The Ten Best Books I Read in 2024
In 2024, I read more books than in any previous year of my life and I thought I’d give some recommendations for aspiring readers.
Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents, written by Octavia E Butler, explores a dystopian California in the 2020s and 2030s. It’s more relevant today than ever before and is a capturing journey across a collapsed United States. It’s also incredibly disturbing from start to finish as it explores themes of religion, community and change.
The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu
The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, a collection of short stories by Ken Liu, combines elements from both science fiction and fantasy into a thought-provoking, capturing book. Some stories, like “The Literomancer” and “The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary,” are heart-wrenching while others, like “All The Flavors,” are very uplifting. The stories are also informative, with Ken Liu sometimes even giving book recommendations for those who’d like to learn more about some of the subjects covered.
Solaris by Stanislaw Lem
Solaris by Stanislaw Lem follows human attempts to contact an alien life form, the ocean of another planet. Solaris does not anthropomorphize its alien like many other books do, instead providing a realistic depiction of what life might look like if it had evolved from a very different starting point. Though the book can be dull at times as the characters narrate the zoological debates that have occurred around the alien, it can also provide capturing and intense moments.
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
A Confederacy of Dunces, written by John Kennedy Toole, follows bumbling medievalist Ignatius J. Reilly’s attempts at joining the workforce. It’s hilarious and made me laugh out loud several times during my reading. The protagonist is very fun to follow and is an amazing caricature.
Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Diary of a Young Girl, written by Anne Frank while in hiding during the holocaust, provides an intimate look into the author’s life, which was tragically cut short in 1945 while in a Nazi concentration camp. It’s also a demonstration of how hope can stay alive even in times of hardship and is deeply touching.
Crime and Punishment Fyodor Doestovevsky
Crime and Punishment is a classic book by Fyodor Doestovevsky which illustrates the story of Raskolnikov and his struggles with a murder he committed. Doestovevsky illustrates his characters and scenes with spectacular attention to detail, allowing the book to transcend the various borders that separate it from a modern-day reader. It also puts forth incredibly interesting ideas on what separates “great men,” or at least Rashkolnikov’s idea of them, from average people.
Early China Li Feng
Early China by Li Feng covers some of the most formative years in Chinese history, from the Longshan culture to the Han dynasty, in this brief and capturing read. It’s illustrated by beautiful pictures and maps which effectively draw the reader into the time frame. I found it all to be a thoroughly informative and valuable read.
China: An Environmental History Robert B. Marks
China: An Environmental History by Robert B. Marks, which is about human interaction with the environment throughout Chinese history, was a fascinating read for me as I learned about one of the most important drivers of history: the environment. The book reveals how human impact on the environment has been felt for centuries, even millennia, before the present climate crisis. It’s also alerted me of just how much all of other actions, from damming to rice farming, impact the environment.
The Three Body Problem (Book series) Cixin Liu
These are by far the best books I read in 2024. The Three Body Problem, The Dark Forest and Death’s End by Cixin Liu, part of the Remembrance of Earth’s Past Trilogy by Cixin Liu explore brilliant and creative ideas about the universe principally using scientific concepts instead of characters, which surprisingly makes for a gripping story. Reading these books was also a learning experience for me about science and made me rethink my place in the universe.
The Wandering Earth by Cixin Liu
The Wandering Earth is a collection of science fiction short stories by Cixin Liu. They’re creative, thought-provoking, original and showcase the ideas that have emerged from a rapidly changing and advancing China. Some of my favorites include Devourer, The Wandering Earth, With Her Eyes and Sun of China.