Welcome to the last day of 2024! Hope you managed to do what you’d intended to this year! Today our topic from Artsy Reader Girl is top ten books we read this year. This is going to be a hard list to compose, given that I have 16 “super favorites” on the ol’ list o’ books read. But first, the tease!
As we step out of our car to an empty parking lot, we are met by the local guides and the factory manager. It’s then that Older Handler tells me the shocking news: A mere five minutes earlier, the factory unexpectedly lost power, forcing it to close and send all 5,000 employees home. We will still be allowed inside, but there will be no people to see and nothing working. A group of Brits who happen to be visiting the factory at the same time seem to enjoy peppering their handlers with questions they must know will result in inane answers:
BRIT: So, all 5,000 people have just left the building five minutes ago and gone home then, or are they all waiting in the lunchroom for the power to come back on?
LOCAL GUIDE: Yes. (My Holiday in North Korea, Wendy Simmons)
(1) What You Are Looking for is in the Library, Michio Aoyoma. A captivating story about people having their lives changed by unexpected books — and other gifts– from the library.
(2) How to Stay Married, Harrison Scott Key. Funny and moving, the memoir of the author finding out his wife had betrayed him, and their journey together to find a way forward.
(3) Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up,Abigail Schrier. Great look at how the obsession with mental health is….making kids trainwrecks.
(4) The Music Shop, Rachel Joyce. My introduction to the standout author of the year for me, Rachel Joyce. The story of a vinyl shop and its meaning to the local community.
(5) The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye, Rachel Joyce. I don’t think any author has ever snagged two spots on the favorites list in my 17 years of book-blogging.
(6) Confessions of a Recovering Environmentalist, Paul Kingsnorth. Excellent essay collection on nature, industrialism, materialism, and the human condition. Expect to see more of Paul here in ’25.
(7) Living in Wonder, Rod Dreher. A weird and wonderful look at the human need for enchantment that touches on aliens, AI, and demonic posession.
(8) Anxious Generation, Johnathan Haidt. A sharp criticism of how smartphones and social media have dominated and deformed generations who had to grow up in their shadow.
(9) A Closed and Common Orbit, Becky Chambers. Love Chambers’ world-building, but this story of two individuals finding their way really shows it off.
(10) The Story of Arthur Truluv, Elizabethy Berg. On love, human connection, etc. A lonely widower changes the lives of those around him.
Reading Freely 
I think A Closed and Common Orbit is my favourite Becky Chambers book. Happy new year!
I really enjoyed A Closed and Common Orbit, too. I’d like to read Living in Wonder. So far, none of my libraries have it. *sad*
Looks like a great list! I love A Closed and Common Orbit — I like the whole Wayfarers series, but that one’s special to me.
I really should read A Close and Common Orbit sometime.
Thanks for stopping by earlier.
Harold Fry is probably one of my all-time favorite characters. I hope you have a wonderful 2025.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/my-twelve-favorite-reads-of-2024/
I also read and loved What You Are Looking for is in the Library this year! Happy New Year!
How to Stay Married sounds interesting. Not all marriages can – or should – be saved. But if the desire is there, then go for it.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
The Story of Arthur Truluv reminds me strangely of A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, and sounds lovely. Living in Wonder seems like a fascinating subject, so will look that up as well.
Thank you for the recs, and wish you a very happy new year 2025!
Arthur and Ove are both widowers, but Arthur is MUCH more open to others than Ove. Great stories, both!
Sounds like i need to read Confessions of a Recovering Environmentalist, its my type of non fiction
Happy New Year!
16 super-favourites is a good number for the year. I hope 2025 is as good, or better.
I haven’t read anything by Rachel Joyce, but I think I need to change that! I’ve heard nothing but good things about her books. BAD THERAPY sounds like a super interesting read, especially in light of a situation in my own family. I’m going to have to get a copy of it. Thanks for the rec.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Happy last day of 2024!! Wishing you the best for 2025, Stephen 🙂 Looks like you had a year of interesting and varied books! Hoping to read more Chambers in the coming year.
Happy New Year’s!
Harold Fry has been on my TBR for a very long time. Happy reading! https://readwithstefani.com/best-books-i-read-in-2024/
A Becky Chambers book made my list too. I’m glad you read so many good books!