My Reading Year 2024

2024 was a wonderful year for reading - a year in which I was introduced to new authors, spent time with a few favourites and learned much about the world.

My reading goal for 2024 was 30 books, which I surpassed reading 34 titles this year. When planning for 2024 at the start of the year, I had a stack of books on my to-be-read pile, and managed to read only a handful before I got distracted by other titles. In January I updated my reading bingo card to diversify my reading. While I didn't read all categories, I succeeded in most of them (highlighted) but failed to read a poetry collection, short story collection and a handful of other categories.


So here's what I read in 2024:

Fiction

Reflecting on my novel reading for 2024, I can see that I was influenced by a couple of key factors:

• Hearing authors speak at festivals encouraged me to seek out their work. 
• Favourite authors releasing new novels or series sequels. 
• Award longlists introduced me to books and authors I did not know.
• Film/TV adaptations based on novels which I wanted to read before I saw the adaptation.
• Recommendations from friends, family and fellow book bloggers.

In March I attended the All About Women festival at the Sydney Opera House where I was able to meet Mary Beard, Anne Enright, Anna Funder and other authors I admire. It was wonderful to talk with Irish author Anne Enright about her latest novel, The Wren, The Wren (2023) which I absolutely loved. I followed it up by reading The Gathering (2007) which had languished on my shelf for far too long. These two novels, read back-to-back alongside Enright's audiobook recording, made me wonder why I had not read her work before. I now have her back catalogue and look forward to reading more of her novels. 

Another author I read multiple books by in 2024 was Colson Whitehead. I met him at the Sydney Writers' Festival in 2023 where he signed many of his books for me. I had previously loved his novel The Nickel Boys (2019), so this year I read Harlem Shuffle (2021) the first in a planned trilogy about Ray Carney, a furniture salesman and fence of stolen goods. I read this alongside the audiobook brilliantly performed by Dion Graham. Whitehead is an amazing genre-switching author and I was keen to read his early novel Zone One (2011) about a zombie apocalypse. While I didn't love that novel, I certainly appreciate Whitehead's thoughtful prose. 

Sequels I was looking forward to this year did not disappoint. Colm Toibin's Long Island (2024) was the long awaited sequel to his novel Brooklyn (2009), which tell the story of Eilis Lacey, a young Irish woman who moves to New York and then twenty years later returns home to visit her family. Toibin's storytelling is magical and it was wonderful to revisit this heroine. Pat Barker's trilogy retelling Homer's Iliad from the perspective of women concluded with The Voyage Home (2024) focussing on Cassandra and Clytemnestra. This novel was a worthy successor to The Silence of the Girls (2018) and The Women of Troy (2021). Highly recommended.

Mid-year I embarked on a wonderful reading journey. Percival Everett's James (2024) is a retelling of Mark Twain's novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1886). Before reading James, I went back to the source material and re-read the Twain books I read decades ago. This greatly enhanced my appreciation of what Everett achieved with his novel - he is a master of language and James is a sharp, edgy satire. Without any hesitation, the best novel I read this year!

Among the various novels I read that were award nominees, the Women's Prize and the Booker Prize gave me the most amount of joy. From the Booker Prize shortlist I read Charlotte Wood's Stone Yard Devotional (2023), Everett's James (2024) and winner Samantha Harvey's Orbital (2023).  The 2024 Women's Prize shortlist gave me Anne Enright's The Wren, The Wren (2023) and Kate Grenville's Restless Dolly Maunder (2023) 

Two books I chose because I wanted to see the film adaptations, but prefer to read the book first. Robert Harris' Conclave (2016) was a gripping thriller about the selection of the Pope. It has been made into a brilliant film starring Ralph Fiennes. Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go (2005) was adapted into a film with Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield in 2010. I wanted to see the film but was sparked to re-read the book when it appeared on a list published by the New York Times of the best books of the 21st century. I didn't love it as much as the NYT readers and the film was uninspiring. 

Recommendations from friends, families and fellow readers led me to many of my favourite reads of the year. Alba de Cespedes Forbidden Notebook (2023),  originally published in the 1950s, focusses on an Italian housewife who records her inner life in a diary.  Elizabeth and Elizabeth (2021) by Sue Williams explores the friendship between two women who were instrumental in the early days of Sydney. Claire Keegan's novella Foster (2010) is a gem of a story about a girl who spends a summer away from home. Lisa See's wonderful Lady Tan's Circle of Women (2023) transported me to the Ming Dynasty. Miranda July's brilliant All Fours (2024) was a delight that I have recommended to many friends. Unlike the other novels which focus on women, Alice Winn's gripping In Memoriam (2023) explores the lives of men at war in a novel I will not soon forget.

Crime thrillers always make their way into my reading cycle. Aussie noir shows no signs of stopping and this year I read two great novels by some of my favourite writers in this genre. Chris Hammer's The Valley (2024) is his latest in the Lucic/Buchanan series and was a ripping yarn! Garry Disher's The Way it is Now (2021) is a standalone crime thriller set in the Mornington Peninsula. Journalist Louise Milligan made her fiction debut with Pheasants Nest (2024), a page-turning novel about a journalist who goes missing. 

Of course Aussies aren't the only crime writers around. Tana French continued her western-style crime series with The Hunter (2024), a sequel to The Searcher (2020) which follows retired American detective Cal Hooper, now residing in a small town in Ireland. I also read another novel in the Simon Serrallier series by Dame Susan Hill, The Vows of Silence (2008) in which the detective has to track down a potential serial killer targeting newlywed women. Finally, I read Dorothy B Hughes' In a Lonely Place (1947) which has been on my shelf for years! Hughes is an amazing writer and this was an interesting take on the genre, told from the perspective of the killer.

Non-Fiction

This year I didn't read as much non-fiction as I had planned to and will need to rectify this in 2025.

I really enjoyed the Quarterly Essays this year. I have subscribed for the past decade and each year there are usually one or two on topics that I am not that interested in. 

This year I read three fantastic essays. Alan Kohler's The Great Divide focussed on the housing crisis. Don Watson's High Noon was all about the 2024 Presidential election. Lech Blaine's Bad Cop showcased the opposition leader Peter Dutton. All were well written and worth reading.

Memoirs and biographies always intrigue me. I love learning about real people, their lives and how they became who they are. Journalist Paddy Manning explores the life of Lachlan Murdoch, media scion, in The Successor (2023). I heard Manning speak about this at the 2023 Sydney Writers' Festival and was keen to read it against the backdrop of the Murdoch family dramas. Richard Flanagan's Question 7 (2023) is unlike any memoir I have ever read as he blends genre and takes readers on a strange journey which links the author's existence to HG Wells and the atomic bomb. I love Flanagan as a novelist and while Question 7 didn't work for me, I admire his twist on the genre.

Sarah Firth's graphic essay collection Eventually Everything Connects (2023) is a beautiful exploration of life. I loved the way Firth tackled big topics and everyday activities in illustrated form. Claire Dederer's book Monsters - a Fan's Dilemma (2023) looks at art and how to balance works of genius created by people who are contemptible. This was a fascinating way to consider what we consume and whether we can seperate the work from its maker.  Finally, I absolutely loved journalist Nick Bryant's The Forever War (2024), an exploration of American political history and how to make sense of what is happening today in the United States.

Best of 2024

I read so many great books this year. I loved and highly recommend:

• Nick Bryant - The Forever War
• Anne Enright - The Wren, The Wren
• Percival Everett - James
• Sarah Firth - Eventually Everything Connects
• Chris Hammer - The Valley
• Robert Harris - Conclave
• Miranda July - All Fours
• Paddy Manning - The Successor
• Lisa See - Lady Tan's Circle of Women
• Colm Toibin-  Long Island
• Alice Winn - In Memoriam
• Charlotte Wood - Stone Yard Devotional

If I had to choose my absolute favourites for 2024, without any hesitation I would pick Percival Everett's James and Nick Bryant's The Forever War.

Well, that's my year of reading! A new year starts tomorrow and I cannot wait to discover new books and rediscover old favourites. Happy New Reading Year!

Divided States

I started reading Nick Bryant's The Forever War - America's Unending Conflict with Itself (2024) during the US election campaign in that strange period between the Biden-Trump debate, the attempted Trump assassination and Biden's drop out of the Presidential race. At the time I was feeling uninspired by the two candidates, a looming dread about the potential of a second Trump term, and overwhelmed by the chaos taking place in the campaign. I turned to Bryant to make sense of what was happening in America. I took a break from reading the book as the campaign gathered momentum under Harris, but picked it up again in November after the results were known, looking for clues as to how we got here.

Historian and journalist Nick Bryant is well placed to write about American political history and does so with the detachment of someone who deeply loves the country but can see it with an outsider's perspective. He takes readers on a crash course in American history to demonstrate how we should not be surprised by the rise of Trump and the MAGA movement. Bryant writes of Trump:

Like previous American demagogues, he could tap into an unholy trinity of racism, religious fundamentalism and the mass media's partiality towards a ratings-winning rabble-rouser.

In many ways, then, Trump became an amalgam of this dangerous tradition. The raucousness of Andrew Jackson. The racism of Father Coghlin. The economic populism of Huey Long. The America First isolationism of Lindbergh. The conspiratorialism of McCarthy. The 'angry white man' rage of Wallace. The nativism of Buchanan. The billionaire chutzpah of Perot. The serial stupidity of Sarah Palin. Throughout history, Americans had always been susceptible to demagogues promising to make their country great again, whatever their qualifications for the job. (p108-109)

Essentially, The Forever War explains that what is happening now is not new, but a continuation of 250 years of conflict and disagreement about how the US should be governed.  

Bryant looks at the history of America from its formation to the present day. He explains how the Constitution was formed and has been used by individuals and parties to serve their own purposes. He explores the three branches of government and how their influence has shifted over time. Bryant takes readers through the War of Independence, the Civil War, the civil rights movement, the January 6 insurrection and shows that America has always resisted a peaceful compromise. 

In the chapter 'In Guns we Trust' Bryant covers America's obsession with weapons and how the country need not have gone down this path. The chapter on 'Toxic Exceptionalism' exposes the many uniquely American flaws, but also its potential to be the beacon of hope for the world. I was particularly interested in the chapter 'Roe, Wade and the Supremes' which explores reproductive rights and abortion. This was the subject of my undergrad thesis many decades ago and I am appalled that women are still having to fight for freedom over their own bodies. 

Bryant's writing style is compelling as he distills meticulous research into lively, engaging prose. This is a thought-provoking and timely book and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to understand American politics or with an interest in history.  

The Awakening

An artist leaves her husband and young child to drive from Los Angeles to New York City and back for work. She starts her journey with snacks and a playlist, but half an hour from home she checks into a local motel and stays for the duration of her time away. During this sojourn, the narrator reflects on her marriage, her sexuality and her obsession with Davey, a young man she encountered on the first day of her trip. At forty-five years of age she knows that she has only a small window of time left before she will no longer be considered sexy, and is consumed with concern that her erotic life will fade to oblivion and her creative life along with it. 

Miranda July's All Fours (2024) is a horny, hilarious and brave portrayal of a woman in perimenopause. Consumed with the fear her estrogen will expire before she has a chance to explore all her fantasies, our narrator seeks to pursue her sexual freedom without blowing up the family she has created. She negotiates one night a week escape from her marriage from which she can pursue her mind-rooted desires. But will this freedom help her figure out who she is and what she wants?

All Fours is one of those novels that I have recommended to many friends. There is so much fodder for discussions of aging, desire and life choices. A conversation starter, like Lisa Taddeo's Three Women (2019), this is a fantastic novel for women and will be sure to ignite debate in book clubs. It may even cause some readers to question their life choices and seek a new path for themselves.

I really enjoyed All Fours and my experience of reading it was improved by listening to July's audiobook of the story. July's narration embodies the anxiety, vulnerability and imperfection of the main character as she navigates this new phase in her life. The novel is exceptionally well written and many parts are laugh-out-loud funny. The story unfolded in an unpredictable way and I really did not want it to end. 

Ground Control

Samantha Harvey won the Booker Prize this year for her slender novel Orbital (2023), set at the International Space Station over the course of a single day. As the space station orbits the Earth, the four astronauts (from Italy, America, UK and Japan) and two Russian cosmonauts, reflect on the beauty and fragility of their home planet.

Time is strange on the International Space Station as it circles the Earth sixteen times each day. Sunrises and sunsets occur repeatedly, yet the astronauts' time is set by ground control. As they spin silently over the continents and oceans, the astronauts go about their work on scientific experiments, repairs and other essential tasks. Each one has brought a comfort item from home - photos and trinkets - which root them to their families and the life they left behind.

Life in space isn't glamorous, as they eat dehydrated meals, hang in sleeping bags to sleep, and have to exercise to prevent their bodies from failing. Despite their differences, the six bond over their shared humanity.

In many ways Orbital is a love letter to the planet and our global kinship. The borders that divide nations are not visible from space, harmonising the planet. Harvey describes the vibrant colours and features of the landscape. She shifts her gaze between the lights on a fishing boat to a developing weather system which may have devastating impact. 

Harvey's prose was lovely and, as a world traveller, I enjoyed her descriptions of shorelines, mountains and plains. She rhapsodises about the planet and there is something strangely hypnotic about the way she writes. What was missing for me was a plot to ground the story and propel character development, so I felt a bit disconnected to the novel. But I realise that, much like the Velazquez' Las Meninas portrait discussed in the book, the focal point of the story is misleading. While the astronauts gaze down on the planet, on Earth we gaze at the stars. 

I know that some people have avoided Orbital because they worry it will be science fiction. As a fan of the genre, I can assure you it is not sci-fi. This is a novella laced with poetry and it is well worth a read. 

PS - As much as I enjoyed Orbital I still reckon Percival Everett should have one the Booker for James.

The Bonds of Friendship

Elizabeth Macarthur (1766-1850) was a formidable woman in the early days of colonial Australia. She arrived in Sydney in 1790 and settled on a large property in Parramatta where she and her husband John bred sheep. John was an ambitious man who hatched devious schemes which saw him engage in power struggles with Governors and sent back to the UK under court martial. Elizabeth stayed behind with some of their children to tend to their business enterprises. She is now regarded as a founder of the Australian wool industry.

Another Elizabeth arrived in the colony in 1809. Elizabeth Macquarie (1778-1835), wife of Governor Lachlan Macquarie, had a keen interest in architecture and the wellbeing of women and children. The Macquaries spent fourteen years in Sydney, transforming the city. Governor Macquarie, the 'Father of Australia', established institutions, supported emancipated convicts, and promoted the exploration of Australia beyond the Blue Mountains. 

On the surface, Elizabeth Macarthur and Elizabeth Macquarie would seemingly have little in common. The former was a diligent businesswoman and mother, the latter the First Lady of NSW, accustomed to the refinements that came with the office. Further, their husbands known were enemies with Macarthur undermining Governor Macquarie at every turn. Despite this, the women formed an enduring bond, supporting each other through personal struggles and triumphs. The friendship of these two women is the subject of Elizabeth and Elizabeth (2021), a novel by Sue Williams. 

Mrs Macquarie arrives in the colony somewhat naive. She is uncertain in her marriage, has lost a child and longs for a family. Her husband is busy with his work. She is deeply concerned about the plight of young girls in the colony and builds an institution to support orphaned girls. Over time she encourages the Governor to engage in social reforms. 

Mrs Macquarie regarded Mrs Macarthur as a mentor and was in awe of her bravery and fortitude. When they first meet, John Macarthur has gone to England to attend a court-martial for his role in a mutiny against former Governor Bligh. He has taken their sons to England for school, leaving Mrs Macarthur to run the family business. She is excellent at this role, using innovative techniques to ensure the finest quality wool from their large flock of sheep. 

There is plenty of tension given the enmity of their husbands, but the two women are determined to not let this get in the way of their relationship. Mrs Macquarie cannot stop her husband's actions, but she can warn her friend. While both women forged paths outside the confines of gendered roles of the time, in their personal lives they both were limited by their husbands and had to find ways around these restrictions. 

Told in alternating chapters, Williams wisely chooses to call Mrs Macquarie 'Betsey' and uses first person narration for her perspective. Mrs Macarthur is provided a third person account. This makes the novel easier to read, knowing which Elizabeth we are dealing with. I also appreciated that each chapter heading gave a date to allow the reader to place the story in time. 

This is an interesting historical novel and a delightful debut from Sue Williams. I was familiar with Mrs Macarthur's story having previously read Kate Grenville's brilliant novel A Room Made of Leaves (2020) and her compilation of Elizabeth Macarthur's Letters (2022). But I did not really know anything of Mrs Macquarie - other than having been to her chair on Sydney Harbour! So I appreciated being introduced to her by Sue Williams and to learn more about the Macquarie's influence on Sydney. I was intrigued to learn about the Bigge Inquiry and Mrs Macquarie's lifelong attempt to have her husband's influence recognised. 

While this is Sue Williams debut novel she is a prolific writer of travel, true crime and journalism (check out her website for details). I am interested in her follow up novels - That Bligh Girl (2023) about Governor Bligh's daughter Mary, and The Governor, His Wife and His Mistress (2025) about Governor King and his complicated personal life. I will be seeing author Sue Williams this month at a literary festival and I look forward to learning more about her writing process.