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Posts 1 minute read Dec 2, 2024

Books of 2024

I've so far read 27 books this year. Here's a recap of my favorites.

One of my New Year's resolutions was to read more books. With a tally of 27 (as of December 2nd) I've definitely done that.

Here's the one's I liked the most, in no particular order.

Educated

Some stories are stranger than fiction, and this is certainly one. Truly recommend this one.

A books cover. On top a clean, beige background, a large pencil tip covers the canvas from bottom to top, pointing upwards. The base of the pencil looks like a mountain ridge, the shaved part of the pencil adding to the illusion in the form of trees and sky. Atop the mountain ridge stands a silhouette of a person. "Educated" is written in bold letters across the canvas, with the tagline "A memoir" underneath. At the bottom stands "Tara Westover", the name of the author of the book.
Rating: 10 of 10

Educated

Tara Westover

Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag". In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard.

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Good Material

A really funny and sad story about a stand-up comedian who's going through a break-up. Swallowed this in 3-4 sittings while on a Greek beach.

Book cover. In a colorful grid of panels is the author's name written at the top, "Dolly Alderton", while the title "Good Material" and praising quotes from reviewers fills other panels of the grid. In one panel an illustration of a person, whose face is hidden, which sits on a bed in his underwear, putting on a sock. In another panel is the illustration of two women feet, tip-toed, while she steps on the tip one of her socks with her other foot to pull it off.
Rating: 9 of 10

Good Material

Dolly Alderton

Andy's story wasn't meant to turn out this way. Living out of a suitcase in his best friends' spare room, waiting for his career as a stand-up comedian to finally take off, he struggles to process the life-ruining end of his relationship with the only woman he's ever truly loved. As he tries to solve the seemingly unsolvable mystery of his broken relationship, he contends with career catastrophe, social media paranoia, a rapidly dwindling friendship group and the growing suspicion that, at 35, he really should have figured this all out by now. Andy has a lot to learn, not least his ex-girlfriend's side of the story.

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Remarkably Bright Creatures

Funny and heartwarming story about an octopus' friendship with an old lady. I know, it sounds too weird, but I guarantee that it's not.

Book cover. An illustration of an orange octopus underwater, surrounded by kelp and fish, covers the canvas. A woman with long, grey hair has her back turned to us while she looks at the octopus. In large letters is the title "Remarkably bright creatures" written across the top, while the authors name, "Shelby Van Pelt" is written at the bottom.
Rating: 9 of 10

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Shelby Van Pelt

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

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Station Eleven

This story about a pandemic, written before Covid-19, has become one of my favorite books ever. I liked the TV show, although it didn't do the book fully justice (they changed some key elements of the story). It did however capture some of the magic from the book.

I recommend both, as they are good in their own way.

Book cover. Across the canvas is the title "Station Eleven" written in large white letters, while the author's name "Emily St. John Mandel" is written in smaller letters below. A grouping of yellow, cone-shaped tents fills the bottom of the canvas. They are lit up by lights inside. A dark, blue-black, star-sprangled sky can be seen above.
Rating: 10 of 10

Station Eleven

Emily St. John Mandel

Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end. Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band’s existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.

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