#10 - Idaho - Emily Ruskovich
A book called Idaho, written by an Idaho author, with dementia as a central theme was an easy sell for me. While I tend to dissect novels for hidden themes or topics from which I might learn, I simply wanted to experience this book in the moment. I think I read it in about two days, captivated by the chilling plot and unique character relationships.
#9 - Island - Aldous Huxley
This would surely be higher on the list, if it wasn’t a re-read. In my early 20s, this book radically expanded my worldview and recalibrated what my perception of a healthy, utopian society could look like. It’s a lesson in Eastern philosophy from a legendary Western storyteller, blending the best of both hemispheres into a idyllic vision of humanity. I’ve heard this book described as a counterpoint to Brave New World’s dystopia, and it firmly holds up in comparison.
#8 - The Legacy of Luna: The Story of a Tree, a Woman, and the Struggle to Save the Redwoods - Julia Butterfly Hill
Considering it received an entire newsletter to itself, this book had to make the list. Living in a tree for two years non-stop is an incredible feat of activism, a story which left me reflecting on the dismal state of our current world and the potential responsibility of individuals to take their own impassioned stands for what they believe. An easy book to read, this one leaves much to consider.
#7 - This Is Your Mind on Plants - Michael Pollan
Michael Pollan—perhaps better than any other writer I’m aware of—helps us rethink the notion of “drugs” and their respective place and utility in society. This book dives into three drugs specifically—opium, caffeine, and mescaline—and carefully illustrates how the susceptibility or perceived danger of a drug is not inherent to the substance itself, but instead comes from our individual and societal relationships with them. A great reframing for a country slowly recovering from the deplorable “War on Drugs.”
#6 - Ender’s Game - Orson Scott Card
Thinking back over my life, I can’t think of another book more frequently recommended than Ender’s Game. It’s ubiquitous. While militaristically and philosophically animated, this story (at least to me) is ultimately about empathy and compassion for others, no matter how different they may appear. But along with perceptive understanding of others comes the ability to either save or destroy them. I thought it was a brilliant background on which to paint a lesson on human interaction and power dynamics.
#5 - Girl, Woman, Other - Bernardine Evaristo
When I have the privilege to travel, I like to purchase a book about the place I’m visiting. Reading it during the trip and/or upon returning home helps keep memories of the newly explored country/city fresh in mind. This last summer in London, my friend and guide Sophie recommended Girl, Woman, Other. The sprawling arcs of its many characters taught me a great deal about life as a black, queer woman living in London or elsewhere. Down to the very style of writing and punctuation, if you want to read something new or unfamiliar, this is the book.
#4 - The Mayor of MacDougal Street - Dave Van Ronk, Elijah Wald
Certain books leave you with that itch of desire to have lived in a certain place or time period. Combine that with the cultural-shaping forces of music and musical artists and you get Dave Van Ronk’s unparalleled memoir. Having grown up in Greenwich Village during the late 50s and early 60s, Van Ronk writes about the folk music scene and surrounding political turmoil with an almost omniscient level of knowledge and awareness. I learned a great deal about his contemporaries Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Woody Guthrie, Reverend Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, and many others. This is a fascinating snapshot into a pivotal period of American history.
#3 - Hegemony or Survival - Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky, “the father of modern linguistics” and one of the most cited humans of all time, sits atop the pinnacle of social criticism. He simultaneously goes overlooked by the general public for existing as a dissident, unearthing and disseminating ugly truths about mass media systems, U.S. foreign involvement, and our capitalist system. Picking up this book, I felt the sort of intimidation that arises when you know you’re about to be psychologically altered in some profound way. I believe we should lean toward these moments of hesitance and allow, or push, ourselves to be changed—and thus, reborn. Don’t approach this book lightly.
#2 - White Noise - Don DeLillo
Absolutely hilarious. One of the most difficult things a book can do is be funny, and White Noise fulfills that almost entirely throughout. I actually chuckled or laughed out loud probably a dozen times, often at one of my favorite characters I’ve ever come across in print—Murray Jay Siskind. The plot is grounded in a sort of plausible realism, but nonetheless encouraged me to be more creative and outlandish with my own writing. From this book I learned that readers are more eager to believe in the unbelievable than I’d previously thought.
#1 - Foundation trilogy - Isaac Asimov
I ended 2023 on a bit of a sci-fi kick, a genre greatly influenced and shaped by Asimov’s Foundation trilogy. Maybe this is technically three books, but my copy is three-in-one, so I’m counting it! Integrate psychology, sociology, statistics, and intergalactic travel into one, and you begin to build the setting for this epic trilogy. As an allegory for the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, Foundation is a very philosophical story—free will vs. determinism, the impact of the individual on the collective, manipulation for the greater good, etc. Yet, as a reader, I felt you could take the philosophical details as shallow or deep as you wanted, as there are plenty of engaging characters and plot developments to keep you engaged throughout. This is the most fun reading experience I’ve ever had, and I already look forward to reading it again in the next year or two.
"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent." — Salvor Hardin
Thanks for reading!