Book Selections for 2024
You Suggested Them, I'm Gonna Read Them (Day 63)
Last week, I asked you all for suggestions on what to read in 2024 and you delivered! I received about two dozens suggestions. Some I had heard of, some I hadn’t.
So my rules for selecting were: Nothing I had already read. Other than that, I wanted to pick a nice mix of different genres. In one case, it was already a book on my reading list and in another, a friend had been begging me to read this book so now is the time.
For all of you whose book I didn’t select, thank you thank you! I’ll keep them on my “to get to” list. My goal will also be to do a quick review of each book as I read them.
An aside: I have a friend and fellow Substacker, Rob Greene, who just posted his end of 2023 reading list. He read more than 100 books! That’s, that’s just… I can’t even.
(Quick note about Rob - he’s also an excellent writer with several books out and you should go over to his journal called “Twenty-First Century Blues” and immediately subscribe. He’s super cool.)
Anyway, I mention Rob because I do hope to read more than 5 books in 2024 but I have to start somewhere and this seems like a good place to start. Anyway, enough chitter-chatter. Here are the five.
Palestine by Joe Sacco - I’m a big fan of graphic novels and this seems relevant.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang - A recommendation from a friend whose opinion I trust!
Trail by Ethan Gallogly - I mean look at it, hiking memoirs are my thing.
The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron - A popular author and nice guy who did an event at my library. It’s about time I read one of his books.
Goodbye to Clocks Ticking by Joseph Monninger - A long delayed project of mine is a biography of Dr. Herman Sander, a end of life doctor, so this looks interesting.
What books are sitting on your night stand waiting for you to crack open the first page?
Moving on, an amusing aside: So yesterday’s quick history piece on Horse Manure clocked in as the second highest read post - over a 24 hour period - on Day By Day in the 14 months that I’ve been writing this journal. I mean, I love you all, but really? Are you all suggesting I write about more - uh - earthy topics? This is a New Hampshire thing, I assume? Anyway, thanks I think! See you all tomorrow!
Perhaps yesterday's post was so well read because the topic was off-beat? When I saw the subject line, I thought, "What's he talking about? I've never heard of that." Perhaps curiosity is what drew so many other eyes to it as well. Anyway, one book I hope to read this year is "Of Time and Turtles" by Sy Montgomery. I met her several years ago when I was in graduate school, and I love her humble approach to each animal she studies.
You have a great list to start with. I know Joe Monninger and love his fiction , but this memoir is spectacular. Not sad despite the topic.
I’ve read all of Paul Doiron’s Maine Warden series and recommend them highly!