Book of the Year 2024

Most of the things that I do are tied to music in some way.  Every year I set 100 resolutions, which includes the 15 or so books that I want to make sure that I read.  Why 100 resolutions?  It’s a nice round number and there’s a song about it

 

 

On my list, I had 15 books that I wanted to read.  I generally get most of them done (and a few others).  This year I read 14 of them, the only miss was A Walk on the Wild Side (Nelson Algren)…I wonder how that one made the list?  I tried, but couldn’t get into it, so I gave up.  It took me two attempts to read The Bell Jar, but I got that done and enjoyed it, even though it didn’t quite make the top ten.  That book also reminded me of a song, but there’s only so much we can get into here…it’s probably time for the list.

 

Number 10 is Working by Studs Terkel…well, kind of.  I thought that I reserved this book at the library, but I actually reserved a graphic novel based on the book.  This was incredibly fortunate.   There is no way I was going to read the 640 pages of the original.  Cool concept – Studs did a ton of interviews with all sorts of people about what they do for a living and how they feel about their work.  My second graphic novel in the last 3 years.  This is almost becoming a habit.

 

What is actually a habit is a short Russian book making the list.  Quick side note – Adam plays volleyball with a Russian kid, who came off the court after a loss and complained to his father about the game in a long stream of Russian words – the only one I understood was “ka-boom”.  Which was true.  The other team had done a lot of “ka-boom”.  I think I’m becoming bilingual from all these Russian books that I read.  Every year, I pick a short Russian book (there aren’t many…Anna K is 850 pages, which makes it shorter than Brothers K or War and Peace…I will have to watch the movie on these…just can’t do it).  I really enjoyed The Funeral Party – a short Russian book about a Russian artist on his deathbed in a New York City apartment in the nineties, and the cast of characters who come to care for him and mourn him in his final days.  Great characters and very well written.

 

Number 8 is Yellowface.  A novel about stealing a novel.  And identity.  And who can write what.  Or who should write what.  Interesting read with enough suspense to keep the pages turning.

 

Our good friend James McBride is back on the list with The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.  James is a previous winner of the book of year award (strangely not referenced on the book jacket).  I enjoyed this book (and it is 400 pages in case you are starting to think I don’t have an attention span).  I don’t think it quite had the magic of Deacon King Kong, but McBride is a great storyteller, and the book deserves its number 7 ranking. 

 

Number 6 is Killers of the Flower Moon.  I haven’t seen the movie…not sure that I will…the book tells an incredibly sad, true story about murder, theft, and manipulation to steal oil money from Osage people in Oklahoma.  The recently formed FBI is called in to investigate as almost everyone local is in on the conspiracy.  Great and terrible story – worth a read or a watch.  I don’t think there is any connect between this book and this song

 

but I know you want to take a minute and listen to some 80’s new wave.  It’s OK.  I’ll be here when you get back.  

 

Probably the biggest surprise on this list is The Buried Giant.  A couple of years ago, I gave up on the Ishiguro book Klara and The Sun.  But I gave him another chance with a book about some forgetful Britons (I mean, really forgetful…they can’t remember anything).  Axl (oh…that must be why) and his wife go on a journey, meet a knight, and try to help get rid of the dragon who created the fog that causes the forgetfulness.  This book is awesome.  A little bit of a grand adventure, a little bit sad, it’s very well done.  And way better than a book about buying a robot to be your friend.  Or maybe not, since I didn’t make it to the end of that one.

 

Number 4 is The Maid.  To be honest, I wasn’t sure I read The Maid this January or last December, but when it wasn’t on the list for last year, then I know it must have been January.  Molly is neurodivergent but/and loves cleaning…works out perfectly to be a hotel maid, until she is the main suspect in a murder case.  The reviews of this book suggest that people either love it or hate it…I’ve got it at number 4, so you know where I land.

 

Trust is number 3.  A story told in four parts with some unreliable narration and different points of view.  I thought this was really well executed.  Sometimes, books with unreliable narrators feel manipulative (in an unrelated story, I also read None of This is True this year…no reason for bringing that up right now…).  Trust was well done and is highly recommended.

 

I’m not sure that I recommend number 2.  But I liked it.  Gun, With Occasional Music is from Jonathan Lethem, who could have easily won a book of the year title two years ago(and would have probably put it on his book jacket).  This book is weird.  Like dystopian future with talking Kangaroos weird.  Oh, and it is a noir detective story.   Just don’t let your karma card get down to zero.  Yeah.  This is weird.  I enjoyed it, but don’t blame me if you don’t.  Buyer beware on this one. 

 

Number 1 is a classic that I have owned for a long time and finally read.  Confederacy of Dunces.  Our protagonist mostly just wants to sit around the house and run his mouth as a pseudo intellectual, but circumstances force him out to get a job.  But no job like Studs Terkel has ever seen.  He leads a workers’ revolt at the pants factory, which doesn’t end well for him.  But he is quickly back on his feet as a hot dog vendor who eats up all the profits…and then some.  If you think I gave away the plot, I haven’t.  About 100 other things happen.  This book is ridiculous and incredibly entertaining.  Highly recommend. 

 

Ka-boom.  Another Book of the Year awarded.  And you learned some Russian.