If you were held spellbound by the documentary film Man on Wire, you’ll already have a connection to the 2009 National Book Award winner for fiction.  Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann is the story of a diverse group of New Yorkers who are touched by Philippe Petit’s highwire dance between the Twin Towers in 1974.  In the nonfiction category, T.J. Stiles won for The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt.  Other finalists:

[Fiction] Lark and Termite, American Salvage, In Other Rooms, Other Wonders, and Far North
[Nonfiction] Following the Water, Remarkable Creatures, Fordlandia, and The Poison King

Also making news are the 100 Notable Books of 2009, an annual tradition of The New York Times.  Take a look, and let us know which ones are deserving and which titles were overlooked!