2023: My year in books
For the second time in this decade-long project, I managed to reach my goal of 50 books read in a single year.
Once again I had a mixture of fiction and non-fiction, this year dipping my toes further into classic poetry. I also read a lot of non-fiction (much of it consumed as audiobook), several essay collections, and novels of various genres. I spent more time with memoirs this year than previously, but my favourite books were largely literary fiction.
Bonsai - Alejandro Zambra
Short and strange novella by a celebrated Chilean poet.
4/5
V for Vendetta - Alan Moore & David Lloyd
Epic and gritty graphic novel set in a dystopian then-future Britain of the nineteen nineties.
4/5
The Black Jacobins - C.L.R. James
Fascinating history of Toussaint L'Ouverture and the slave rebellion that led to the founding of Haiti.
5/5
Essays - George Orwell
Exhaustive and magnificent collection of writings by the finest thinker of the twentieth century.
5/5
A Woman of No Importance - Sonia Purnell
Incredible non-fiction account of the life of Virginia Hall, an American woman embedded in the French Resistance during the Second World War.
4/5
James Acaster's Classic Scrapes - James Acaster
A loose memoir of amusing anecdotes from the innovative British comedian.
3/5
Regenesis - George Monbiot
Soil ecology and the future of feed from the environmentalist, activist and writer.
4/5
Invisible Cities - Italo Calvino
Marco Polo describes dozens of nameless cities to Kublai Khan, in this intricate clockwork puzzle by the renowned Italian author's classic early post-modern novel.
4/5
On Photography - Susan Sontag
A collection of essays from the American writer, exploring the nature of photography but also using it as a camera lens for observing modernity and twentieth century society.
5/5
Ramble Book - Adam Buxton
Memoir from the beloved comedian and podcaster. Audiobook recommended!
4/5
Mr Loverman - Bernardine Evaristo
Slyly subversive comic novel from the Girl, Woman, Other author.
4/5
Meditations - Marcus Aurelius
Finally completed in 2023 after a period of a few years consuming slowly.
5/5
The Road to Unfreedom - Timothy Snyder
A modern history of Russia and the rise and dominance of Putin.
4/5
The Tower - W.B. Yeats
Collection of challenging poetry from the Irish writer.
4/5
Mad, Bad, Dangerous to Know - Colm Tóibín
Thoughtful book that traces the lives of the fathers of Wilde, Yeats and Joyce, and examines notions of fatherhood, masculinity and nationalism in nineteenth-century Ireland.
4/5
Getting Better - Michael Rosen
Highly moving memoir from the children's poet, detailing his life and centring on his recover from Covid.
4/5
William Blake vs the World - John Higgs
Breathtaking history of William Blake, his works, and lasting impact on the British consciousness.
5/5
Negotiating with the Dead - Margaret Atwood
Extended essay on the nature of writing, from the Canadian author.
3/5
Who Are We? - Gary Younge
An early and insightful examination of identity politics from the Guardian journalist.
4/5
Brighton Rock - Graham Greene
Crime and punishment in the English working class.
4/5
Love and Let Die - John Higgs
A history of late-twentieth century British culture, stemming from 5th October 1962 - the day upon which both the first James Bond film and the first Beatles record were both released.
4/5
The Faraway Nearby - Rebecca Solnit
Musings on the nature of memory, narratives and dementia.
4/5
The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman
Agatha Christie if Poirot lived in a retirement home - great fun.
4/5
Helgoland - Carlo Rovelli
An explanation of more recent developments in understanding of quantum physics, from the Italian theoretical physicist.
5/5
Dark Neighbourhood - Vanessa Onwuemezi
Debut short story collection - hit and miss, but some incredible high points.
3/5
Faith, Hope and Carnage - Nick Cave & Sean O’Hagan
Surprisingly moving extended interview with the veteran songwriter.
5/5
Emily Dickinson: Poems Selected by Ted Hughes - Emily Dickinson & Ted Hughes
A nice introduction to the prolific American poet.
4/5
Room to Dream - David Lynch & Kristine McKenna
Alternates between researched biography (by McKenna) and mischievous and rambling memoir (by Lynch).
4/5
Consider Phlebas - Iain M. Banks
First science fiction novel from the celebrated Culture Series.
4/5
Postcards from the Edge - Carrie Fisher
Hilarious and moving semi-fictionalised novel the actor-turned-author.
4/5
QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter - Richard P. Feynman
Beautiful explanation of quantum electrodynamics from the man himself.
5/5
Machines like Me - Ian McEwan
Alternate history novel in which AI and robots exist in nineteen-eighties Britain.
4/5
Signifying Rappers - Mark Costello & David Foster Wallace
Apparently the first serious book written about rap and hip hop. An amusing historical oddity.
3/5
Good Strategy Bad Strategy - Richard P. Rumelt
Business management book with the usual problems - good ideas, too much padding.
4/5
Hot Money - Naomi Klein
Collection of essays connecting the deregulation of capitalism to the climate crisis.
4/5
Smashing Physics - Jon Butterworth
A history of the search for the Higgs boson.
3/5
Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy
Devastating, apocalyptic nightmare western from the author of The Road and other whimsical tales.
5/5
Men Explain Things to Me and Other Essays - Rebecca Solnit
Collection of essays on feminism.
4/5
And Away... - Bob Mortimer
Amusing memoir from the absurdist comedian.
4/5
Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold - Stephen Fry
The title explains it all really - very digestible.
4/5
Death Of King Arthur - Simon Armitage
Wonderful translation of the epic Middle English poem by the current poet laureate.
4/5
The Creative Act - Rick Rubin
A series of zen-like meditations on the nature of creativity from the highly successful music producer.
4/5
The Coming Wave - Mustafa Suleyman & Michael Bhaskar
Slightly terrifying analysis of the disruption we can expect from AI and biotechnology, from the founder of Deep Mind.
4/5
Shipping Greatness - Chris Vander Mey
Another business management book - good ideas, too much padding.
3/5
Whose Story Is This? - Rebecca Solnit
Collection of essays exploring reactionary responses to progressive politics, the idea of displacement, and ultimately constitutes real equality and equity.
4/5
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - James Joyce
Masterpiece of Irish literature.
5/5
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Simon Armitage
Masterpiece of English literature (again translated from Middle English by our poet laureate).
5/5
Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World - Naomi Klein
Ostensibly a book about Naomi Klein being repeatedly confused with Naomi Wolf, but also an exploration of the "mirror world" of the alt right, Internet conspiracies and our own tenuous grasp on reality.
4/5
Rocannon's World - Ursula K. Le Guin
First novel in Le Guin's Hainish cycle, which also includes The Left Hand of Darkness.
4/5
Sundog - Scott Walker
Collection of lyrics, including for an album never recorded by the late, great songwriter.
5/5