If you are looking for some holiday gift ideas or winter break reading selections, here is my year in books.
There are so many reasons why being a reader is a lifelong gift you can give yourself. The more you read, the more your vocabulary grows, along with your ability to effectively communicate.
The reason I read is because of the healing power of books. Books feed our soul, transport us, make us laugh, help us feel empathy, and teach us about history, and each other.
In 2024, I read 39 books, both on my Kindle and in print. This does not include all of the wonderful children’s books I read aloud to Kent School students in Little School, Kindergarten and First Grade! And, fulfilling a lifelong dream in 2024, I published my own children’s book Jingles Goes to School, which every Kent School student received.
I enjoy reading historical fiction, and my Top Pick of the Year is The Women by Kristin Hannah. The Women is the story of a female nurse in Vietnam, but it highlights all women whose sacrifice and commitment to this country has too often been overlooked. A novel about friendship and patriotism, The Women is a story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage defines an era.
I also highly recommend James by Percival Everett. The National Book Award winner for fiction is a re-imagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, told from the perspective of Huck’s friend, Jim, an escaped slave. It is expertly written.
Finally, I also recommend Dear Madam President – An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World by Jennifer Palmieri. Written by Hillary Clinton’s communication director, Dear Madam President is framed as an empowering letter to the first woman president, and to all women working to succeed in any field. The letter is filled with forward-thinking, practical advice for all women who aspire to leadership. I read it, uninterrupted, while travelling on an airplane, and then proceeded to give it right to my daughters.
Now, what shall I read to start the New Year?!
Historical Fiction
The Women by Kristin Hannah
James by Percival Everett
The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict
Becoming Madame Secretary by Stephanie Dray
Finding Margaret Fuller by Allison Pataki
The Briar House by Kate Quinn
Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall
The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar
Fiction
Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman
Yellowface by RF Kuang
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
After Annie by Anna Quindlen
The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
Poetry
Small Craft Warning by Meredith Davies Hadaway (WAC) and Marcy Dunn Ramsey
Braided Creek – A Conversation in Poetry by Jim Harrison and Ted Hooser
Grace Notes by Naomi Shihab Nye, two-time Kudner Leyon Visiting Writer
Among the Many Disappearing Things by Meredith Davies Hadaway (WAC)
Biography
My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand
Non Fiction
Dear Madam President – An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World by Jennifer Palmieri
The River Runs North – the Story of Montana Moss Agate by Tom Harmon
The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
Rivers of the Eastern Shore by Hulbert Footner
Women Talk Money: Breaking the Taboo by Rebecca Walker
Morning Fuel by Rebecca Faye Smith Galli
Professional
Leading with Emotional Courage by Peter Bregman
The Courage to Teach by Parker J. Palmer
How to Know a Person – The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks
This is so Awkward by Cara Natterson, MD and Vanessa Kroll Bennett, 2024 Kudner Leyon Visiting Writers
Thanks for the Feedback – the Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Reading For Our Lives by Maya Payne Smart
Trigger Points. Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America by Mark Follman
Deirdre LaMotte says
Nancy, I really enjoyed your suggestions! I’ve read some of these and then decided to escape to 13th century
Tuscany for a while. It will take me past January 20, at least, the Black Death serves as a reminder of dark times ahead.
Decameron was written by Boccaccio in 14th century
about seven women and three men who escape the Black Death in the hills over Florence. They spend time telling 100 stories to each other. It spans from the very bawdy to great wit! It was translated into superb “American English” in 2013 by Wayne Rebhorn. It is charming!