Books I Read in 2023
Books I Read in 2023:
How Many So Far in 2024?
- All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone by John J Jacobson
- Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
- Among the Thugs by Bill Buford
- The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
- Planet of the Apes Pierre Boulle
- A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
- War of the Worlds by HG Wells
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston
- Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
- A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
- Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
- The Stranger by Albert Camus
- Don Quixote by Cervantes
- Holy Lands by Amanda Sthers (2019)
- Portrait of A Lady by Henry James (1881)
- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1943)
- Robinson Crusoe by Daniel DeFoe (1719)
- The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman (1986)
- Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton (1911)
- That Hideous Strength by CS Lewis
- Invisible Man by HG Wells (1897)
- Strange Island of Dr Moreau by HG Wells (1896)
- Time Machine by HG Wells (1895)
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey (1962)
- Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy (1886)
- Perelandra by CS Lewis (1943)
- Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (1868)
- Till We Have Faces by CS Lewis (1956)
- Circe by Madeline Miller (2019)
- Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945)
- Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (1980)
- Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell (1933)
The Worst (Or Most Disappointing)
I had to specify most disappointing because I don't feel right calling anything by this author, "the worst". There were so many great books I read last year, but I had the highest expectations for this book in particular and the hardest time getting through it. I remember wishing it would be over so I can start another book. I hate to admit it, but the most disappointing book of 2023 was War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells.
There are a number of reasons that may have contributed to the disappointment. I read it after all his other books. Maybe it was Wells' fatigue or high expectations, but War of the Worlds lacked the character development and engaging appeal that captivated my attention in the other three books. I still recommend it to other readers who haven't read it yet because of the influence it's had on pop culture and science fiction.
In second place for most disappointing was The Moonstone: A Romance by Wilkie Collins, which is considered to be the first great who-done-it mystery novel. A good friend of Charles Dickens and inspiration to literary giants like Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Wilkie Collins had me for the first 20 chapters, then lost me. The narrator changes midway through the novel and starts an already tedious story all over again. The plot was predictable, and the perspective switches were inconsistent in length. It narrowly missed being the most disappointing book, but Moonstone held my interest far longer than War of the Worlds. When people like T.S. Elliot and G.K. Chesterton call it the greatest detective novel; I expect something a little more exciting.
The Best Book of 2023
This was the most difficult decision to make because I thoroughly enjoyed most of the books I read that year, but one book literally brought tears to my eyes. I arrived at the office early, so I sat in my car and read the last bit stained by soul-water droplets. The best book of 2023 was A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway.
A Farewell to Arms is about the love affair of an American medic serving in the Italian Army and an English nurse during World War 1. The book was heavily influenced by Hemingway's war experience as an ambulance driver in Italy. Hemingway is often criticized for his simple and direct storytelling, but most people don't recognize the depth to his artistic genius and influence. The title comes from a 16th century English poem by George Peele, and his writing style is inspired by the French painter, Cezanne. Knowing this helps readers appreciate his use of repetition; the way painters brush over certain areas of the canvas for more layers or texture. His words are the colors, and the paragraphs are brush strokes painting a romance of love and loss. I highly recommend this book as an introduction to Ernest Hemingway.
A close second is Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, a tragic story of a man who falls for his sickly wife's caretaker leading to a disastrous end. My wife read it first and recommended it to me. I read it in a day. Edith Wharton captures the picturesque darkness of early 20th century Massachusetts and those dreary winter conditions are reflected in her treatment of Ethan. There is a film starring Liam Neeson as the titular character, but we couldn't bring ourselves to watch it.
The Most Surprising Book
One of the things I love about book clubs and belonging to a community of bibliophiles are the recommendations for books you might never pick yourself. The one that most surprised me was recommended by a great lecturer, my son's friend's parent, and a science fiction list in the same week. It is the last in the series of C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy. That Hideous Strength is coincidentally also named after a 16th century poem by David Lyndsay. I started with Out of the Silent Planet, which I enjoyed, in the latter part of 2022. Then I read and enjoyed Perelandra even more than the first. Naturally, I assumed the third would be progressively better, but it started horrifically slow.
When I was ready to scrap it as the most disappointing book of 2023, the details started connecting like a jigsaw puzzle and I couldn't put it down. Though it was written in 1945, the parallels to our society now are uncanny and alarming. There are references and cameos from Arthurian legends and elements of fantasy, but it is also a social criticism, heavily laden with Christian allegories. Hideous Strength will not be as enjoyable without reading the first two books, so I recommend the whole trilogy.
Honorable Mentions
There were more good books than bad ones. Circe and Till We Have Faces are great books for people who like Greek Mythology. Circe had a stronger narrative, but Faces was more philosophical. If you enjoy books that make you emotional, try Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Holy Lands, or Tuesdays with Morrie.
For people who like YA books about mental health and romance, read John Green's Turtles All the Way Down, which was recently made into a film now streaming on MAX.
Two of the funniest books I read were A Confederacy of Dunces and Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
Books I read with my kids were The Whipping Boy, Robinson Crusoe, and The Little Prince.
For action lovers and violence-junkies read Among the Thugs, Small Mercies, Planet of the Apes, Strange Island of Dr. Moreau, and All the Cowboys Ain't Gone.
I hope this blog gave you some reading material to add to your TBR list. I'm currently 11 books into 2024 and we are almost halfway through the year. I need to read 2.85 books a month to catch up, but my goal is to read even one more book than last year. We will see where I am next year.
