It is a thing. I started making lists of all the books I read throughout the year, and now I can’t stop.
Here is what I read in 2024 ( if you click on the titles I recommend, it will take you to Amazon, but if you have a library near you, you can request all these titles there).
1. Sister in Resistance — How a German Spy, a Banker’s Wife, and Mussolini’s Daughter Outwitted the Nazis by Tilar J. Mazzeo
It is an enthralling story, a page-turner.
2. Communicate to Influence — How to Inspire Your Audience to Action by Ben Decker & Kelly Decker
Although this book was about inspiring and influencing others, it was a bit dry and dull. Also, its main focus is on speaking engagement with large corporations, which is not my cup of tea.
3. How to Talk When Kids Won’t Listen — by Joanna Faber and Julie King
My life in one sentence, lol.
But seriously, this is an excellent book with a straightforward parenting approach and lots of actionable tips. It is not a page-turner, more of a dry read, but it is very informational and helpful.
4. The 5 Foundations of Successful Teens by Mark J. Luciano
Did I read three parenting books in a row? I didn’t know what was humanly possible, but I guess the parent in me was screaming for help.
The book is okay; it offers a window into the life of teens, and it helped me understand my teens better. It’s a bit of a boring read; as I said, it’s a parenting book.
5. The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli
Good book. It opens your mind to all the ways it may be misleading you. The bottom line is that just because you are thinking it, it doesn’t mean it’s true.
Always question your thoughts.
6. You Are a Badass at Making Money — Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero
It’s a good book, but it sounds like the advice you see everywhere.
7. Your Money or Your Life — 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez
It’s a good book, but its method involves lots of work to keep track of all your finances. I wouldn’t invest the time to follow it.
8. Optimal — How to Sustain Personal and Organizational Excellence Every Day By Daniel Goleman and Cary Cherniss
Great book. This is the first book I recommend from everything I read thus far.
9. Talk Like Ted — The 9 Public Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds by Carmine Gallo
It’s an excellent book if you are interested in public speaking.
10. The Women by Kristin Hannah
Finally, I read a novel. It’s a historical fiction about women working as nurses in Vietnam during the war. Loved every minute of it. Recommned!
11. Feel Good Productivity — How to Do More of What Matters to You by Ali Abdaal
Ali Abdaal is a beast, and I have been following him on YouTube for a while, so when I saw his book, I knew it would be a good one. I recommend it if you are a productivity junkie like me.
12. What Do You Say? How to Talk With Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance and a Happy Home by William Stixrud, PhD and Ned Johnson
Parenting, again, is a great book, though.
13. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
This is a historical fiction about war-torn France during the Holocaust. Highly recommend. It is a beautiful book.
14. The Power of Regret by Daniel H. Pink
It’s a good book; I’m not crazy about it.
15. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
This historical fiction will take you back to Japan, its culture and values. It is a thick book; you won’t be able to put it down until the end.
16. Rushing Woman’s Syndrome — The Impact of a Never Ending To-do List and How to Stay Healthy in Today’s Busy World by Dr. Libby Weaver
It is a much-needed book for the modern woman. I think I slowed down after I read it. Time to read again, it seems.
17. Can’t Hurt Me — Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by Daniel Goggins
If you need a push to chase your dreams, this book is the one. David Goggins, a former Navy Seal and an ultra-marathoner, will inspire you to get off the couch and push yourself beyond your limits.
18. On Writing — a Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
This is a super funny and engaging book. King is an inspiration to any writer. I recommend it.
19. To Sell is Human — The Surprising Truths About Moving Others by Daniel H. Pink
Great book!
20. How to Influence Your Kids for Good by Sara Dimerman
Man, another parenting book.
Dimerman focuses on building good character traits, which is the bread and butter of good parenting.
21. Hidden Gold — a True Story of the Holocaust by Ella Burakowski
It is a fascinating true story of the survival of an entire family hiding in a hole in the ground for two years. I definitely recommend it.
22. The Personal MBA — Master the Art of Business by Josh Kaufman
It is a must-read for anyone interested in building a business.
23. A Radical Awakening — Turn Pain into Power, Embrace Your Truth, Live Free by Dr. Shefali
This was an awesome book. While I do not agree with all her opinions, this book has many great insights and made me dig deeper into myself.
I highly recommend it to anyone working on self-awareness and empowerment.
24. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
This book is absolutely incredible. Nelson Mandela is an example of resilience, perseverance and strength. We can all use a little more of it in our own lives.
I highly recommend it.
25. The Perfect Story — How to Tell Stories that Inform, Influence and Inspire by Karen Eber
This a pretty good book, but not as entertaining as I imagined for a book that is supposed to teach you to write a perfect story.
26. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr. by Clayborne Carson
Incredibly inspiring, powerful and beautiful. A must—read.
27. Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
Gladwell writes so compellingly that you won’t be able to put the book down. He is one of my favourite authors, but this book is on the dark side; I recommend it with a trigger-warning sign.
28. Influence — The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
I kept hearing about this book and seeing it everywhere; I had to read it. It’s a fantastic book.
29. Baby Steps Millionaire — How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth and How You Can Too by Dave Ramsey
I was a massive fan of Dave Ramsey, and I can easily credit him for most of my good financial habits. The book was a great reminder of all the lessons I learned from him from other books and online. If you never read his content, I highly recommend it.
30. Getting Things Done — The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen.
This book is very famous, so I thought I must read it, but it was so technical and slow that I stopped in the middle, which hardly ever happens to me.
Read it at your own risk.
31. Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
It is a beautiful novel about a young girl amid a crime investigation.
You will learn much about Native people, their traditions, languages, and communities. It’s supposed to be YA, but this book is heavy enough for any adult, with its depictions of murder, rape, drug addiction, and crime.
32. Codependent No More by Melody Beattie
I had the wrong idea of codependency before I read this book, and now that I read it, I think everyone dealing with another human being is somewhat codependent.
It’s a worthwhile read.
33. Now You See It by Cathy N. Davidson
It was super boring; I had to stop mid-book.
34. Stress-free Kids — a Parent’s Guide to Helping Build Self-Esteem, Manage Stress, and Reduce Anxieties in Children by Lori Lite
It is a practical tips and tricks type of book.
35. Scattered Minds — The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder by Dr. Gabor Mate
This book literally blew my mind. I think it was easily my favourite non-fiction book of the year. This is not only a must-read but a must-read-again type of book.
I wrote an article about the things I learned. Check it out here:
5 Key Principles to Heal ADD in Children
36. Excellent Advice for Living — Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier by Kevin Kelly
A quick read. It’s like those one-quote-a-page kind of books. Nevertheless, I found some wisdom in there, but mostly popular advice, especially if you are a self-development junkie like me.
37. Raising Mentally Strong Kids — How to Combine the Power of Neuroscience with Love and Logic to Grow Confident, Kind, Responsible and Resilient Children and Young Adults by Dr. Daniel G. Amen and Charles Fay
This is another of my favourites, and I haven’t stopped talking about it with all my friends and family. If I could highlight, underscore, capitalize, and bold this title, I would do anything to make sure I spread the wisdom in those pages to every parent I meet.
This is a must-read to every parent.
I will undoubtedly reread it next year.
I also wrote about some foundational things I learned from Dr. Amen in this article:
11 Ways to Supercharge Your Brain and Sharpen Your Mind
38. The Myth of Normal — Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Dr. Gabor Mate and Daniel Mate
It is a great book, not as mind-blowing as Scattered Minds, but still fascinating. It’s a heavy book, about 500 pages.
39. Use Your Brain to Change Your Age — Secrets to Look, Feel, and Think Younger Every Day by Dr. Daniel G. Amen
Once I discovered Dr. Amen’s books, I was hooked. My last few books of the year were all about brain and mental health.
40. Dopamine Nation — Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Anna Lembke
This book is an essential read. Balance is always crucial, but now, it is more than ever; our mental and physical health depend on it.
41. A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett
This is a heartwrenching story of Amanda, a wannabe Canadian journalist kidnapped in Somalia and held in captivity for 15 months. Amanda endured horrific abuse, survived and founded a non-profit to help women in the same society that produced her captors.
If you don’t want to waste time with lukewarm books, here are my top ten for this year.
FICTION
- The Women
- The Nightingale
NON-FICTION
- Scattered Minds
- Raising Mentally Strong Kids
- Talking to Strangers
- Long Walk to Freedom
- The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.
- A House in the Sky
- Hidden Gold
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
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