2024 Reading List
a year of yearning
I read eighteen books in 2024 - the most that I’ve read in the past four years since I started documenting my yearly reading list. I don’t use any apps, like Goodreads, to keep track of my reading. Instead, I opt for writing a manual list inside my journal or my planner that I tend to throughout the year.
I didn’t purchase any books last year - in fact, I don’t remember the last time I bought a book. I borrow from my local library the majority of the time. The only times I spend money on a book is when I travel or if I chance upon a specific art book that I really want to add to my library. I definitely encourage people to support their local library if they are big readers, or if they simply just want to get into reading more. Local libraries also offer other great programs and services outside of books that are free and accessible. Getting a library card is definitely one of the best and cheapest gifts you can give to yourself.
I read mostly fiction in 2024, as expected. The past couple of years I’ve been introducing and picking out more non-fiction books to add to my reading list, but last year, I was yearning for familiarity and comfort. Out of the eighteen books I read, the following three resonated a lot with me more intimately - due in part with the timing of significant life episodes I experienced while I read and finished these books.
Welcome to Hyunnam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Boreum
“Yeongju is burned out. She did everything she was supposed to: go to school, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart. In a leap of faith, Yeongju abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream. She opens a bookshop. In a quaint neighborhood in Seoul, surrounded by books, Yeongju and her customers take refuge. From the lonely barista to the unhappily married coffee roaster - and the writer who sees something special in Yeongju - they all have disappointments in their past. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop becomes the place where they all learn how to truly live.” (synopsis and image courtesy of Libby)
This book is my favorite read in 2024. Earlier, I wrote about the yearning that I was seeking for last year, and this book personified it for me. I loved the depth in each character, not just from the main protagonists. I enjoyed the pacing as well - I thought it was very fitting to the themes of the story. I also read this book during a very significant transition in my life. Last summer, I quit my career in architecture after six years of professional practice. In this context, I truly felt connected to Yeongju, who was also facing a new transition in her life. Reading this book during a time of so much change and confusion gave me comfort and courage to embrace the hope of starting a new season in life.
The Comfort Book by Matt Haig
“THE COMFORT BOOK is Haig’s life raft: it’s a collection of notes, lists, and stories written over a span of several years that originally served as gentle reminders to Haig’s future self that things are not always as dark as they may seem. Incorporating a diverse array of sources from across the world, history, science, and his own experiences, Haig offers warmth and reassurance, reminding us to slow down and appreciate the beauty and unpredictability of existence.” (synopsis and image courtesy of Libby)
I read this book right after Welcome to Hyunnam-dong Bookshop when I was still very much consumed by my recent “career-breakup.” The title and synopsis pretty much says it all. I will definitely revisit this book whenever I need a pick-me-up. There is a quote here from Haig that now lives rent free inside my head:
“The most powerful moment in life is when you decide not to be scared anymore.”
The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante
“Leda, a middle-aged divorce, is alone for the first time in years when her daughters leave home to live with their father. Her initial, unexpected sense of liberty turns to ferocious introspection following a seemingly trivial occurrence. Ferrante's language is as finely tuned and intense as ever, and she treats her theme with a fierce, candid tenacity.” (synopsis and image courtesy of Libby)
I’m a neophyte when it comes to the Ferrante cannon, but from a literary standpoint, this is the most well-written book I read in my 2024 reading list. This is my first read of Ferrante’s work, and I now finally understand all the fanfare. This book made me question how I feel and view motherhood: do I want to have children? Why, or why not? How will that choice transform me? What parts of my own relationship with my mother will be reflected on my parenthood? What parts will be new and undiscovered? These are questions I have never really thought about or asked myself before. I should also add that I turned thirty in 2024. Maybe these anxieties are just par for the course when you reach this decade in your life?
As far as reading resolutions for 2025? Explore new genres. Maybe even brush up on some classics.