I read 97 books, countless short stories, and academic papers this year. I don’t start the year with a predetermined goal or list—instead, I let books find me. Sometimes, one book leads me to another through a reference or shared theme, and this organic process builds my #BookDNA. Here are some reflections on this year’s reading journey.
Reading Like a Writer
Much of my reading this year was influenced by what I needed to consume to complete my Master’s degree in Creative Writing. With writing assessments due every six weeks and a novel deadline in October, I immersed myself in stories of all genres to understand pacing, character depth, and plot complexity. By December, I had graduated with merit and finally found time to read for pleasure, decompress, and reflect after a challenging year of busyness, health issues, and little room for rest.
Fittingly, my 2024 word of the year was “memory,” chosen to explore how (collective) memories are formed, documented, and revised. While I read extensively about memory, the irony is that I often felt more consumed by understanding it than creating new personal memories. This year, books served as my anchor and a lens through which I explored alternate futures.
Most Impactful Reads of 2024
The Ministry of Time (Kaliane Bradley): A government agency uses time travel to protect historical events from interference. It is a captivating time travel novel that resonated with my exploration of memory and historical perspectives; I couldn’t put it down - it was read in one sitting. [Fiction]
James (Percival Everett): A profoundly human story about navigating identity and societal expectations through code-switching. This should be required reading, as it offered me a perspective I hadn’t encountered before while remaining strikingly relevant. [Fiction]
The Practice, the Horizon, and The Chain (Sofia Samatar): An allegorical tale about the struggle between societal roles and personal freedom. In style similar to Ursula K. Le Guin, this novella delves into systemic roles and defiance—an exploration of constructed identities. [Fiction]
Deep Utopia: Life and Meaning in a Solved World (Nick Bostrom): A speculative exploration of utopian ideals and their unintended consequences. A mind-bending read that left me with countless unanswered questions, fueling my professional foresight work and creative writing. [Non-Fiction]
Loving Corrections (adrienne maree brown): A collection of liberation and regenerative essays. This revitalized my daily free-writing practice, and the essay on accountability was particularly impactful as I considered my 2025 word of the year.
The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth (Zoë Schlanger): A groundbreaking plant intelligence and consciousness exploration. This extraordinary work of science writing ignited my imagination, sending me deep into related research (for my creative writing aspirations).
Most Interesting Reads
Three Eight One (Aliya Whiteley): A dual narrative of a fictional story and an archivist’s annotations. Though occasionally heavy-handed, its innovative format was thought-provoking and the perfect final book read in 2024 before engaging with my end-of-year reflections.
Death with Interruptions (José Saramago): A witty and philosophical tale about what happens when death takes a holiday. Saramago’s signature stream-of-consciousness style made this witty and introspective book a joy.
Semiosis (Sue Burke): A multi-generational tale of humans and intelligent plants coexisting on a distant planet. Inspired by references in The Light Eaters, this exploration of plant perspectives was intriguing but incomplete.
One Woman Show (Christine Coulson): A story told entirely through museum wall labels. Its unique format sparked ideas for sense-making / storytelling activities in cultural organizations.
Most Aligned with ‘Memory’ (Word of 2024)
First Knowledges: Design (Alison Page and Paul Memmott): A guide to design principles rooted in Aboriginal knowledge and traditions. This offered invaluable lessons for strengthening social cohesion through cultural understanding.
First Knowledges: Innovation (Ian J. McNiven and Lynette Russell): An exploration of ingenuity and knowledge from Aboriginal perspectives. This variation in innovation principles provided insights into bridging past and present for social cohesion.
Data Grab: The New Colonialism of Big Tech and How to Fight Back (Nick Couldry and Ulises A. Mejias): An investigation into the politics of data collection and historical narratives. This book assisted me in further considering how memory and history are shaped and reshaped.
Hope in the Dark: Untold Stories, Wild Possibilities (Rebecca Solnit): A hopeful meditation on the possibilities of transformation and activism. This deepened my understanding of the pace of change and the transformative power of communication.
Most Gifted Books
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity (David Graeber and David Wengrow): A reexamination of human history and societal development. This profound work aligned closely with my 2024 word of the year and inspired curiosity about historical narratives.
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times (Katherine May): A reflective guide to embracing life’s cyclical nature. This reminded me to listen to my body during a year of burnout.
Journal of Radical Permission: A Daily Guide for Following Your Soul’s Calling (Adrienne Maree Brown and Sonya Renee Taylor): A workbook encouraging self-reflection and boundary-setting. It helped prepare me for end-of-year reflection and my 2025 pre-mortem practice.
The Black Utopians: Searching for Paradise and the Promised Land in America (Aaron Robertson): A narrative exploration of resistance and resilience in shaping space. This beautifully written work challenged my perspectives on history and societal construction.
Books Prescribed for Reset, Reshape, Reimagine
Skin Thief Stories (Suzan Palumbo): A surreal collection of stories exploring identity and transformation. Its prose sharpened my sentence construction skills.
Your Utopia: Stories (Bora Chung and Anton Hur): A diverse anthology of speculative stories envisioning near and distant futures. These stories exposed me to non-Western perspectives and challenged conventional narratives.
Deep Dream: Science Fiction Exploring the Future of Art (Editor: Indrapramit Das): A MIT Twelve Tomorrow series collection examining the intersection of art and technology. These stories inspired my strategic foresight work with the Future Museum Project.
Buffalo Is the New Buffalo (Chelsea Vowel): An anthology of Métis futurism. It illuminates the impact of colonization and the power of rewriting history.
Books That Met/Unmet Expectations
Absolution: A Southern Reach Novel (Jeff VanderMeer): A post-apocalyptic tale of survival and existential dread. Despite my anticipation, it felt repetitive, and the story struggled to capture the magic of the Area X trilogy.
The Lost Bookshop (Evie Woods): A cozy story about the power of books and community. This exceeded expectations as a delightful and heartwarming read.
A Sorceress Comes to Call (T. Kingfisher): A predictable fantasy about a young woman discovering her magical heritage. Its lack of character depth and originality made it underwhelming.
The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise (Olivia Laing): A philosophical exploration of elitism and immortality. While beautifully written, it felt narrow and elitist.
Looking Ahead: 2025 and ‘Attention’
My 2025 word is “attention,” inspired by these three books read in 2024:
Scenes of Attention: Essays on Mind, Time and the Senses (Editors: D. Graham Burnett and Justin E. H. Smith): A collection of essays examining the complexities of focus and observation. These essays challenge conventional notions of attention.
In Search of The Third Bird: Exemplary Essays from The Proceedings of ESTAR(SER), 2001-2021 (Editors: D. Graham Burnett, Catherine L. Hansen, and Justin E. H. Smith): A landmark in the history of aesthetic practices on collective attention and its boundaries. Introduced to me through a New Yorker article, this book explores attention in fascinating ways.
How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy (Jenny Odell): [Re-read] Explores the value of reclaiming focus and attention in a hyper-connected world by embracing meaningful engagement with the natural world and local communities. While thought-provoking, the book felt written from a place of privilege—acknowledged by the author—and leaned more toward aspiration than providing actionable steps for bridging theory and practice.
I can't wait to see how my #BookDNA evolves in 2025 as I dive into the art and science of attention in life and literature. While I follow upcoming and best-of lists to help identify books to read, I also listen to these podcasts for good recommendations and interviews with the author(s):
Ologies [Podcast]: A deep dive into various scientific fields with expert guests who make complex topics accessible and engaging. What I like: Exposure to diverse or adjacent fields of study and unparalleled editing that enhances storytelling.
Pivot [Podcast]: A sharp, opinionated look at tech, business, and politics, hosted by industry insiders Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway. What I like: Even when I disagree, it’s helpful to think differently and stay informed on tech policy trends.
Hard Fork [Podcast]: A nuanced exploration of tech’s impact on society, from emerging innovations to their policy implications. What I like: It keeps me connected to tech developments and the broader effects of technology on society.
Imaginary Worlds [Podcast]: A podcast that delves into the art of world-building in sci-fi and fantasy, featuring creators and their works. What I like: Exposure to new science fiction and fantasy authors and books.
Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead [Podcasts]: Conversations on vulnerability, leadership, and organizational growth, inspired by Brené Brown's research. What I like: As an early Dare to Lead certified professional, I appreciate the insights on organizational design and evolving leadership styles.Near Future Laboratory [Podcast]: Discussions on strategic foresight, speculative design, and the tools futurists use to navigate uncertainty. What I like: Learning from other strategic foresight practitioners and their methods for innovative thinking.
The Anxious Achiever [Podcast]: A compassionate look at how leaders manage anxiety and mental health while thriving in their careers. What I like: Gaining insights into ways of working and thinking from people whose minds operate similarly to my own.
How I Work [Podcast]: Practical expert advice and strategies on productivity, creativity, and work-life balance. What I like: Exposure to organizational design and development professionals and their strategic planning approaches.
Throughline [Podcast]: A podcast that reexamines historical events to reveal their relevance to contemporary issues. What I like: Insight into how history can be rewritten and a window into lived experiences different from my own.
Happy reading!
The post I look forward to every year!