My best books of 2023... in 2024

Never too late in the year for more book reccos, ay!

I’ve many Along the Way posts half started in my drafts – on remote work, summer trip inspiration, things I bought whilst on the road (not sure if anyone cares about this one!?) but I read a LinkedIn post on World Book Day earlier this week on the power of reading and I thought ACTUALLY dear readers, I’ll finally share some of my fave books from last year, so open your GoodReads app/Notes/Kindle library and get bookmarking!

“Reading isn't just a hobby. It’s a passion that has been a constant throughout my life.

As someone who is constantly talking, thinking and moving - reading gave me the space to do the opposite.

The joy of immersing myself in a good book is a feeling I've loved since childhood. It was the perfect antidote to a busy day, a welcomed pause in the whirlwind of play. Books were my solace, my own form of meditation before I even knew what meditation was. In the tranquil moments of turning pages, I found peace.🧘‍♂️💭

But reading isn't just about introspection—it's also a journey into the lives of others. Every story I've delved into has offered a unique lens, a chance to walk in someone else's shoes, to live lives I'll never have, and to learn lessons I might not have encountered in my own reality.🚶‍♀️

These experiences were nurtured from a young age.”

Rachel Allison

I read 33 books last year which IMO is a lot, this was mainly due to having far more chill time on my hands, setting up a virtual book club and incentivising myself via setting myself a challenge on Goodreads… great for tracking but not so good if you’re of competitive nature – I will admit I did read 1 or 2 novellas purely for the satisfaction of getting closer to, and then going over my reading goal… guiltyyyy. Do remember that reading is in fact first and foremost for pleasure!

My Goodreads end of year round up

SOME OF MY TOP FICTION

• On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong

The first time I tried this semi autobiographical book I couldn’t get into the poetic prose – I’m glad I tried it again. This won’t be for everyone but I encourage you to try. It’s stunning. I whoosh through books normally but with this one I savoured every sentence because they were just beautiful. Vuong is a Vietnamese American poet, and his novel explores race, class and masculinity in a brutally honest, tender way.

See what I mean?!!?

• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin

OBSESSED. Two friends, often in love, but never lovers, come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and a kind of immortality. I think some people have deterred from this due to it being about gaming but bloody hell is it MORE THAN THIS! I was so invested, there were gasps, I felt my heart break, there were tears. Would make an epic movie.

• Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver

I LOVED THIS SO SO SO MUCH. It’s a beast and so very deeply depressing but I could not put it down… I was getting up early to stick my nose into this book as soon as I could. This is a book on many a social issue – poverty, foster care, and the opioid crisis in modern-day Appalachia, a story echoing Charles Dickens' David Copperfield (can’t say I’ve read) but with a contemporary twist. It’s the narration, description and detail from young Demon, the lead protagonist that brings this to life – he’s such a witty, wild and funny laddy wise beyond his years you’re rooting for him the whole way. This went OFF at book club, we were all invested!

The Bastard of Istanbul & The Forty Rules of Love, Elif Shafak

I wouldn’t have actively chosen any of Elif Shafak’s books if not for having Turkey as a destination on our road trip, this is only due to leaning more towards ‘modern looking’ fiction… very surface level. She’s one of the most acknowledged, bravest feminist Turkish authors and do her stories whisk you away!

I read The Forty Rules of Love before visiting the conservative city of Konya and its Whirling Dervish shows after seeing many a review on IG from van lifers visiting the place. It really helped contextualise the place both culturally and religiously, as it’s best known as a pilgrimage destination for Sufis due to it being home to the tomb of the founder of the Mevlana order; better known as the Whirling Dervishes, Rumi. He’s been hugely popularised in the west for his poetry and wisdom on love and life.

Rumi’s tomb in Konya

I’m glad I read The Bastard of Istanbul after visiting this amazing place – I got to experience its special effect again through words, and also learn about it from differing perspectives. This novel was banned from Turkey due to discussing the events of the 1915 Armenian genocide.

More historical fiction I loved, and subsequently learnt so much from: Songbirds by Christy Lefteri (from the author of Beekeeper of Aleppo, details on the real-life disappearances and systemic racism toward migrant domestic workers, the Green Line, a buffer zone between the Turkish Cypriot North and Greek Cypriot South, the challenges of motherhood and illegal poaching of Songbirds). Go As a River by Shelley Read (in the spirit of Where the Crawdads Sing – coming of age and survival with beautiful nature descriptions and character development). Goodbye Sarajevo, Atka Reid. This is actually a true story but reads more like fiction as it’s just so unimaginable. Two sisters recount their fight for survival during the bloodiest European conflict since the Second World War after the disintegration of Yugoslavia. I do wish I had read this before visiting the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina rather than after for more context whilst there.

For contemporary lit: The Happy Couple, Naoise Dolan - I devoured this, so sharp, witty with much character detail and study which I love. Romantic Comedy, Curtis Sittenfeld – I can’t remember the last time I read something that falls more into a ‘comedy’ genre – this was a slightly more highbrow trashy read which I also loved – a classic romance loosely based on Saturday Night Live.

SOME OF MY TOP NON FICTION

• The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker

As someone who works in creative production/experience design/events I thought this was fascinating: a human-centred approach to gathering that’ll help you create meaningful, memorable experiences for both work and play. It’ll change the way you look at your next meeting or dinner party, and how you host and attend them.

Been through the wars this one

• Quarter-life Satya Doyle Byock

I think I read this at the perfect time in my life but also think it should be on uni reading lists – a psychotherapist tackles the overlooked stage of Quarter-life, the years between adolescence and midlife, using client case studies, mythology, pop culture and Jungian psychology to provide guideposts and food for thought around these bloody odd years.

Also liked Nell Frizzell’s The Panic Years for similar reasons.

• Nowhere for Very Long, Brianna Madia

WAH the timing of me finding this book and reading it during the first few months of van life was serendipitous. I mentioned this book in one of my first newsletters. This is a vividly detailed memoir from Brianna who chronicles her adventures travelling across the deserts of the American West in an orange van. I was in awe and kind of jealous that she did a lot of this on her own as a solo female van lifer (obvs grateful for my husband and I wouldn’t have the van let alone have done the van life without him and I can’t actually drive the van lolll), but her feelings and thoughts on the journey were so relevant. A book that defo sparks adventure.

2023 was the year I got somewhat spiritually curious – think my IG algorithm realised this as I kept seeing the best seller The Untethered Soul on many a woman’s IG stories (was 2023 the year that everyone became spiritually curious?! lol). I must say it’s not as revelationary as it’s hyped up to be, quite repetitive, but some ‘oh yeah’ moments around freeing yourself from your thoughts.

Probs part and parcel with breaking away from the 9-5 way of life for a bit, I also got interested in looking at alt options to the 9-5, 5 day week set ups and read The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd – it’s told from his perspective which is a bit annoying as not everyone has to be an entrepreneur or extremely intelligent like him to try a different way of working, but it’s a good starter book for helping to unpick conventional work beliefs.

OTHER BITS ALONG THE WAY

! Reading retreat alert ! My mate Meg has organised a reading retreat in Italy with the single priority being to give you space and time to read. Ingenious really – I’ll be there helping out (and reading ofc). Few remaining spaces left!

Join your local library! In the first weeks of moving back into our house I joined the local library on a whim and WOW did it make my week! So many nostalgic memories from my childhood returned. I’m loving popping in, picking up books I’ve reserved and observing it as a third space – I had no idea they were still so popular and so necessary for the local community!

Something non reading related: Watch the Nalavny documentary – the first scene takes on a sad eerie poignancy following his recent death.

This piece from Pandora Sykes on the question she’s most asked “But how do you read so much?”

As ever do engage, let me know you’ve read this, if you’ve read any of the above or if I’ve inspired ya too!

Til the next one x