Favorite Books From 2024

 

 

Once again, I read over 100 books (160) this year and I have tried to pick my favorites in both fiction and nonfiction. This is not easy, since there are so many good books out there. Maybe some of your top books are also on my list. Let me know what you like or didn't like!

FICTION

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

This is a book I had read several years ago and decided to reread it last year because of the new movie/musical based on the book. For some reason, I had not remembered how humorous it was and enjoyed the writer’s voice much more this time around. I also could see the characters as I read based on the new movie which was fresh in my mind. While the events of the story are often tragic and Celie, the main character,  faces so many hardships, the story is much more uplifting than I remembered it. I especially liked the sewing of pants for women. Definitely a classic!

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson

Another book I reread last year because a book club was reading it, and I wanted it to be fresh in my mind. This is a complicated story about life on an island off the coast of Washington state after World War II. One of the main characters is a Japanese man who was interred with his family during the war and consequently lost a small piece of land that his father had purchased for him, since the father, not being an American citizen, could not own land. Ultimately, this is about a murder trial, a small town dealing with racism and a love story gone wrong. It is beautifully told and the snowstorm alluded to in the title adds a layer of purity over the evil of racial animosity, often hidden then as it is now. 

 

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

This was my favorite of the Newbery winners from last year, although it was “merely” an honor book and did not take the top prize. Simon is a survivor of a school shooting and has PTSD as well as a reluctance to be known as the “one who survived” when so many children died. His unconventional family, Mom is an undertaker, and Dad is a Deacon in the Catholic Church, moves to a small town where they hope no one will recognize Simon as a survivor of a notorious shooting allowing him to  get on with his life. In their new town, Simon befriends Agate, a sturdy farm girl and Kevin, a fan of science, both from large families, and the three of them plan a complicated science project involving microwaves, a tree house and lots of wires. It is a story of friendship, love of family and redemption and is definitely a book I would read again. 

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

 A kind of light-hearted look at how we react to knowing how/when we will die. Moriarty sets this up with a short plane flight between two cities in Australia. While on the flight, an elderly woman goes into a trance and starts pointing at her fellow passengers and announcing cause of death and year of death. For many the death is far in the future and only mildly upsetting, but for a few the date of death is within a year of the present date. And for the baby, Timmy, his death is predicted by drowning at the age of seven. His mother totally freaks out! As the story progresses, the reader gets the back story on Cherry, the woman who made the predications as well as on numerous other characters, and how they react to Cherry’s predictions. An interesting psychological study with a few twists and turns to keep the reader interested. 

James: A Novel by Percival Everett

James is a more intimate view of Jim from Huckleberry Finn. He and his family learn to code-switch from childhood, speaking in a more formal speech pattern when with family and friends in the slave-quarters and reverting to aw-shucks jive when around white folks. The story Everett tells is similar in places to Twain’s tale but deviates in other places. What makes it so interesting is the way Everett shows the enslaved people interacting when not in the presence of white people. They know that the white slave-owners expect slowness and sometimes downright stupidity from those they have enslaved, so the wise “colored” folks know to bumble along and teach their children not to be too “smart” in the presence of white owners. The winner of the National Book Award for Fiction for 2024, this is definitely a must read. 

The Women by Kristen Hannah

Kristen Hannah is known for her lengthy historical fiction, often about difficult historical events. In The Women, Hannah introduces some of the American nurses who served during the Vietnam War. Frankie, an innocent newly trained nurse signs up to join the Army shortly after her adored older brother is killed in Vietnam. While Frankie has a good relationship with her parents, it seems that she can never live up to their image of her brother. While in Vietnam, Frankie learns the realities of war, has love affairs and loses several good friends and acquaintances. Returning to the US, she has a hard time keeping a job, turns to alcohol and has difficulty sustaining relationships. Readers will quickly recognize symptoms of PTSD. While this may seem to be enough of a problem, Frankie also feels less-than because neither her parents nor the services the VA offers veterans recognize the sacrifice and service of women in this war. Hannah does a marvelous job of showing the women’s point of view of the Vietnam War  from a personal perspective. And she brings us along with Frankie as she does her bet to overcome adversity. 

The Hunter by Tana French

The Hunter is the second in a two part series (maybe there will be more), following The Searcher. Set in a rural village in Ireland, this is a mystery revolving around the life in the village where everyone has a secret and most are reluctant to share with outsiders. Cal is definitely an outsider, a retired police officer from Chicago who moved to this village and wants to enjoy the peaceful life, but murderous events keep getting in his way. Cal is in a relationship with Lena, a widowed neighbor who is a veterinarian, and he watches out for Trey, a young teen who shows potential, but in both books in this series, she is in need of protection. The trouble starts when Trey’s father returns to the village and brings evil along with him. As in The Searcher, secrets abound and Cal seems to be caught in the middle, as is Trey. French is a superb writer and brings a large cast of characters under control as she shows the reader what life is like in rural Ireland.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Setting her novel in a summer camp in upstate New York, Moore introduces several interesting topics for readers to think about. She shows the differences between the wealthy owners of the camp, the middle and upper class campers and the working class camp counselors and other staff. Barbara, the daughter of the owners, decides she needs to get away from her mother, a cold, unfeeling woman who never got over the disappearance of her first born, an older brother who Barbara never knew. Once at camp, she befriends Tracy, her bunkmate and seems to settle into camp life. Then Barbara also disappears. A nightmare for the family and for the townspeople, some of whom have been under a shadow of suspicion since the disappearance of Bear about 20 years prior. Moore also introduces us to Judyta, a newly minted detective with New York State Police who follows the clues and solves the mystery while others are bumbling around, trying to show respect for the wealthy camp owners. This is told from several perspectives and as with The Hunter, there are plenty of secrets to go around, most of which are revealed by the end of the book. 

Day: A Novel by Michael Cunningham 

This novel has an unusual construction, set on the same day, during three different years and labeled morning, afternoon and evening. It tells the story of Isabel and Dan, the parents of Violet and Nathan and Isobel’s younger brother Robbie. Robbie lives in the attic of his sister’s New York Brownstone. However, in the first section, he is told it’s time for him to move out as their family needs the space. The second segment is during the Covid lockdown and the third is post Covid. The writing is exquisite, and I found myself immersed in this family and the myriad relationships. How Robbie loves his sister and her family; how Nathan, growing into a teen negotiates his behavior while shut in the house; how Violet, even as a young girls knows she can manipulate the others; how Isobel worries about job security and recognizes she is falling out of love with Dan; and how Dan deludes himself that if he keeps pushing, he can finally have fame and fortune as a rock and roll singer. This is a short book, but one that will stick with you. 

Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes

I have enjoyed several of Moyes’ books over the years and this one is added to my list of favorites by her. Sam, a harried advertising copywriter, and Nisha, an ultra-rich globetrotter accidentally trade gym bags and thus their shoes early one morning. For Sam, the glamorous high heels that belong to Nisha give her a sense of style that changes how she sees herself for brief periods of time. For Nisha, Sam’s drab flats are the first insult of the day followed by the discovery that her husband is divorcing her and has cut off her access to their penthouse apartment, her credit cards and all her friends. Both women go through rough months before their shoes are restored and their lives are set on two new courses. 

 

NONFICTION

Four of my favorite Non-fiction books were memoirs:

My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand

A good friend read this and then leant me the book last spring. At over 900 pages, this took a long time to read, but it was worth it. Streisand is a perfectionist, and she detailed many of her albums, movies and television specials, telling how she wrote, produced, directed, edited so many parts of these endeavors. She truly is a renaissance woman! She also dished on all the men she had relationships with, and what a number there were! After several unsuccessful love affairs, she finally met and married the man of her dreams. I was happy for her. Take your time and enjoy this book. 

The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne

Dunne tells a much less happy tale of his show-biz family. While he goes into detail about his childhood with house parties that included the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Truman Capote, the majority of the book is about the murder of his younger sister, Dominique, by her ex-boyfriend. The story of the trial and how the murderer’s lawyer is able to get him acquitted of the charges is truly a travesty of justice. It was also interesting to read about Dunne’s relationship with Carrie Fisher. They were best friends  as adolescents and at times shared an apartment as young adults. Although the murder is difficult to read about, Dunne writes about his family, the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly and ends the book in such a way that I wanted to know more. I was surprised to see that Dunne played the part of Uncle Jack on the series, “This Is Us.” Good role for him. 

Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life by Nicholas D. Kristof

On the advice of friends, Chris and I checked this out of the library and listened to several hours as we traveled across Canada and the NE United States. Kristof was a foreign correspondent for the NY Times for many years and this book is primarily a memoir of the time he spent overseas. While giving his personal story, Kristof weaves in world events that he was close to or witnessed, most astounding was the killing of protesters at Tiananmen Square. During this period of time, Kristof married, and he and his wife raised two sons. I liked hearing stories about their parenting while living in different cultures. He is a strong supporter of human rights with a particular emphasis on women’s rights. This is a good book to listen to, with all the interesting anecdotes. Even at over 15 hours, it was easy to start and stop and not lose the thread of the overall story. 

The Color of Water: A Black Man’s tribute to His White Mother by James McBride

McBride was the eighth of twelve children born to his mother and the final child of his father who died shortly before his birth. In this memoir, aptly named as a tribute to his mother, McBride describes his chaotic home in Brooklyn and the love he received from his mother and shared with his siblings. He describes his mother, warts and all, with great love and respect. Rachel was a Jewish Polish immigrant, raised in an abusive home who left home at an early age and fell in love with a Black man and the Catholic Church. She pushed her children to succeed in school and in life, raising doctors, nurses, teachers and one amazing writer. If you have never read James McBride’s books, start with this one and then keep going!

 

 

Three are closely reported tomes on current events on our country

 

Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy

Beth Macy is a reporter living in Roanoke, VA and once she gets her mind set on a topic, she goes all in to get the story. In this book, she reports on the opioid epidemic that is still ruining our country. She describes promising young people who were over-prescribed OxyContin and fell into illegal drug use as well as doctors, some who fought against this drug and some who took all the perks offered by big pharma and pushed the drug on unsuspecting patients. She also describes the drug dealers/pushers. Many are users themselves who are just trying to keep themselves afloat util their next hit. But others stay away from the drug while they continue to lure more and new customers into their nets, as the old ones end up in prison or the grave, making big money along the way. Macy interviews hundreds in the course of reporting for this book and delves into the practices of the Sackler family and Perdue Pharma. She gives us a story of greed and one of love as so many parents work to save their children who are addicted to this horrible drug. 

An American Summer: Love and Death in Chicago by Alex Kotlowitz

Kotlowitz is a reporter living and working in Chicago and he writes in a diary style about one summer in the poorest neighborhoods of his city. It is hard for a me, a white middle-class woman, to imagine the carnage in this neighborhood, even after having lived in Baltimore. My knowledge of gunshot wounds, shooting deaths and neighborhood gangs is all superficial, and mostly third hand. Kotlowitz gets up close and personal with these and other issues. In spite of his white skin, he has befriended the people of the neighborhoods in a genuine way and the reader can feel his love for these friends as it is deeply evident in his writing. While the book is written with love, I did not feel much hope by the end, only sadness and apprehension as I wondered how our country would solve the great divide between those who have much and those who have nothing. 

The Kingdom, The Power and the Glory by Tim Alberta

Given the way the Christian right has supported and re-elected a man who professes to be on the side of Christians while breaking laws, making fun of people with disabilities and calling names any chance he gets, I was interested in reading this book by a fundamentalist Christian who does not support the use of religion in politics as we see it today. There are many stories in this book including the background on Liberty College and its founder Jerry Falwell, and political rallies in fundamental churches. But the one that stood out to me the most was the unveiling of sexual predation in the Southern Baptist church and the cover ups still going on. The mainstream press seems to have largely ignored this issue or only reported on it lightly while they have gone all in on the Catholic Church. I am not against the reporting that has been done to uncover the scandal perpetrated by the Catholic Church, but I wonder, why has the Southern Baptist church community been protected from this same type of reporting fervor? 

 

Two provide a deep picture of history, one on the advent of civilized life and one on the history of women in the CIA

 

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

Written by a historian, this book is sometimes boring and repetitive. Sounds like a great recommendation, right? But, the premise of the book, that these three things have greatly influenced the progression of civilization since the beginning of time, is an interesting and well-researched idea. I particularly liked his repetition that European civilization is not the only, or even the most advanced concept of civilization that has existed on this earth. While Diamond goes back and forth in time quite a bit, and was often repeating himself (there, I have done it as well), the ideas in the book are worth the read. And it won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1998. I read an updated edition. 

 

The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA by Liza Mundy

Mundy has completed countless interviews and met with numerous CIA agents who have been stationed both here and abroad and she writes a good story. I could have anticipated that it was difficult to be the first female CIA agent, and this proved to be true, but I had little idea how very difficult it was to break into this famous boys’ club. Women were excluded in recruitment, then in training, and ultimately in the field. Their contributions were downplayed, rewarded intermittently, if at all, and their advancement to the highest level were delayed time and time again. In the 1990s and early 2000s several women were working on intelligence gathered from the middle east, electronically. If these women had been taken seriously, we might not have experienced the terrorist attack on 9-11. It makes me wonder what we are missing even today, especially given that so many elected officials still feel that any female or person of color in an important position is a DEI hire. 

 

And one portrays a historical event based on newspaper articles and criminal reports from long ago. 

The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland

While this book is officially identified as fiction, I have listed in it the nonfiction section because it tells a true story, with the embellishment of imagined conversations between real characters. In 1811, a playhouse in Richmond, VA burned to the ground, due to the negligence of the actors and director of a production. The house was packed with young and old, black and white, poor and rich, and many perished in the fire. Beanland highlights the fact that more women and more people of color died than white men because the white men pushed their way to the front of the crowd, sometimes even knocking over and trampling those in front of them. She gives us a fictional character, an enslaved girl who is being sexually abused by her owner’s son, who uses the fire as an avenue to run away, undetected. The story is compelling and the issues Beanland brings up make this story extremely relevant to the present day. 

 

Be sure to let me know what you are reading. What were some of your favorite books in 2024?