The American Library Association’s best known award for adult books is the Notable Books List, which is announced at the Midwinter Conference each year. (For this year’s winners, click here.) Genre fiction has never been eligible for inclusion on this list, and RUSA, the division of ALA which decides the Notable Books, has established a new award called The Reading List, specifically to plug this gap. Here is the text of their press release announcing the first ever winners. Kudos to RUSA for recognizing genre books.
The Reading List 2008
Established in 2007 by the CODES section of RUSA, The Reading List Council seeks to highlight outstanding genre fiction that merits special attention by general adult readers and the librarians who work with them.
The Council, which consists of ten librarians who are experts in readers’ advisory and collection development, select books in eight different categories: adrenaline titles which include suspense, thrillers, and action adventure; Fantasy; Historical Fiction; Horror; Mystery; Romance; Science Fiction; and Women’s Fiction. This inaugural juried list features established voices and debut novelists and suggests titles that will thrill avid fans and entice new readers.
Adrenaline
The Second Objective by Mark Frost Hyperion, 2007. 978-1401302221
Fantasy
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss Daw Books, 2007. 978-0756404079
Historical Fiction
The Religion by Tim Willocks Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2007. 978-0374248659
Horror
The Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill William Morrow, 2007. 978-0061147937
Mystery
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2007. 978-0399154140
Romance
Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips William Morrow, 2007. 978-0060734572
Science Fiction
In War Times by Kathleen Ann Goonan Tor, 2007. 978-0765313553
Women’s Fiction
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen Bantam, 2007. 978-0553805482
The Reading List Council 2007-2008 members are:
Katie Dunneback, Southeastern Library Services Arlene Griffin, LSSI Library North Jackson Madison County Library, TN Mirja Johanson, Perrot Memorial Library, CT Lucy Lockley, St. Charles City-County Library District, MO Robert Renwick, Brooklyn Public Library Joyce Saricks Jacqueline Sasaki, Ann Arbor District Library Tapley Trudell, San Antonio Public Library Neal Wyatt, Chair Alan Ziebarth, Chicago Public Library
