Exchanging favorite reads is my favorite form of social currency. I’ve devoured some really special books this year and felt it was a good time to compile a list of books that have stuck with me long after I’ve read the last page. My criteria for what makes for engaging reading extends beyond just liking the book. Many of these authors make me feel uncomfortable and sensitive, which I like, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy an escape book.
Today I’m going to share with you a short and incomplete list of books that I couldn’t stop talking about this year.
Here are seven of the best books I’ll read in 2024.
1. The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schuffler
Have you heard of “messy perfectionism” before? Katherine Morgan Schafler’s book The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control resonated deeply with me because it delves into the origins and complexities of perfectionism, offering a 360-degree perspective on the many ways it manifests itself. I found Schaeffler’s insights and personal anecdotes refreshing. She suggests that we ditch the “perfectionist recovery” label (which I subscribed to) and instead view perfectionism as a superpower that should be harnessed for good rather than to hold us back.
I read this book twice this year and plan to pick it up again over the holiday break.
2. Bittersweet by Susan Cain
In her book Bittersweet, Susan Cain explores the concept of bittersweet and how embracing both positive and negative emotions can lead to a richer, more fulfilling life. Through beautiful personal stories and research, Cain argues that bittersweet is an essential part of the human experience and that it can help us appreciate the beauty and fragility of life.
This book touched parts of myself that I had long closed off as weird, sensitive, and something I should never express publicly. Yet they are so fundamental to who I am. Susan Cain continues to be a champion of sensitive, quiet, and profound thinkers.
3. Slowing Down by Rachel Schwartzman
Slowing down is a guide to living a slower, more intentional life. It offers practical strategies for reducing stress, increasing mindfulness, and finding more joy in the present. This book is organized around the process of learning to slow down, which I found very helpful. We can’t run before we can walk, and slowing down in adulthood is certainly an acquired skill.
4. Ministry of Time by Kalyan Bradley
A time-travel romance meets workplace comedy with twists and turns in this spy thriller. This book defies genres and delights me with its intelligent prose and deeply human characters.
5. All Fours of Miranda July
Everyone has an opinion about this book. I love it as I would a flawed but well-meaning friend. I admire the creative choices July makes in all of her work. Her willingness to let things be messy and unapologetically selfish made her the perfect artist to break into the public sphere, ranting about the indignities of being a woman of a certain age. The post-childbirth phase deserves to take center stage and be seen. There’s something about this feeling of wildness that so accurately captures the awakening I’m just beginning to feel, and I know I’m not alone.
It is interesting to hear what people under 40 think about the book. They are often wide-eyed, panicked, and disturbed due to their savage and chaotic nature. I tell them you will get it when you are ready.
6. The Creative Act of Rick Rubin
This book is essential for anyone brave enough to take their creative expressions seriously. Turn to any page and find a reason to continue pursuing that nagging desire to make something meaningful out of the mystery of intuition.
7. You Can Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith
Like many of you, the poem that made Maggie Smith famous came at a time when I needed it most. This is the story of what happened to her marriage and career after that.
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Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and will continue to do so forever Testing the limits of her creative muscles. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.
