the top spot. “Krakauer chronicles the riveting, tragic story of former NFL player Pat Tillman, who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004, in engrossing detail highlighting his remarkable character and personality while closely examining the murky, heartbreaking circumstances of his death.”

5. Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder

“The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the modern classics “Mountains Beyond Mountains” and “The Soul of a New Machine” returns with the extraordinary true story of a young man and his will to turn his life into something truly remarkable.”

6. True Compass: A Memoir by Edward M. Kennedy

“In this landmark autobiography, five years in the making, Senator Edward M. Kennedy tells his extraordinary personal story–of his legendary family, politics, and 50 years at the center of national events.”

7. A Lucky Child: A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy by Thomas Buergenthal

“Buergenthal arrived at Auschwitz at age 10 after surviving two ghettos and a labor camp. Now dedicated to helping those subjected to tyranny throughout the world, Buergenthal writes his story with a simple clarity that highlights the stark details of unimaginable hardship.”

8. Showing Up for Life: Thoughts on the Gifts of a Lifetime by Bill Gates, Sr.

“In a heartfelt, deeply personal book, Gates shares the values and principles he has instilled in his children, and continues to practice on the world stage today as the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.”

9. The Sisters Antipodes by Jane Alison

“Once there were two families, one Australian, one American: each family had a mother, a father who worked for his country’s foreign service, and two little girls. The older two girls were the same age, while the younger two–one of them Jane Alison, whose memoir this is–shared the same birthday, although Jenny was a year older. In this book, Jane describes the events that followed when the adults got divorced in order to exchange spouses.”

10. My Booky Wook: A Memoir of Sex, Drugs and Stand-Up by Russell Brand

“In 2006, Brand exploded onto the international comedy scene, but his life was anything but glamorous. He was bulimic at age 12 and began drinking heavily and taking drugs by age 16–even setting himself on fire while on crack cocaine. This is his amazing memoir of recovery.”

11. Not Becoming My Mother: And Other Things She Taught Me Along the Way by Ruth Reichl

“Bestselling author Reichl embarks on a clear-eyed, openhearted investigation of her mother’s life, piecing together the journey of a woman she comes to realize she never really knew.”

12. Paul Newman: A Life by Shawn Levy

“Film critic and pop-culture historian Levy gives readers the ultimate behind-the-scenes examination of actor Paul Newman’s life, offering a fascinating portrait of an extraordinarily gifted man, who gave back as much as he got out of life.”

13. Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival by Norman Ollestad

“A heart-stopping adventure that ends in tragedy and in triumphs, ["Crazy for the Storm" is] a love story that fearlessly explores the bond between a father and son and what it means to lead a life without limits.”

14. A Little Bit Wicked: (Life, Love and Faith in Stages) by Kristin Chenoweth

“In this exuberant, candid memoir, entertainer Chenoweth provides an intimate look at her life as an actress, a Christian, and a small-town girl in the big city, reflecting on how faith and family have kept her grounded in the dysfunctional rodeo of show biz.”

15. The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, a Daughter, and the Town That Raised Them by Amy Dickinson

“Dickinson has made a career out of helping others, through her internationally syndicated advice column “Ask Amy.” Readers love her for her honesty and for the fact that her motto is ‘I make the mistakes so you don’t have to.’ Here, she shares those mistakes and her remarkable story. ”

Posted by Lisa, a second floor librarian