Books I enjoyed in 2024
In 2024, podcasts and Youtube videos continued to dominate my media and content consumption time. I read and listened to a similar number of books compared to last year but the reading came in spurts - periods of extreme listening/reading and months of just podcasts. Here is a list of books I enjoyed in 2024. Hope you find them interesting.
Non-Fiction
Like in past years, most of my non-fiction was consumed as audiobooks. Spotify Premium has been the biggest contributor here followed by library books on Libby and owned content on Audible.
The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga: There is some recency bias to my recommendation since this is the most recent book I completed in December. That being said, this book was incredibly thought provoking. While I didn't necessarily agree with everything that the author said or the Adlerian principles he espouses, it made me introspect a lot and even make adjustments to how I approached work and life. Highly recommended. Next in my queue, the follow-up to this book - The Courage to be Happy.
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel: Another highly enjoyable book that offers a different perspective on how we think about money, and why not all money is the same. This book is all about applying context to how people think about money and using that to make decisions. Highly recommended. I also listened to the author’s follow-up, “Same as Ever” which while interesting in its own way is less compelling compared to “The Psychology of Money”.
The Great Mental Models Vol.4: Economics and Art by Shane Parrish: I have written in past years about my deep respect for Shane Parrish and his ability to apply model thinking to real world problems. His original “The Great Mental Models Vol 1” now has 3 new volumes. I tackled Vol.4 this Fall. Shane uses Economics and Art as a foundation to open up some new kinds of models to add to our toolkit. While not as path-breaking as Vol.1, interesting and insightful nevertheless.
Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick: The author, an Associate Professor of Innovation at the Wharton School is also a prominent AI voice on social networks. This book is a short and succinct read on how we can make AI work for us and with us. As someone working on AI, I found this to be an optimistic take on a world of possibilities and what you can do with it today. Good read.
A World Without Work by Daniel Susskind: This book written before a few years before the AI explosion is still a good read on what the future holds when AI and automated systems go mainstream. The author balances optimism with a heavy dose of caution painting a future that depends on how we navigate the next few years. It also offers a kind take on how we can ensure we take the world along with us without leaving many behind.
Other notable non-fiction books I read - The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman (its fine but a tad disappointing given the pedigree of the author, an AI pioneer) and Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker (a classic).
Fiction
Like with past years, my fiction was largely consumed on my Kindle (with just a couple that I read on print).
Godkiller and Sunbringer (Fallen Gods #1 and #2) by Hannah Kaner: I am a sucker for a good fantasy novel and while the Fallen Gods trilogy (the author is working on the third book) starts slow, it picks up quickly and is pretty much relentless thereon. The story is fun, has characters you root for and offers just enough twists to keep you hooked. Recommended.
Killing Floor and Die Trying by Lee Child: After watching the first season of Jack Reacher on Prime Video, I decided to give Lee Child a shot and wasn't disappointed. The first season of the Prime Video show is based on the “Killing Floor”. There is a lot of character building that happens but the book is still fun. The second book is way more crazier and arguably better. I cant wait to read more of the Reacher books in the coming years.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros: I read this at the start of the year, right after I wrapped up “Fourth Wing”. It is choppy in parts but the author knows how to weave a yarn and she leaves us waiting for more with a bonkers cliffhanger. The third book, “Onyx Storm” is due later this month (already a chart-topper for pre-orders) and will likely feature in my 2025 reading list.
Also consumed this past month was “Fall of Ruin and Wrath” by Jennifer L.Armentrout. While I wouldnt recommend it as a great book, it was a guilty pleasure in the burgeoning romantasy genre, akin to the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, just more romance and less action. I am curious to see where the story goes but hoping for more plot in the next book.
One last one - I read Rabindranath Tagore’s “Four Chapters” on print. I won't lie - I had really high expectations but the book didn't match it. The book is a victim to the era in which it was written, both in content and style. Intriguing but rather abrupt.
2025 feels like a year in which philosophy and technology will be the top topics I delve into. I have my Kindle, Audible, Libby and Spotify queues ready to go to keep me busy for atleast the first half of the year. Excited to learn new things and hear a new set of voices. Happy New Year and Happy Reading/Listening.
Related Reading: Books I enjoyed in 2023.
Image Courtesy - Waterstones, London