What I Read in 2024

Every time I buy a book, I delight in thinking I am helping support writers, without whom the world would be quite bleak and narrow.

Before I go to bed each night, I read for up to an hour. I disconnect from all devices and find my way into another human being’s imagination. Reading and disconnecting from all devices sets me up for a restful night of sleep.

I read a number of dystopian books (not my usual genre) that were not only excellent, but unfortunately prescient in an eerie way. I encourage you to read at least one that isn’t your ‘type.’

These titles are not listed in any order other than the order in which I read them. In all honesty, I enjoyed them all, but the ones that really packed an impact will have a word or two description.

Reading is a beautiful way to escape for a few moments with the added benefit of growing perspective. By pure virtue of immersing ourselves in the author’s imagination, we are exposed to something unique. Our minds grow and expand, and perhaps also, our tolerance.

Every time I buy a book, I delight in thinking I am helping support writers, without whom the world would be quite bleak and narrow. I don’t wait for sales if there is a book I want to own–many of us spend more money on our lattes in a given week after all! Books, in my opinion, are the best gift to give. (Unfortunately, I’m not a good receiver of such gifts because nine times out of ten, I already own the book or have read it!)

Here are the books I read in 2024:

• Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning, Liz Cheney
• The Sentence, Louise Erdrich
• Prophet Song, Paul Lynch – Booker prize winner. Poses the question; how does one know when to flee? One of the best books I’ve read this year.
• The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the remarkable life of a 109 year-old man, David von Drehle
• We Should Not Be Friends, Will Schwalbe
• Seed to Dust, Marc Hamer – Gentle, observant, absolutely beautiful read for anyone who finds peace in a garden.
• The World According to Joan Didion, Evelyn McDonnell
• Poor Deer, Claire Oshetsky
• Absolution, Alice McDermott
• How to Catch a Mole, Marc Hamer – Marc Hamer is once again the observer of nature.
• The Lady in Gold, Anne Marie O’Connor – Fantastic journey through the world of Nazi stolen art of World War II
• On Earth We are Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean, Vuong –  Heartrending and extraordinarily beautiful
• Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks – How Brooks weaves actual historical events into fiction is extraordinary. I’m on a quest to read all of her books!
• Holly, Stephen King – King was my favorite author as a teen. Was in the mood for a horror fix and this delivered!
• I Know This Much is True, Wally Lamb
• The Obituary Writer, Ann Hood
• You Like it Darker, Stephen King
• Journal of a Solitude, May Sarton – This might have been the best book of the year for me–recommended for any artist (especially women) in a fallow period. Sarton is one of those writers who deserved far more recognition than she got.
• Firefly Lane, Kristin Hannah
• The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron
• Ikigai, Secret to a Long and Happy Life, Hector Garcia, Francesc Miralles
• Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death, Yoel Hoffman
• Playing with (Wild)fire, Laura Pritchett
• Love Medicine, Louise Erdrich
• The Secret Chord, Geraldine Brooks
• The Friday Afternoon Club, Griffin Dunne
• The Women, Kristin Hannah
• Parable of the Sower, Octavia Butler – Dystopian storytelling at its best–set in 2020. You must read this.
• 19 Minutes, Jodi Picault – Love Jodi Picault–This book is one of the most frequently banned books which is a shame. It should be read.
• Parable of the Talents, Octavia Butler – Sequel to “Parable of the Sower”
• The Backyard Bird Chronicles, Amy Tan – For bird lovers and nature observers–a quietly beautiful and surprising book!
• Tell Me Everything, Elizabeth Strout – One of my favorite authors known for her incredible character, Olive Kitteredge.
• The Vulnerables, Sigrid Nunez
• The Burgess Boys, Elizabeth Strout – I thought I had read all of Strout’s books. Was delighted to find this one! Read before “Tell Me Everything” if you can.
• Our Missing Hearts, Celeste Ng – Oh my. What a beautiful and prescient book.
• Without Exception: Reclaiming Abortion, Personhood and Freedom, Pam Houston – I recommend this for every woman of childbearing age. Houston has an incredible way of weaving together her personal stories with historical moments

I hope you find something on this list that speaks to you. And, if like me, you are horrified by this period of book banning, please consider a donation to Pen America, one of the leaders in the fight against censorship.

Also, while some of the links I provide may be to Amazon, please consider purchasing from your independent bookstore or the website Bookshop.

The post What I Read in 2024 appeared first on Our Stories Today.