Written by Washington Post Book Reviewer Ron Charles
2024 was a fascinating year (“Lake of Creation”), touching (“Someone Like Us”), vigilance (“eruption”), entertaining (“On All Fours”), educational (“What Chickens Know”), and entertaining (“Color TV”) books.
Looking back over the past 12 months, here are five standouts.
WW Norton
Playground, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Powers, is a brilliant novel about artificial intelligence and the race to save the Earth’s oceans. The story involves a computer genius, a famous oceanographer, and a small island in the South Pacific.
Powers brings these stories together in surprising ways that change the way you see the world.
Read an excerpt: “Playground” by Richard Powers
“Playground” by Richard Powers (WW Norton), available in hardcover, ebook, and audio formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org
Richard Powers (official site)
double day
Mark Twain and Percival Everett’s novel James is a revolutionary response to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Everett retells Twain’s story from the perspective of Huck’s enslaved friend Jim. In this sometimes funny, sometimes horrifying satire on racism and American culture, you won’t believe how a shift in perspective can change everything.
Read an excerpt: Percival Everett’s “James”
“James” by Percival Everett (Doubleday), available in hardcover, large print paperback, e-book and audio formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org
Percival Everett also wrote: “Dr. No” (book excerpt)
WW Norton
Every family has secrets. Claire Messoud has written a wonderful novel centered around the hidden events of her own family. “This Strange and Eventful History” follows three generations as they move around the world from World War II to the 21st century.
The narrator is a curious young woman who decides to become a writer, similar to Mehsud himself.
Read an excerpt: “This Strange and Eventful History” by Claire Mehsud
“This Strange Eventful History” by Claire Messud (WW Norton), available in hardcover, ebook, and audio formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org
clairemessud.com
penguin press
This is a memoir by a writer who has struggled with a false sense of identity for decades. Finally, in 2021, at age 66, she wrote a letter to about 20 friends announcing that she was transgender and would be known as Lucy.
I Heard Her Call My Name is a brave and timely book about the life of Lucie Santé and her struggle to be true to herself.
Read an excerpt: “I Heard Her Call My Name” by Lucie Santé
“I Heard Her Call My Name: A Memoir of Transition” by Lucy Santé (Penguin Press) in hardcover, trade paperback, e-book and audio formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org available
riverhead books
You might think you have a pretty good grasp of world maps, but Atossa Araksia Abrahamian explains how special economic zones, tax havens, and free ports divide the planet for the highest bidder, and what Find out how we’re making the lives of millions of people even worse.
“The Hidden Globe: How Wealth Hacks the World” makes a very complex financial and legal subject clear, provocative, and deeply troubling.
Read an excerpt: “The Hidden Globe” by Atossa Araksia Abrahamian
The Hidden Globe by Atossa Araksia Abrahamian (Riverhead Books), available in hardcover, ebook, and audio formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org
atossaaraxia.com
That was the book report. I’ve had so much fun talking about good books with you all year long. There’s even more to come in 2025.
I’m Ron Charles. Until next time, keep reading!
For more information:
For more reading recommendations, check out our previous Book Report feature by Ron Charles.
Produced by Robert Marston. Editor: Joseph Flandino.
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