What I read in 2023
There are just a few days left in January and I am just finally getting around to documenting my 2023 reads here. 2023 was a good reading year for several reasons. Firstly, I got into a lovely rhythm consistently reading throughout the year, mostly before bedtime which allowed me to sleep soundly. Secondly, I was pleasantly surprised to discover my penchant for smart classic literature (although the casual racism in some books were difficult to stumble upon). Who knew, I’d enjoy Dracula by Bram Stoker! Lastly, I got even more clear on books that move me - they are usually nuanced, reflective books on the human condition and trajectory.
I read 31 books. Here’s what I read in a particular order - most resonate to least resonate:
The Woman Destroyed by Simone De Beauvoir
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
A Philosophy of Walking by Frederic Gros
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
If Beale Street Can Talk by James Baldwin
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
She Came to Stay by Simone De Beauvoir
Dawn by Octavia Butler
Devotions by Mary Oliver
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Story by James McBride
How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
On Work: Money, Meaning, Identity by Derek Thompson
I Feel Bad About My Neck, and Other Thoughts On Being a Woman by Nora Ephron
Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Nothing Personal by James Baldwin
What Do I Know? Essential Essays by Michel de Montaigne
Oh Pray My Wings are Gonna Fit Me Well by Maya Angelou
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
On Connection by Kae Tempest
Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Garielle Zevin
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Odessa Moshfegh
The Great Gatsy by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I’d happily recommend books 1-27. However, books 28, 29, and 30 which I was initially drawn to because they are NYT bestsellers left me perplexed on how they passed the sniff test for NYT. All three books are also highly regarded on bookstagram. I am now proceeding with care when I peruse a NYT bestseller list and bookstagram darlings.
Finally, I have so much disdain for the Great Gatsby. I threw the book against the wall when I finished reading it. It’s a underwhelming story with horrible characters and not as smartly written as it has been lauded. We’ve been told repeatedly it is an American gem. I discovered no gem. Although, I am glad I read it so I can contribute to a healthy debate on the merit of this book and other revered classic literature.
I am energized to read classic literature from each continent in 2024.
