British novel tops Amazon`s yearly list

New York, Nov 11: Philip Hensher`s "The Northern Clemency" is a British novel that as of Sunday had yet to attract any customer reviews on Amazon.com. But the online retailer`s staff reviewers have noticed well, making it Amazon`s book of the year.

"It quickly became a favorite here as soon as our advance copies arrived," Tom Nissley, Amazon senior books editor, said in a statement Sunday. "Its unpredictable and beautifully observed story of two families in Sheffield, England, reminded us of writers from Jonathan Franzen to Anne Tyler ..." Hensher`s novel was followed by "Hurry Down Sunshine," Michael Greenberg`s memoir about his daughter`s mental illness; and Rick Perlstein`s "Nixonland," a review of Richard Nixon`s impact on American politics. Also cited was David Wroblewski`s "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle," a debut novel heavily promoted by Amazon and later endorsed by Oprah Winfrey. Others in the top 10: "The Forever War" by Dexter Filkins; "The Likeness" by Tana French; "Serena" by Ron Rash; "So Brave, Young, and Handsome" by Leif Enger; "The Lazarus Project" by Aleksandar Hemon; and "The Ten-Cent Plague" by David Hajdu. Bureau Report