I’ve read Poverty, by America, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, and I’ve been on hold for The Maniac for a couple of months, don’t know where I am in the queue now. I’m going to put myself on the holds list for The Wager and The Vaster Wilds.
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Correct. I always keep mine in airplane mode unless I’m downloading a book. The battery lasts so much longer
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Maybe I should try reading it. I started the audiobook but didn’t love the narrator.
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There are tons of cool maps. I love flipping back and forth to visualize their journey
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Maybe you all have read this here. I have heard of it a lot through the years and finally read it. Braiding Sweetgrass. Just wonderful. It has truly touched me. Highly recommend it. Here is a summary: " Braiding Sweetgrass (2013) offers a profound and insightful look at the relationship between humans and Mother Earth. With the growing concerns about climate change, deforestation and the depletion of our natural resources, it is more important than ever to reevaluate how we treat the world around us."
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My neighbor gifted me a copy a few years ago, and I really enjoyed it (except the first few chapters were a slow start for me). When telling my niece about my favorite books, I almost did not mention Braiding Sweetgrass because figured she was too young to appreciate it. Turns out the author is a favorite university professor, and she had just done a summer camp mentioned in the book. Small world.
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So what was the best book you read this year? (Or more than one!)
For me it was A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, followed closely by its sequel A Desolation Called Peace. I love the world building. I love the claustrophobic atmosphere of the court. I love the protagonist who both loves the culture of the empire to which she is the ambassador and hates it because she knows her little mining station is in danger of being gobbled up by it. Issues of xenophobia and xenophilia are played with. It can be seen as a metaphor for the British Empire, but it is also a love story about people I cared deeply about. I will be rereading it soon. It’s science fiction, but even if you think you hate sci-fi, you might want to give it a try.
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I have trouble with “the best” but I have enjoyed several books this year. I’m reading Tom Lake right now and enjoying it. I just got finished with The Secret Hours by Mick Herron which is in the Slow Horses universe but not exactly a Slow Horses book. I enjoyed The Amazing Grace Adams. Fairly light but enjoyable take on a British mom’s version of the 90s movie Falling Down. I also enjoyed Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Lessons in Chemistry, and the new Kate Atkinson.
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Demon Copperhead was my favorite of the year, nothing else even came close. Not sure if I was too busy this year to find some great reads, or it was just a bleh year in general. Looking forward to some great reads in 2024, I just got Bright Young Women and am excited to start it. Does it count as 2023 or 2024 if you start it in one year and finish in the next, lol??
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I loved Demon Copperhead, but I read it in 2022. I was wondering which year to count Tom Lake which I am currently reading. I will not get it finished in the next 2 days!
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I think you can count whatever you want! I loved Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Lessons in Chemistry as well.
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Hello Beautlful and Lessons in Chemistry were my favorites from this year.
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My top four are:
Killers of a Certain Age
Wrong Place Wrong Time
The Flatshare
Remarkably Bright Creatures
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Do you know what summer camp it is?
Not sure the camp name. I assume it is associated with SUNY ESF (College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse NY)
I loved Remarkably Bright Creatures!
From the point of view of an octopus - just so cool and heartfelt!
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My favorite books this year have been Lessons in Chemistry,
Know My Name, The Book Thief, Horse, Demon Copperhead, Hello Beautiful, Remarkably Bright Creatures, Born a Crime, The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store , This Tender Land, and All The Broken Places. A great year of reading for me.
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I’ve read and enjoyed 5 of those books (including Know My Name, nonfiction memoir). Based on your similar tastes, I’ll be checking my libary for the other titles.
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Hi all, I have a lot of catching up to do on this list but it’s great! I am currently in the middle of two audiobooks The Future and The Last Apothecary. Highly recommend both. Question – I recently read Killers of a Certain Age and feel like we don’t get to see enough contemporary characters in their 50s/60s, can anyone recommend some that come to mind? Thanks in advance, and best wishes for the new year!
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Have you read Tom Lake (Ann Patchett)? It’s a combination of current family story combined with backstory from decades earlier.
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