My pick is "Forever: A Novel" by Pete Hamill. Might be the best book I've read all year.
I love Pete Hamill, and I think this is his masterpiece. Great story, and NYC, specifically Manhattan, is a character- from 1740's until the day after 9/11. It's an amazing, magical, uplifting, thought provoking story. The kind of book you don't want to end.