Largehearted Boy’s list of lists

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The blogger Largehearted Boy -- also known as David Gutowski -- is compiling every Best-Of book list for 2010. It’s his third year on the project, so he understood what a daunting task it might be. Today’s additions to the list include 17 separate best lists from Kirkus (all for children and teens) and 14 lists from Amazon.UK.

So far, there are 170 best books lists on Largehearted Boy’s master list. The lists include piles of both bestsellers and editors’ picks from Amazon in the United States and Britain, with categories that include ‘best craft books,’ ‘best cookbooks’ and ‘best food lit books,’ ‘best fiction’ and ‘best debut fiction.’ Booklist has separate lists for ‘top religion and spirituality books,’ ‘top religion books for youth’ and ‘top inspirational fiction.’ The more specialized the lists get -- The Guardian’s ‘best chess book,’ Kirkus’ ‘best children’s books that make you think’ -- the more interesting they seem.

And there are some specialists making their top selections that should get gold stars. Who better than io9 to select top science fiction books? Although it turns out this was a lookahead list, written in November 2009. Chances are, io9 has lots of year-end lists up its sleeve.

That’s the thing: It’s only Nov. 17. There are many, many more best books of 2010 lists still to come.

-- Carolyn Kellogg