Our Favorite Books of 2024!
25 of Our Favorite Reading Recommendations! Plus 5 New Cookbooks!
Our annual Year-in-Review continues! On Saturday we posted Our Favorite Films & TV of 2024. And on New Year’s Day we’ll be listing our Our 100 Favorite New Albums of 2024. But today is all about books. The library is open!
Below are our 25 Favorite Books of 2024! As a bonus, we’ve followed our 25 reading recommendations with Our Favorite Cookbooks of 2024! (We also read a lot of books that were published before 2024, some of which we discussed on our Aesthetic Arrest Podcast, but the following are all books that were originally published in 2024 in the U.S. and/or the U.K.)
And don’t forget to tell us in the comments what you were reading in 2024!
On to our personal list of favorites! (in alphabetical order by title) . . .
Our 25 Favorite Books of 2024!
Fiction & Poetry:
The Forgetters: Stories by Greg Sarris
“A tender, astonishing, and richly beautiful story cycle about remembering our shared histories and repairing the world. … Told in the classic style of Southern Pomo and Coast Miwok creation stories, this book vaults from the sacred time before this time to the recent present and even the near future. … The Forgetters is an astonishment—comforting and startling, inspiring reveries and deepening our love of the world we share.” [Source]
James by Percival Everett
“A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and darkly humorous, told from the enslaved Jim’s point of view … Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a ‘literary icon’ (Oprah Daily), and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime, James is destined to be a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.” [Source]
Karla's Choice by Nick Harkaway
“The instant international bestseller set in the world of John le Carré’s most iconic spy, George Smiley, written by acclaimed novelist Nick Harkaway … Set in the missing decade between two iconic installments in John le Carré’s George Smiley saga, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Karla’s Choice marks a momentous return to the world of spy fiction’s greatest writer.” [Source]
My Favorite Thing Is Monsters: Book Two by Emil Ferris
“Set against the tumultuous political backdrop of late ‘60s Chicago, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters: Book Two is the eagerly awaited conclusion to one of the most acclaimed graphic novels of the past decade. Presented as the fictional graphic diary of 10-year-old Karen Reyes … Visually, the story is told in Ferris’s inimitable style that breathtakingly and seamlessly combines panel-to-panel storytelling and cartoon montages filled with B-movie horror and pulp monster mag iconography.” [Source]
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
“A slender novel of epic power and the winner of the Booker Prize 2024, Orbital deftly snapshots one day in the lives of six women and men traveling through space. Selected for one of the last space station missions of its kind before the program is dismantled, these astronauts and cosmonauts—from America, Russia, Italy, Britain, and Japan—have left their lives behind to travel at a speed of over seventeen thousand miles an hour as the earth reels below. … Profound and contemplative, Orbital is a moving elegy to our environment and planet.” [Source]
The Palace of Eros by Caro de Robertis
“‘It’s a literary gift to see gender expansiveness depicted in an ancient myth with such grace and ease.’ — Electric Literature … ‘[P]repare to be astonished’ (R.O. Kwon) with this bold and subversive feminist and queer retelling of the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros. … When Eros, nonbinary deity of desire, sees Psyche, she cannot fulfill her promise to her mother Aphrodite to destroy the mortal young woman. Instead, Eros devises a plan to sweep Psyche away to a palace, hidden from the prying eyes of the gods and outside world. There, Eros and Psyche fall in love…” [Source]
The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain by Sofia Samatar
“Named a Best Sci-Fi Book of 2024 by Esquire … ‘I am in love with Sofia Samatar’s lyricism and the haunting beauty of her imagination. Her stories linger, like the memory of a sumptuous feast.’ —N. K. Jemisin … Celebrated author Sofia Samatar presents a mystical, revolutionary space adventure for the exhausted dreamer in this brilliant science fiction novella tackling the carceral state and violence embedded in the ivory tower while embodying the legacy of Ursula K. Le Guin.” [Source]
Real Americans by Rachel Khong
“How far would you go to shape your own destiny? An exhilarating novel of American identity that spans three generations in one family and asks: What makes us who we are? And how inevitable are our futures? … In immersive, moving prose, Rachel Khong weaves a profound tale of class and striving, race and visibility, and family and inheritance—a story of trust, forgiveness, and finally coming home. … Exuberant and explosive, Real Americans is a social novel par excellence that asks: Are we destined, or made? And if we are made, who gets to do the making? Can our genetic past be overcome?” [Source]
Scattered Snows, to the North: Poems by Carl Phillips
“An arresting study of memory, perception, and the human condition, from the Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Phillips. … If the poet’s last few books have concerned themselves with power, this one focuses on vulnerability: the usefulness of embracing it and of releasing ourselves from the need to understand our past. If we remember a thing, did it happen? If we believe it didn’t, does that make our belief true?” [Source]
The Selected Shepherd: Poems by Reginald Shepherd
“Drawing from all six of his collections, The Selected Shepherd offers a new retrospective on the work of an important and sometimes controversial Black, gay poet. … [T]hese poems highlight the most important themes of Shepherd’s work, along with both his predictability and unpredictability as a poet. Jericho Brown’s introduction provides additional context and insight on the life and work of this complex, groundbreaking figure in American poetry.” [Source]
Nonfiction:
An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence by Zeinab Badawi
“Everyone is originally from Africa, and this book is therefore for everyone. …Visiting more than thirty African countries to interview countless historians, anthropologists, archaeologists and local storytellers, [Badawi] unearths buried histories from across the continent and gives Africa its rightful place in our global story. The result is a gripping new account of Africa: an epic, sweeping history of the oldest inhabited continent on the planet, told through the voices of Africans themselves.” [Source]
And the Roots of Rhythm Remain: A Journey Through Global Music by Joe Boyd
“From the legendary producer of Nick Drake, R.E.M., Toots and the Maytals, and Pink Floyd comes a riveting, world-spanning tour de force illuminating the artists, histories, controversies, and collaborations that shaped global music. In this sweeping history compiled from more than a decade of travel, research, interviews, and deep listening, Boyd sets out to explore centuries of fascinating backstories to these sounds. … The one-of-a-kind result is And the Roots of Rhythm Remain: a glorious, symphonic celebration of the music that shapes our world.” [Source]
The Black Box: Writing the Race by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
“‘Henry Louis Gates is a national treasure. Here, he returns with an intellectual and at times deeply personal meditation on the hard-fought evolution and the very meaning of African American identity, calling upon our country to transcend its manufactured divisions.’ — Isabel Wilkerson … Distilled over many years from Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s, legendary Harvard introductory course in African American studies, The Black Box: Writing the Race, is the story of Black self-definition in America through the prism of the writers who have led the way.” [Source]
The Dao De Jing: Laozi's Book of Life: A New Translation from the Ancient Chinese by J. H. Huang
“A groundbreaking and superlatively accurate new translation of Laozi’s The Dao De Jing, promising to be the first English edition based on direct translation from the oldest known copies of the ancient Chinese text. … This beloved classic teaches us to become one with nature, with all people, and with the world; with the ultimate intention of illuminating the path to peace and promoting the conditions for harmony—within the self and in the greater world around us.” [Source]
Disaster Nationalism: The Downfall of Liberal Civilization by Richard Seymour
“The rise of the new far right has left the world grappling with a profound misunderstanding. … Richard Seymour delves deep into this alarming development in world politics, dissecting its roots, its influencers, and the threats it poses. … The battle against disaster nationalism is not just political; it is a struggle for our collective soul and the future of civilization itself. Unless we understand the deeper forces propelling the far-right resurgence, we have little chance of stopping it.” [Source]
How to Be Queer: An Ancient Guide to Sexuality by Sarah Nooter
“The idea of sexual fluidity may seem new, but it is at least as old as the ancient Greeks, who wrote about queer experiences with remarkable frankness, wit, and insight. … Filled with enthralling stories, this anthology invites readers of all sexualities and identities to explore writings that describe many kinds of erotic encounters and feelings, and that envision a playful and passionate approach to sexuality as part of a rich and fulfilling life. … How to Be Queer reveals what the Greeks knew long ago—that the erotic and queer are a source of life and a cause for celebration.” [Source]
A Last Supper of Queer Apostles: Selected Essays by Pedro Lemebel
“‘I speak from my difference,’ wrote Pedro Lemebel, an openly queer writer and artist living through Chile’s AIDS epidemic and the collapse of the Pinochet dictatorship. In brilliantly innovative essays—known as crónicas—that combine memoir, reportage, fiction, history, and poetry, he brought visibility and dignity to sexual minorities, the poor, and the powerless. … This volume brings together the best of his work, introducing readers of English to the subversive genius of a literary activist and queer icon whose acrobatic explorations of the Santiago demimonde reverberate around the world.” [Source]
Loving Corrections by adrienne maree brown
“New York Times-bestselling author adrienne maree brown knows we need each other more than ever and offers a practice for holding collective power, righting wrongs, and generating true belonging. … Filled with practical wisdom on how to be a trustworthy communicator while providing bold visions for a shared future, Loving Corrections can speak to everyone caught in the crossroads of our political challenges and potential. No matter how new to the struggle, or how numerous our failures, brown’s indispensable writing is an invitation to us all.” [Source]
Shakespeare's Sisters: How Women Wrote the Renaissance by Ramie Targoff
“This remarkable work about women writers in the English Renaissance explodes our notion of the Shakespearean period by drawing us into the lives of four women who were committed to their craft long before anyone ever imagined the possibility of ‘a room of one’s own.’ … Targoff carries us from the sumptuous coronation of Queen Elizabeth in the mid-sixteenth century into the private lives of four women writers working at a time when women were legally the property of men … yet against all odds they defined themselves as writers, finding rooms of their own where doors had been shut for centuries.” [Source]
Slaveroad by John Edgar Wideman
“John Edgar Wideman’s ‘slaveroad’ is a palimpsest of physical, social, and psychological terrain, the great expanse to which he writes in this groundbreaking work that unsettles the boundaries of memoir, history, and fiction. … An impassioned, searching work, Slaveroad is one man’s reckoning with a uniquely American lineage and the ways that the past haunts the present: ‘It’s here. Now. Where we are. What we are. A story compounded of stories told, retold, untold, not told.’” [Source]
Stories Are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind by Annalee Newitz
“[B]est-selling author Annalee Newitz traces the way disinformation, propaganda, and violent threats—the essential tool kit for psychological warfare—have evolved from military weapons deployed against foreign adversaries into tools in domestic culture wars. … Incisive and essential, Stories are Weapons reveals how our minds have been turned into blood-soaked battlegrounds—and how we can put down our weapons to build something better.” [Source]
Survival Is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
“A bold, innovative biography that offers a new understanding of the life, work, and enduring impact of Audre Lorde. … In Survival Is a Promise, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, the first researcher to explore the full depths of Lorde’s manuscript archives, illuminates the eternal life of Lorde. Her life and work become more than a sound bite; they become a cosmic force, teaching us the grand contingency of life together on earth.” [Source]
A Thousand Feasts: Small Moments of Joy ... a Memoir of Sorts by Nigel Slater
“From award-winning writer Nigel Slater, comes a new and exquisitely written collection of notes, memoir, stories and small moments of joy. … He gives short stories of feasts such as a mango eaten in monsoon rain or a dish of restorative macaroni cheese and homes in on the scent of freshly picked sweet peas and the sound of water breathing at night in Japan. … ‘His evocative, uplifting observations are a balm for life: a prose-poem for eaters and a spiritual companion for thoughtful cooks. A true and enduring joy’ — Nigella Lawson” [Source]
The Ultimate Hidden Truth of the World… Essays by David Graeber
“‘The ultimate hidden truth of the world is that it is something that we make, and could just as easily make differently,’ wrote David Graeber. … Thinking against the grain, Graeber was one of the few who dared to imagine a new understanding of the past and a liberatory vision of the future—to imagine a social order based on humans’ fundamental freedom. … A trenchant critic of the order of things, and driven by a bold imagination and a passionate commitment to human freedom, he offers hope that our world can be different.” [Source]
Who's Afraid of Gender? by Judith Butler
“From a global icon, a bold, essential account of how a fear of gender is fueling reactionary politics around the world. Judith Butler, the groundbreaking thinker whose iconic book Gender Trouble redefined how we think about gender and sexuality, confronts the attacks on ‘gender’ that have become central to right-wing movements today. … Inflamed by the rhetoric of public figures, this movement has sought to nullify reproductive justice, undermine protections against sexual and gender violence, and strip trans and queer people of their rights to pursue a life without fear of violence. … Imagining new possibilities for both freedom and solidarity, Butler offers us a hopeful work of social and political analysis that is both timely and timeless—a book whose verve and rigor only they could deliver.” [Source]
Our Favorite New Cookbooks of 2024!
The League of Kitchens Cookbook: Brilliant Tips, Secret Methods & Favorite Family Recipes from Around the World by Lisa Kyung Gross
“Founded in 2014 by Lisa Kyung Gross, the daughter of a Korean immigrant and a Jewish New Yorker, League of Kitchens is a unique cooking school that empowers immigrant women to share culinary expertise and culture through hands-on cooking workshops … At its heart, League of Kitchens is a celebration of the invaluable contributions of immigrants to our food culture and society. … The League of Kitchens Cookbook is a testament to the power of food to bring people together, to bridge cultural divides, and to enrich our lives in unimagined ways. It doesn’t just show you how to cook—it shows you how to bring the world to your plate.” [Source]
Martha: The Cookbook: 100 Favorite Recipes, with Lessons and Stories from My Kitchen by Martha Stewart
“Martha Stewart celebrates her landmark 100th book with an intimate collection of 100 treasured recipes, along with stunning photos from her personal archives and the stories behind them. A must for anyone who has ever been inspired by the one and only Martha. … Like a scrapbook of Martha’s life in cookbook form, this is the ultimate collection for devotees as well as newer fans who want to become more confident in the kitchen and do what Martha does best: Start with the basics and elevate them. From timeless classics to contemporary delights, these recipes reflect storied moments from her legendary, trailblazing career.” [Source]
My Egypt: Cooking from My Roots by Michael Mina
“Explore a lifetime of recipes that capture the flavor and energy of Egypt, from celebrated chef Michael Mina. … In My Egypt, Mina brings readers to contemporary Cairo and Alexandria to share the foundations of Egyptian cooking and hospitality, from the traditional breakfast of ful medames to the streetside meal of baladi bread stuffed with spiced hawawshi. … This is the story of a lauded chef at the top of his game, triumphantly returning to his roots.” [Source]
Vegan Street Eats: The Best Plant-Based Versions of Burgers, Wings, Tacos, Gyros and More by Will Edmond & Austyn Rich
“Bring those epic, late-night street eats to your kitchen with this collection of crispy, juicy, soul-nourishing snacks and dinners—all made completely vegan. In this flavor-bomb cookbook, beloved vegan chef Will Edmond shows you how to make quick bites inspired by international night markets, county fairs, NYC food trucks and beyond. … These recipes use whole, non-processed ingredients like mushrooms, eggplants and beets to recreate the street foods you miss and love. And with everything being quick and easy to make, you’ll whip up these crunchy, fried delights in no time and have your taste buds doing a two-step!” [Source]
Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style: A Cookbook by Sonoko Sakai
“In this dazzling and wholly original cookbook, culinary authority Sonoko Sakai redefines what Japanese cooking can be. Wafu (literally ‘Japanese style’) food is fusion at its best, combining flavors, ingredients, and techniques from around the globe with a distinctly Japanese personality. … From Dashi Cheese Grits with Honey Miso Butter, Collard Greens and Cabbage Miso Soup with Crispy Bacon, and Fish and Lotus Chips, to Caesar Salad with Aonori Croutons and Bonito Flakes, Shio Koji Marinated Roast Chicken, and Miso Apple Pie, these are recipes that reflect—and celebrate—the multinational, interconnected way in which we all eat today.” [Source]
What books were you reading in 2024? Tell us your picks in the comments!