Thanks, Karen! Yes, re snobbery, so true. I LOVED The Convenant of Water and Dearly Beloved. I wish I could write a quiet novel (marriage saga?) like Dearly Beloved!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your thoughts on your best reads of 2024. I just finished reading "The Gardner Heist" and Chasing Beauty is high on my 2025 TBR as a result. I've visited The Gardner several times but now that I live south of the Mason-Dixon line, I'm unlikely to get back there any time soon. Hoping the missing Rembrandts and Vermeer will make it back before me.
The Friday Afternoon Club and now, thanks to you, Custodians of Wonder, are also on that growing TBR.
The Cliffs and The Woman in the Sable Coat both sound intriguing as do This Strange Eventful History and anything by Colm Tolbin. However, I tend to prioritize non-fiction and biographies before fiction.
As for my favorite 2024 reads:
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, by Dame Judi Dench
The Slip: The NYC Street that Changed American Art Forever, by Prudence Feiffer.
What Is the Grass: Walt Whitman in My Life, by poet Mark Doty.
The Collected Stories of Colette, short fiction stories. Incredible.
Thank you, Marjorie! I thought Chasing Beauty was terrific—it’s a lot of Isabella Gardner but so well researched. I really want to read Judi Dench’s books—it’s on my TBR list. Adding your other suggestions too… love Mark Doty’s work. This sounds like a memoir of sorts?
What is the Grass by Mark Doty was incredible. Its a braided narrative: part biography of Whitman, part Doty memoir, and part gay history of NYC. I already knew Whitman's life story in broad strokes but Doty goes deeper so nothing felt repetitive or basic. His memoir stories are moving and fascinating. As someone who lived in NYC during some of the years he discusses, his masterful words took me right back to scenes I lived. Honestly, its such an incredible book. I hope you can fit it in. Dench's book will become an important text that theater students will study. Until then, its a joyful peek into an extraordinary life. The audiobook is a great option on that one. As for Colette, if I could wiggle my nose and write like any other writer, I would choose Colette. Oh I wish it could be. The Slip will work for you if, like me, you devour non-fiction books about 20th century artists or are interested in real life vignettes of old NYC. Its one of the best I've read.
Thank for all this! You’ve sold me on all the books on your list, but especially the Mark Doty. (I was in NY in the late 80s/early 90s and am drawn to novels and memoirs set in that time/place.) And listening to the Judi Dench is a great idea.
James is on my waiting Libby list and I’m exited about it! I loved a whole bunch of books this year including The Summer I Turned Pretty series (and I’m not the target age group!); Cutting For Stone; and Tree, Table, Book by Lois Lowry. I’m also listening to The Women by Kristen Hannah and it’s terrific!
The Women, surprisingly, reminds me a lot of Cutting for Stone - pages upon pages about surgery, war, blood, patients, and the bonding between nurse and surgeon. Which I like, but not for everyone, I suppose!
Thank you for this bounty of TBR books and your thoughtful comments! My list of favorite books is coming on Wednesday in my read.write.eat.
newsletter, along with a stellar cookie recipe! And I much prefer “favorite” to “best” because falling in love with a book is so personal.
Here’s a book I didn’t include because I’m still reading. HOW TO SAY BABYLON, by Safiya Sinclair is beautifully written and the audio book is narrated by Sinclair. It is no surprise that there are brutal men hiding under the cloak of religious extremism, in this case Rastafarian religion. Sinclair tells her coming of age story with clarity and love.
Look forward to your list! And I agree, falling in love with a book is personal—it’s kind of a mystery as to what clicks for one person and not another…. How to Say Babylon is on my list but I haven’t read it yet.
Stellar list, Harvey! I’m eager to read the new Niall Williams and Richard Powers and (with trepidation) Tommy Orange. I reviewed Splinters for BookPage and probably should have put it on my list. (I was a little bothered by her reticence on the “unforgivable thing” she did and her ex’s rage, though she no doubt had good reasons to leave those pieces out.)
So true! There’s never enough time. If you read JAMES, the plot points in Huck Finn (like the Duke and the Dauphin), which JAMES follows up to a certain point, will come back to you.
I might be the last person who hasn’t read James yet. Maybe in the new year!
There are too many books! I think I’m the only one left who hasn’t read the new Miranda July!
Reading that one now 🤣
Nope. Next to last.
Good to know I’m not the only one!
This is a great list! And I agree with you about the ludicrousness (and snobbery) of applying the term “best” to books.
Here are some of my favorites, most not published in the past year but read by me in 2024:
The History of Sound, short stories by Ben Shattuck
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall
The Love Songs of WEB DuBois by Hannah Fannone Jeffers
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Thanks, Karen! Yes, re snobbery, so true. I LOVED The Convenant of Water and Dearly Beloved. I wish I could write a quiet novel (marriage saga?) like Dearly Beloved!
Ooh, great list! Lots for me to add to my TBR list. James, in particular, has continued to pique my interest. Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad to hear it! And JAMES seems to be at the top of everyone’s 2024 list.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your thoughts on your best reads of 2024. I just finished reading "The Gardner Heist" and Chasing Beauty is high on my 2025 TBR as a result. I've visited The Gardner several times but now that I live south of the Mason-Dixon line, I'm unlikely to get back there any time soon. Hoping the missing Rembrandts and Vermeer will make it back before me.
The Friday Afternoon Club and now, thanks to you, Custodians of Wonder, are also on that growing TBR.
The Cliffs and The Woman in the Sable Coat both sound intriguing as do This Strange Eventful History and anything by Colm Tolbin. However, I tend to prioritize non-fiction and biographies before fiction.
As for my favorite 2024 reads:
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, by Dame Judi Dench
The Slip: The NYC Street that Changed American Art Forever, by Prudence Feiffer.
What Is the Grass: Walt Whitman in My Life, by poet Mark Doty.
The Collected Stories of Colette, short fiction stories. Incredible.
Cheers.
Thank you, Marjorie! I thought Chasing Beauty was terrific—it’s a lot of Isabella Gardner but so well researched. I really want to read Judi Dench’s books—it’s on my TBR list. Adding your other suggestions too… love Mark Doty’s work. This sounds like a memoir of sorts?
What is the Grass by Mark Doty was incredible. Its a braided narrative: part biography of Whitman, part Doty memoir, and part gay history of NYC. I already knew Whitman's life story in broad strokes but Doty goes deeper so nothing felt repetitive or basic. His memoir stories are moving and fascinating. As someone who lived in NYC during some of the years he discusses, his masterful words took me right back to scenes I lived. Honestly, its such an incredible book. I hope you can fit it in. Dench's book will become an important text that theater students will study. Until then, its a joyful peek into an extraordinary life. The audiobook is a great option on that one. As for Colette, if I could wiggle my nose and write like any other writer, I would choose Colette. Oh I wish it could be. The Slip will work for you if, like me, you devour non-fiction books about 20th century artists or are interested in real life vignettes of old NYC. Its one of the best I've read.
Thank for all this! You’ve sold me on all the books on your list, but especially the Mark Doty. (I was in NY in the late 80s/early 90s and am drawn to novels and memoirs set in that time/place.) And listening to the Judi Dench is a great idea.
Such a list!
Thanks, Victoria!
James is on my waiting Libby list and I’m exited about it! I loved a whole bunch of books this year including The Summer I Turned Pretty series (and I’m not the target age group!); Cutting For Stone; and Tree, Table, Book by Lois Lowry. I’m also listening to The Women by Kristen Hannah and it’s terrific!
I bet The Women would be a great audio! I need to go back to Cutting for Stone and Try again….
The Women, surprisingly, reminds me a lot of Cutting for Stone - pages upon pages about surgery, war, blood, patients, and the bonding between nurse and surgeon. Which I like, but not for everyone, I suppose!
Oh, interesting comparison! And similar in general lengthiness, too.
Thanks for the great list. Bennington book club is reading.James in April. We will think of you..😊
Thanks, Debby! I still miss Bennington book club!
Thank you for this bounty of TBR books and your thoughtful comments! My list of favorite books is coming on Wednesday in my read.write.eat.
newsletter, along with a stellar cookie recipe! And I much prefer “favorite” to “best” because falling in love with a book is so personal.
Here’s a book I didn’t include because I’m still reading. HOW TO SAY BABYLON, by Safiya Sinclair is beautifully written and the audio book is narrated by Sinclair. It is no surprise that there are brutal men hiding under the cloak of religious extremism, in this case Rastafarian religion. Sinclair tells her coming of age story with clarity and love.
Look forward to your list! And I agree, falling in love with a book is personal—it’s kind of a mystery as to what clicks for one person and not another…. How to Say Babylon is on my list but I haven’t read it yet.
Here’s my list, Sarah. Hope you enjoy it:
Thompson, The Barn
Millet, We Loved It All
Williams, Time of the Child
O’Neill, Godwin
Banks, American Spirits
Powers, Playground
Brice, Another North
Hylton, Madness
Orange, Wandering Stars
Messud, This Strange Eventful History
Robinson, Ingrained
Jamison, Splinters
Stellar list, Harvey! I’m eager to read the new Niall Williams and Richard Powers and (with trepidation) Tommy Orange. I reviewed Splinters for BookPage and probably should have put it on my list. (I was a little bothered by her reticence on the “unforgivable thing” she did and her ex’s rage, though she no doubt had good reasons to leave those pieces out.)
Oh, for more time to read! I am particularly intrigued by James. My memory of Huckleberry Finn is fuzzy, so maybe I need to prep.
So true! There’s never enough time. If you read JAMES, the plot points in Huck Finn (like the Duke and the Dauphin), which JAMES follows up to a certain point, will come back to you.