Top Ten Books of 2024 (Fiction)

[@deborahaguruso]

Happy to see you enjoyed Katie's book, The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst! I will move it up on my tbr pile. I also enjoyed Cuddy and Soldier Sailor. Finger Bone sounds interesting. Nice list!

[@BookishTexan]

@@deborahaguruso I did! I hope you like those books. Thanks for the kind words.

[@anenthusiasticreader]

There are so many good books on your list! I remember you talking about Two Sherpas and I'm glad you reminded me of it to add.

[@BookishTexan]

@@anenthusiasticreader it was a really interesting read. Thanks Sonya.

[@BookChatWithPat8668]

Great list, Brian. We have a few titles in common, and you've reminded me that I really want to read Cuddy as well. It's been on my list since I first heard you talk about it. I will get to it in 2025, I hope. James is definitely in my top five as well. I think I listed it as my second favorite, though I think it is THE most important book that I've read this year. It wasn't my favorite reading experience, but I do think it's the best and the most important novel of the year.

[@BookishTexan]

Thank you Pat. One of the things I have realized in making these lists is that the more I make the more I go with favorite experience over “importance.” This year the two were the same but Cuddy and The Long Form came pretty close in terms of how much I enjoyed them.

[@BookChatWithPat8668]

@ I have to read Cuddy. Yes, I definitely went with favorite reads. My #1 was Queen of Dirt Island because of the Irish factor. But James really is the book of the year on so many levels.

[@TKTalksBooks]

Happy New Year Brian and Zelda! I have read and loved all of these except have not read Finger Bone... but I will. We are very simpatico in our reading taste. I am most indebted to you for encouraging me to read Cuddy. I never would have picked it up on my own. You were also the person who pointed me towards Eva Baltasar... THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT GIFT OF A RECOMMENDATION! Take good care, my friend and happy reading to you always!

[@BookishTexan]

We do have very similar taste. Thank you for your friendship and support.

[@ianp9086]

Wonderful list and Cuddy, James, Mammoth and Vegetarian would be on mine too! And 2025 is looking good as I have Long Form, Enter Ghost, Ghost Mountain and Erasure on my shelf. Solenoid would be on my list too although I wasn’t sure what was happening for a lot of the time - the writing though was fantastic. Have a good new year!

[@BookishTexan]

Thank you Ian. I am more than a little intimidated by Solenoid’s reputation.

[@ReallyRandomReads]

Great list Brian, one of the most eclectic I’ve seen!

[@BookishTexan]

@@ReallyRandomReads Thank you very much.

[@saraberberich2226]

What a great list! Instant subscriber! A little spoiler-y there with Han Kang (maybe? I dnf’d it so I guess I shouldn’t say :), but whereas before I couldn’t get past the cringe factor and put it down, I think you’ve encouraged me to give it another go. Thanks!

[@BookishTexan]

@@saraberberich2226 I am sorry for spoiling The Vegetarian. It didn’t occur to me I was going into too much detail.

[@ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

Great list Brian! I’ve read only Big Swiss but others are on my shelves staring at me: Enter Ghost, Soldier Sailor, Mammoth, and James. I’ll get to them eventually. 😊

[@BookishTexan]

Thank you! I hope you like them all.

[@eyesonindie]

Incredible list!!! Thanks for sharing. #3 may or may not be making a major appearance on my top ten, too. 😁😊 I filmed mine yesterday but had a 9-year-old assistant...so wasn't able to be super eloquent in my explanations. I should point folks to your description of The Long Form as an alternative 😅🤣

[@BookishTexan]

I think you should just edit in your description of The Long Form in which you made a drawing. That sold me on trying the book

[@eyesonindie]

@@BookishTexan ☺

[@glennaustin37]

Interesting list! I loved Percival Everett's American Desert, but not really been tempted by his other books. I too read The Vegetarian this year. Can't say I particularly warmed to it, but very well written. My top 5 books read in 2024 : 1 The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep (H G Parry) 2 How High we go in the Dark (Sequoia Nagamatsu) 3 My Brother's Keeper (Tim Powers) 4 The Midnight Library (Matt Haig) 5 Slaughterhouse 5 (Kurt Vonnegut Jr).

[@BookishTexan]

Thank you for sharing your top two . How high We Go in the Dark is definitely a book I want to read.

[@glennaustin37]

@@BookishTexan 👍 ❤️

[@sevsuk2011]

Great video, some recommendations of my radar, but now on the TBR list. Thanks

[@BookishTexan]

Thank you for the kind words.

[@ariannefowler455]

This is a solid list. I really need to get to Cuddy, Soldier Sailor and Ghost Mountain.

[@BookishTexan]

I hope you will enjoy them all.

[@1book1review]

The beginning just sums up why I can't do favorites :D Go you for finalizing it at last.

[@BookishTexan]

@@1book1review It took some time. I think I might try an unranked list next year.

[@Elnora-i6e]

I love Percival Everett 's work. You did a phenomenal job of discussing James. Thank you.

[@BookishTexan]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@Elnora-i6e]

@@BookishTexan Toni Morrison once said that she didn't write her books for white people to understand or interpret. Reading her work and listening to her interviews I understand why. You have the ability as a white man to read her work and Percival 's and see through the cracks. I have found that people repeat what others have said but don't understand the depths of their writing. You do a phenomenal job! You are not what people term as woke. You are conscious, empathetic and compassionate to the plight of my people. ❤️

[@BookishTexan]

@ Your comment made my day. Thank you.

[@CharlieBrookReads]

So many of these I love!! Big Swiss is just so so good. This a genuinely a really great list of books Brian📚 ❤

[@BookishTexan]

Thanks Charlie! I knew I couldn’t be the only Big Swiss fan! The fact that you think so highly of it makes me feel more confident about putting it on my list.

[@rafd3593]

As a Brit, nice to see your inclusion of Cuddy. I also read and enjoyed James (and, before that, Everett’s hilarious and gruesome The Trees).

[@BookishTexan]

Thank you! Cuddy was an be incredible reading experience. It was and is hard to describe what Myers achieved. It was like magic.

[@RaynorReadsStuff]

Great list and Happy New Year 🎉🎉

[@BookishTexan]

Thank you!

[@GemofBooks]

I’ve read 4/10 🤩 You are the second person I’ve seen mention Finger Bone, I’m going to have to read that. Unlike our usual trend, I really loved Boulder too, so I must read her other books!

[@BookishTexan]

We do have some reading things in common!

[@stalkingkafka]

I didn't love Boulder Hahaha!

[@stalkingkafka]

Aw...Zelda 🥰The Vegetarian is one of my first reads of 2025! I was a bit intimidated by it but you have made it seem much more accessible...phew! I have also been curious about The Long Form for awhile so thank you for putting it back on my radar. Cuddy sounds so good too! Thank you for adding to my TBR 🤣 Also, James, James, James 👏👏👏

[@BookishTexan]

@@stalkingkafka i hope you like The Vegetarian. Not sure my interpretation is the right one, but it is an interesting book.

[@readandre-read]

My process was similar, trying to make the final cuts. Some of yours narrowly missed making my list, like Erasure, The Safekeep and Enter Ghost. Good to see Blackouts on another list. As another Percival Everett fan, I agree that James is his strongest novel to date. Great list!

[@BookishTexan]

Thanks Angelia. I enjoyed watching your list video.

[@Johanna_reads]

Excellent list! Funny story: I was in Barnes and Noble with my husband the other day, and I asked him what random book he would choose for me to read. He chose Big Swiss just based on the cover. 😂 I didn’t commit, but now I know it might be worthwhile!

[@BookishTexan]

@@Johanna_reads I hope you like it. I forgot to mention in my discussion that it is a bit spicy (as they say on BookTube).

[@Rainierbooks]

James is on most of the top 10 lists. Great that it won the National Book Award, a bit disappointing, it did not win the Booker, but then Awards are business. I will take a look av Eva Baltazar. Happy new year!

[@BookishTexan]

Thanks Rainer!

[@myreadinglife8816]

I read James in one day at the end of December. Amazing book. Very deserving of all the praise it has received.

[@BookishTexan]

@@myreadinglife8816 I didn’t read it that fast, but pretty fast for me.

[@Sachie465]

I see that Finger Bone has been translated into English - it was a hot topic about ten years ago, and I remember thinking at the time, ‘Why would someone born in 1979 write a novel about war experiences? But I'm glad you like it.

[@BookishTexan]

I didn’t realize that the book had been controversial. That’s interesting

[@debbiesavage6272]

Yes loved Cuddy as well so uniquely told

[@BookishTexan]

It is a wonderful book!

[@MarilynMayaMendoza]

Hi Brian, I think I would like mammoth more than I liked Boulder. I like to set up you mentioned. I also am interested in Nevada and safe keep. Happy new year. Aloha friend.

[@BookishTexan]

You might like Mammoth more. Just as a heads up there are descriptions of violence against animals. Happy New Year Maya!

[@alldbooks9165]

I really enjoyed you steering me toward Finger Bone, but James, yes, great book.

[@BookishTexan]

Thanks Doris.

[@clarepotter7584]

Definitely my favourite fiction was 'Glorious Exploits' by Ferdia Lennon.

[@BookishTexan]

I will have to look into that one. Thank you Clare.

[@FrankOdonnell-ej3hd]

Not surprised James is number one on your list I’ve yet to see a review where the critic said They really disliked it. Hope to finally be able to read it soon but I may have told you I saw the movie of the Eraser book which I really enjoyed so looking forward to my first actual Everett novel. Be well and HNY!⚛❤!

[@BookishTexan]

The movie adaptation of Erasure is excellent but it is different enough from the movie that one doesn’t necessarily spoil the other.

[@andrewstorm8240]

Is non fiction coming up soon?

[@BookishTexan]

@@andrewstorm8240 Yes!

[@davidnovakreadspoetry]

I’ll pick up another by Baltasar if I see one. I didn’t love _Boulder_ but I keep thinking about it. I’m still on the fence about _James._ What turns me off (besides arising from the world of _Huckleberry Finn)_ is that it just sounds like a racist trope inverted, this sort of bilinguality that is supposed to be a feature of the story.

[@BookishTexan]

Maybe try Permafrost instead of Mammoth. In defense of James, there is more to it than just the idea that James is more literate than the white people around him. BUT you should go with your gut feelings if they are strong enough.

[@Rebecca-le9hn]

Take a look at the books by John Edgar Wideman.

[@BookishTexan]

Thank you for the recommendation!

[@rebeccah.6587]

I felt like you spoiled The Vegetarian. I wish you wouldn't have given so much info.

[@BookishTexan]

@@rebeccah.6587 I’m sorry.

[@roguemedic]

You mentioned a book not being perfect. 😮 Is there any book that you consider perfect? The book that I most consistently see described as perfect is the Bible, with the King James Version being favored over the other Anti-perfect Bibles written by enemies of the Gods to mislead believers, because logic is also somehow Anti-perfect. Ironically, the people who claim this is perfect try to twist the book to mean the opposite of what is written, because they, the readers, KNOW what the narrators (and there are many narrators of this anthology) MEAN, because their Gods speak through that reader. And when the contradictions are pointed out, they are not contradictions, because their Gods work in mysterious ways that are beyond the understanding of the person who speaks for the Gods. 🤦 Are you using that embarrassingly low standard of "perfect"? .

[@BookishTexan]

Off the top of my head I would say Edith Wharton’s Age of Innocence and Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury.