Books read in 2024

December 11, 2024

It’s that time of the year.If you want to see what last time I did this looks like, head over here. Spotify just dropped Wrapped. The lists of the best everything in 2024 start rolling on. And I can’t help having a go at mine.You can see a slightly fancier version here. I’m reluctant to pay much attention to it because a) it counts my two dropped books as read and b) because… Goodreads. It’s 2024, your service is no better than in 2014. Most frustratingly, it could be sooo much better. Oh well, digression… One of the few practices I’ve kept over the years, even in the face of pretty substantial life style changes (e.g., baby) is reading. So, here’s my list of books from 2024. Let’s get all due caveats out of the way first of all. It’s technically not a “best of” but rather “all of”. I did not love all the books in there, but I did read them. Unlike many smart people profess, I have a really hard time giving up on a book I have started. This year though, I’m glad I stuck with all of them. Also, technically, I did not read all of them either. A good chunk of them I listened to while doing the dishes (more on this below). And, at the risk of stating the obvious, it’s December 11th., the year has not ended. I’m currently on three books (one, two, three) that I might or not finnish before the year is out. All are very good. Unless something radical changes, none would replace my picks this year. So, on we go.

If by best we mean a book that makes you stay up way too late reading, and you think about long after you’ve finished, the clear winner this year is The Deluge. It’s hard to state in words how much I liked what is a 900p. book mostly about climate change. Don’t be fooled though, this is not the type of sci/cli-fi where characters and story are simple vehicles for the Big Ideas. There are lots of those (Big Ideas), but there are also real characters. People you come to love, despise, and find uncomfortably close to you. Since I finished it, I’ve been looking for someone, anyone, who’s read it too and is up for a coffee, because there are so many bits I’d like to discuss with another human about this book. Unfortunately though, the search goes on…

The other book that surprised me in many and good ways was Doppelganger. I’m the proud owner of a 1,999 paper copy of NoLogo, which I devoured as a highschool student. After that, I figured there would be little in Naomi Klein’s writing I wouldn’t agree with or would change my views, so did not read more. How wrong I was. Admittedly, this is the most and least Klein book I can think of. It is something only her could have written and only now, after decades of craft. And is a really hard book to pull off. It’s about so many things (her confusion with Naomi Wolf, conspiracy theories, right-wing politics in the XXIst Century, doppelgangers in culture and art over history, Jewish identity…) that it is hard to classify or even summarise. But it’s well worth your time. Go read (listen to) it.

Honorary mentions. This has been a good year for reads. It’s also been a terrible year in many personal aspects of my life. In the worst of it in May, I picked up Where there’s a will, and I’m so glad I did. Chappell’s account of what it really means to win a race so brutal like the Transcontinental is everything I needed to read about human endurance, empathy, and humbleness. Impossible people was also a phenomenal (graphic) read. Wertz’s account of her own alcoholism is so raw, hopeful, and just pure funny. And last but not least, Devil in a blue dress. My friend Al turned me on to this, and I’m so glad he did. This is L.A. Confidential from the African-American perspective. It’s a great detective story, it’s so well written, and it’s an approach to race that, although written in the early 90s, reads just as fresh in 2024.

A couple of thoughts to close. First, almost all non-fiction I consumed this year was listened. I’d love to have the brightness and mental capacity to spend 40 minutes every night getting lost in thorough arguments. The truth is I don’t. Instead, I do have about that time every night when I wash the dishes and clean the kitchen. One day, in an ideal world, I’ll do all my reading, well, by reading. For what is worth, I do agree with the snob argument that reading is a better way to engage with writing than listening. It gives you more space to think and let the content change you. It’s just that such option is not in the cards right now. Second, I have tried to read as much from women as from men now for a few years, with varying degrees of success. This year I think I was fairly OK with it. This year, it’s almost been a perfect split between fiction (men) and non-fiction (women). I need more female fiction recommendations! And third, something I started this year is to systematically take notes and write down impressions as I was reading. I started towards the autumn, so I’ll reserve conclusions on that for the future (including whether the practice sticks at all!).

So, that’s it, one more year. If you know me a bit, you know I like talking books, and I’m always looking for more recommendations. So feel free to hit me up with books that have made your 2024 a better tour around the sun!

Books of 2024

Non-fiction

Fiction

Books read in 2024 - December 11, 2024 - Dani Arribas-Bel