Favourite Books of 2023
Best of Deep Reading – I usually have a few books at a time on the go, one of which I call my “deep” reading. These are books that require concentration, so I’ll usually read 10-15 pages a day in the morning when I’m fresh. In this way I can get through a 300 page book in a month. Last year, I started the year with Ed Yong’s book, I Contain Multitudes, all about the world of microbes. This year, I tackled Yong’s latest, An Immense World, about the fascinating world of animal senses, and how much we don’t know about them. Yong is one of the finest science communicators writing today.
Best History Books – After my trip to France in May, I was curious to read Wine and War by Donald Kladstrup, about how the French tried to hide their finest wines from the Germans during the occupation. After reading the amazing stories in that book, I wanted to know more about how Germany fared in the ten years after the war. A quick google search and trip to the library brought me just what I needed – Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich by Harald Jahner. Both of these “war” books were highly educational and written for a layperson. Another excellent history book was How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith, which speaks to how the history of enslavement in the U.S. is remembered (or not).
Best Non-Fiction – Jenny Odell’s book, How to Do Nothing, was one of my favourite books from 2019, so I was really looking forward to her latest, Saving Time, and it did not disappoint. Odell takes a fascinating look at how we view time and gentle nudges us to reframe time. NeuroTribes by Steve Silberman was another interesting read about the history of autism and the value of neurodivergence.
Fiction – I read way more memoirs this year and not many novels at all but I did enjoy Tom Lake by Ann Patchett and Greenwood by Michael Christie.
Most Surprising – Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein is about how Klein keeps getting confused with that other Naomi, Wolff that is, even though their views couldn’t be more different. What’s most surprising is that Wolff is not the primary focus of the book. Rather, Klein looks at doppelgängers in literature and explores doubles of all kinds, resulting in an amazing and thoughtful book for these times.
Best Writing – Ordinary Notes by Christina Sharpe. An unusual and beautifully written account of observations or ordinary notes about what it’s like to be Black in America, and the value of finding beauty in the midst of struggle.
Best Memoir – As mentioned, I read a lot of memoirs this year. Some people lead such interesting lives and so different from my own. My favorites this year were Don’t Call Me Home by Alexandra Auder, about living as a child in the Chelsea Hotel in NYC with her mother, who was a Warhol superstar. It’s wild and funny. Pageboy by Elliott Page shows what it is like to be someone with gender dysphoria, growing up in the celebrity spotlight. I also enjoyed Fierce Attachments by Vivian Gornick and Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley.
Best Book of the Year – To Photograph is to Learn How to Die by Tim Carpenter. This book is a challenging read, very philosophical, and not for everybody. It’s mainly about the creative act and how it applies to learning how to die, and consequently how to live. Carpenter believes that the camera comes the closest to teaching these lessons, when approached in a contemplative way. I read it through once myself, then slowly with a friend. It’s the type of book I could go back to over and over and find something new. I wrote a summary of the main themes, which you can find here.
For December, I’m savouring Barry Lopez’s book of essays, Embrace the Burning World.
** You can find all of these books on Amazon through this link (affiliate).
What was your favourite book this year?
P.S. This year I went through 12 years of writing and came up with major themes to write essays on. As of this writing, 10 were published on Substack. In 2024, i will continue these essays (all provided freely), with a special focus on Seeing Your Place. You can visit the archives through the button below. Stay tuned.