What's the best book(s) you read in 2009?

I was just curious to know which books everyone enjoyed the most last year?

My favorite was Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker.  He did such a good job with developing characters and plot lines that I really cared about what was happening to them and could hardly put the book down.

My favorite was Lavender Morning by Jude Devereau. Just a really good story.

Pillars of the Earth
World Without End
Both by Ken Follett

New York: The Novel
By Rutherfurd

Under the Dome
Stephen King

Oh yeah, those two books by Ken Follett are excellent. I was going to recommend them but I couldn't remember the first one's name.

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, about Lincoln's Cabinet and the Civil War ... you will wonder how the North ever won with the bad generals the North had early on.

Nothing really stands out right now, but I usually read a book and then forget it.  I like Evanovich, JD Robb, Nora Roberts, Sue Grafton.  Right now I'm reading Grisham's The Partner.

This past year I read 23 books ( paperback)  that were by John Norman.  Pretty much a sci fi and he has  cult followers.  Strange books.  But some of them were really interesting and different.   Don't read if you believe in equality for women.  These books treated them like they were second citizens

One of my favorite reads last year was an old Mary Higgins Clark book "A Cry in the Night" originally printed in 1982. 
I've always enjoyed her books and don't know how I missed this one but I'm glad I picked it up.  It was a quick/easy read and the storyline hooked me right away.  I hate when I don't really get hooked until I'm 1/2 or worse yet 3/4 of the way done....that just happened with a Sue Graffton book.

This may sound odd but the best book I've read so far this year is the Craig Ferguson book "American on Purpose".  I read it in 2 days.  Even though it is mostly a very sad story of his troubled youth, there were some really funny parts that made me laugh out loud.  I think you have to be a fan of his comedy and/or talk show to really like the book.  Perhaps it's my British humor but I really like him!

 I just finished reading "Cross Country" by James Patterson ... it was an actual book, not an audio... ha ha ha...  

My favorite of 2009 was "The Alienist" by Caleb Carr.   Wow...  book noir but kept me on the edge of my chair... and awake at night...  

Millie

Read 3 or 4 James Patterson books (he is a machine), but the best I read was Mitch Album's latest "Have a Little Faith".  He is a sportswriter, but not all his books are sports.  He wrote Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven.  If you have not read them, make it a point.

Preparing for my WLS in 2009, my favorite books were written by Carnie Wilson, Gut Feelings and I'm Still Hungry.  These books were written with humor and I thoroughly enjoyed them.