2024 Books of the year
Below are my favorite books of the year. These are my favorite books that I read this year, not necessarily books that came out this year. On to the list!
BOOK OF THE YEAR
Nature’s Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West by William Cronon. I learned so much from this book. It discusses the development of Chicago yes, but also the integration of urban and rural markets. Why do certain cities develop where they do? Certainly geography plays a role by Cronon makes the case that human zeitgeist also plays a huge role. A massive contribution to the literature or history, environmentalism, development and economics.
Non-fiction
Why War? by Ricard Overy. Why do we got to war? What is the rationale? Is it due to human biology? Psychology? Culture? The book provides a nice overview of the rationales for why humans engage in this horrifying practice. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: A Memoir by Haruki Murakami. I’m a huge fan of Murakami’s fiction. I also love running. The book is wonderful meditation not just about running, but also life, endurance, aging and other topics.The Rigor of Angels: Borges, Heisenberg, Kant, and the Ultimate Nature of Reality by William Egginton. A very interesting book that describes some of life’s biggest philosophical questions (free will, the fabric of the universe, our ability to understand reality) drawing on the writings and thinking of a great writer (Borges), scientist (Heisenberg) and philosopher (Kant).Strong On! by Pat Flynn. A great exercise book about kettlebell training. Concise. Entertaining. Providing a mix of structure and flexibility. Endorsed by legendary coach Dan John as well. High: A Journey Across the Himalaya, Through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal and China. by Erika Fatland. In interesting travelogue detailing the the culture and history of individuals living in the Himalaya mount region across five different countries.
Fiction
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. I told you I liked Murakami! I didn’t think this was as good as The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (which is one of my favorite books), but still fantastic nonetheless. The Tokyo Zodiac Murders by Soji Shimada. If you like murder mysteries, this is a classic. Rated as one of The Guardian’s “Top 10 Locked Room Mysteries” of all time. The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson. I like but don’t love Stephenson’s work. I think I care less about the characters in Stephenson’s books than many other novels. I read Snow Crash last year and had a similar sentiment. However, Stephenson’s creativity, his ability to think about the future and technology, and integrate technology with philosophy is highly impressive and worth a read.
