Top 10 Books - 2023
Well she done did it!
At the top of 2023 I set a goal to read 20 books and I ended the year with a total count of 21! Here were my top 10 by genre.
FICTION & CLASSICS
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
by Betty Smith
A slow burn, beautiful read, coming-of-age novel about a girl growing up at the turn of the 20th century. Pro tip - read all of the front matter before you get into the book because it prepares you for the pace. This is something I often put down and picked back up, but I savored it every time.
My Childhood by Maxim Gorky
My first introduction to Russian literature. Not going to lie, this was an even slower burn than A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, because it’s heavy. Reviewing the summary brings up vivid images of abuse, loss, and poverty that were described in the book. It wasn’t an easy read in more ways than one, but once it got going I couldn’t put it down.
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
This was a book I was supposed to have read in high school and never did so I went back to see what I thought. A couple of my friends recently did the same thing and it sparked conversation about how much has changed in society in the last ten years. I loved Lady Ashley’s character and note how the hallmarks of her character are now praised in modern society, but this isn’t how she would’ve been viewed at the time it was written.
HISTORICAL FICTION
The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Betcha didn’t know that J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian was a female curator named Bella de Costa Greene. This book is based on the true story of Bella, a white-passing curator whose race could have altered her (and her family’s) life had it been discovered by the Morgan family. This was an incredible book, and probably my favorite in 2023.
MEMOIR/ BIOGRAPHY/ AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell by David Yaffe
Spoiler alert: you don’t know how talented Joni is. I really got on a Joni kick this year, and made a concerted effort to exhaust her discography. I especially love her early years and am in admiration of her songwriting abilities, so call me if you need a Joni recommendation.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Wow, what an incredible individual. She shares about her upbringing and about her time living in the White House. The First Ladies club is already small, and I can’t think of a more unique perspective than hers as the first Black First Lady. I was hardly a teenager when former President Obama was sworn in, and it was interesting to read back on her point of view during that time frame.
Pro tip - the audiobook is read by her and it’s great.
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
by Trevor Noah
In a word, this book is friendly. Reading it made me feel like Trevor was sitting in my living room telling me stories about his childhood. I laughed, cried, called my mom to tell her about some of the stories, and laughed and cried all over again. Bonus round: if you don’t know anything about South Africa or apartheid before reading this book, it’s totally ok. It breaks down difficult topics in anecdotal ways— another reason it’s friendly.
SELF-HELP/ LEADERSHIP/ AGILE
P413: The Can-Do Code for Success and Life
by K. Todd Holt
This is my dad’s book! So incredibly proud of him. Dad’s knowledge of the bible is extensive, and P413 shows off a fresh interpretation and application of scripture. I enjoyed how he wove his interests of the classics and cognitive sciences throughout, and shared personal anecdotes along the way.
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
I resisted the urge to buy a hundred copies to sprinkle on my office floor. Leadership is a learnable skill, and it takes GUTS. This was relevant for a #CorporateGirly navigating emotional labor at work. It was also my discovery of Brené this year and I want to be in her club!
Personal Kanban by Jim Benson and Tonianne DeMaria Barry
I never try to make a team of people do something if that something doesn’t work for me. This year I was handed a Kanban team at work and decided to do some soul searching about it, by seeing how I could apply it in my own life. I use Kanban boards frequently and I default to this method before a planner or making a to-do list. Organizing life’s lemons by categories of “backlog”, “to-do”, “today”, “doing”, and “done” is helping me realize dreams AND excel at work all at once. If you’re open to learning a new way of working, this is the first book I’d recommend.
