End of the Year Book Recommendations
Fuel for the shorter days and longer nights *these are favorites, not just 2023
If this post inspires, please click the ♥️, I would love to hear what you are thinking!
I stumbled upon an Icelandic holiday I want to celebrate this year. It’s called the Christmas book flood, aka Yule book flood (Jólabókaflóðið). Picture this: a frenzy of new books hitting the shelves before Christmas, snatched up as epic gifts for a festive Christmas Eve exchange. As the night unfolds, Icelanders dive into their new reads together, sipping hot chocolate. Best holiday ever.1
I love the idea of an end of the year favorite book exchange and might be calling some of you up to come join. A book exchange paired with a hot cocoa extravaganza – who's up for this next-level celebration?
To get us started, I’ve made a list of my top 8 books for the 2023 and am sharing here. Note that some of these are just recent favorites, not just from 2023. And friends, if you are reading this and end up joining for the party, let me know which one sounds best. Would love to hear your 2023 picks!
Please note: If you decide to click on the links provided here to purchase a book, a small a commission may find its way to me. Think of it as supporting School of Thought while uncovering new books (and perhaps a new holiday).
Non Fiction
I Never Thought of It That Way by Monica Guzman We think we have the answers, but we need to be asking a lot more questions. School of Thought will be diving into creating cultures of questioning. And one of my favorite thinkers on the topic is Mónica Guzmán. When the country, and her own family (her parents immigrated from Mexico) could no longer see straight across the political divide, Mónica set out to find what was blinding us and discovered the secret lies in our own built-in curiosity. She writes about how to ask what you really want to know, how to grow smarter even in tense interactions, online and how to cross boundaries and find common ground—with anyone. She’s insightful and creative and makes it sound easy, even if it’s not.
Notable quotes, “When you’re surrounded by people who reflect the same basic set of perspectives, you’ll find it harder to grasp any others.”
The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul. I received this book as a part of the Next Big Idea Club and listened to the fascinating podcast before reading it. I am glad I did it in that sequence because there were things I would have missed. Annie Murphy Paul is an amazing story teller, but she does not overdo it. Her chapters pack a lot of information. There are critics that say she does not really understand the research. I don’t agree. I’ve worked with neuroscientists and have done cognitive research and there is a lot of unknowns about the brain.
Notable quote, “Parents and teachers often believe they have to get kids to stop moving around before they can focus and get down to work, Schweitzer notes; a more constructive approach would be to allow kids to move around so that they can focus.”
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker Anyone who knows me knows of my love for this book and for Priya Parker. I am even taking a class with her. The book is not just about how to entertain, it’s about how to bring people together with purpose and meaning and make it memorable. The way we gather really does matter, and while some might not pay attention, if we do, it makes all the difference. Told through stories both of gathering and from Parker’s day job in conflict resolution, there is so much to learn from this book that I just keep reading it and reading it. I even got to take the online course this summer to further solidify my fluency in gathering. LOVE.
Notable quote,”Every time you get to another, deeper reason, ask why again. Think of what you want to be different because you gathered, and work backward.”
See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love by Valerie Kaur Though a bit leery of a book cover that claims a “manifesto of revolutionary love”, I ordered the book first from the library. I couldn’t stop reading and ended up purchasing my own copy just so I could reference and read the lyrical prose and poetry. I don’t want to be silent and indifferent. I don’t want to point fingers, insult and blame. So, what do I do? How do I contribute to finding solutions that bring us together? In a most powerful way, Valarie Kaur has shined a light on what all of the major spiritual leaders through history have taught .... I do it with love .... I do it by constantly reminding myself “you are a part of me I do not yet know”.
Notable Quote: “Can you choose one person to practice wondering about? Can you listen to the story they have to tell? If your fists tighten, or your heart beats fast, or if shame rises to your face, it’s okay. Breathe through it. Trust that you can. The heart is a muscle: The more you use it, the stronger it becomes.”
Fiction
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. This book made me so happy. And sad. I felt many emotions. Every experience writes our story, and even one small change can create a big impact. Between life and death, Nora encounters the Midnight Library, where she is given the opportunity to undo her regrets and live different lives based on different choices. She gets to fulfill her dreams in various lives and has the option to leave her root life for a new one. It is magical and real, and an example, for me, of komorebi: seeing light in the shadows of the trees.
Notable Quote: “And we spend so much time wishing our lives were different, comparing ourselves to other people and to other versions of ourselves, when really most lives contain degrees of good and degrees of bad.”
The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle I took a break from non fiction and read this one upon the recommendation of a close friend who loves thrifting, like I do. It was such a delicious read. A woman goes through items in her house after a death. She is making decision about what to give away and finds certain items impossible to part with. Thus launches the Museum, which I would personally love to visit. It reminds me of a skit about a pawn shop that considered sentimental value on SNL from years ago. It was light, and also beautiful and creative.
Notable quote, “Every life is an extraordinary life.”
Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson. “Pineapple Street” is about three women trying to make their way in the wealthy Stockton family: two are born in and one married in. The plot is basic, playing on our fascination with old monied stories, but it’s character-driven, and much deeper than it appears at first. There are themes of social problems, elitism and nepotism, and even the way we define “money”. “Pineapple Street” has become one of my new favorites, and I hope there will be a sequel because it felt like moved beautifully and slowly and then it ended a little too quickly.
Notable Quote: “The wrong guests could ruin even the best parties.”
This Terrible True Thing by Jenny Laden. This book is gorgeously told, despite the challenging story line. The main character, Danielle, leads the reader through a moving personal novel told in visuals, poetry, prose and notes. The multi modal approach provides just the right sort of layers to bring us into a complex situation. Danielle is a teen whose father has both come out as gay, and is HIV positive at the start of the AIDS epidemic. It all takes place in the 80s, which made it nostalgic for me, but though the context is particular, the themes of the book--loss, love, relationships, and finding your identity--are timeless.
Notable quote, “…and sometimes people see themselves clearly and cannot pretend anymore. You can’t pretend to be something you’re not, and you can’t lie to the world about who you are. Sooner or later, enough is enough. You must be real. You must be yourself.”
Critical Connections
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Here is what I learned: This tradition began during World War II after Iceland gained its independence for Denmark in 1944 (a history I did not know). Paper was not rationed during the war, so Icelanders shared their love of books even more as other types of gifts were short supply. Every year since 1944, the Icelandic book trade has published the Bókatíðindi (‘Book Bulletin’, in English) – that is sent to every household in the country in mid-November. People use the catalogue to order books to give friends and family on December 24th. Everyone reads the books they have been given right away, often while drinking hot chocolate or alcohol-free Christmas ale called jólabland. *I think you can get this at IKEA :)