my favorite books of 2024
“Is this all we've got now? No priests to say yes son, your suffering meant something, no kings on the battlefield to say yes soldier, your suffering meant something.”
Summary from Concord Theatricals:
“Hailed by The New Yorker's John Lahr as “extraordinary,” “bold,” and “inventive,” Sarah Ruhl's Passion Play takes us behind the scenes of three very different communities attempting to stage the death and resurrection of Christ. This intimate epic occurs at the timely intersection of politics and religion.”
My Thoughts:
This play is intricate, entertaining and filled with symbolism. I loved everything about it. Ruhl is now one of my favorite playwrights. Can someone please direct this so I can work on it? Please.
Rating: ★★★★★
“Human life is but a series of footnotes to a vast obscure unfinished masterpiece”
Summary from Penguin Random House:
“A French literature professor moves to New England and writes under the pseudonym Humbert Humbert. He describes his obsession with a 12-year-old "nymphet", Dolores Haze, whom he kidnaps and sexually abuses after becoming her stepfather.”
My Thoughts:
I’ve analyzed this book over and over when I read it this summer, blanketed by layer of heat, under a tree and in bed, enraptured by Nabokov’s soulful, romantic and yet disturbing words. The push and pull between beautiful words and despicable characters is what I want from the books I read. I don’t romanticize the relationship Humbert has created in his head with Lolita, a child, but the ethics of finding beauty in a story that’s so problematic is what inspires my appreciation for the book intrigue about the culture surrounding it.
Rating: ★★★★★
“Love him and let him love you. Do you think anything else under heaven really matters?”
Summary from Wikipedia:
“David, a young American man whose girlfriend has gone off to Spain to contemplate marriage, is left alone in Paris and begins an affair with an Italian man, Giovanni.”
My Thoughts:
James Baldwin is another writer who I deeply admire for the way their words conjure intense feelings.The characters and readers experience the suffering, joy, and mundanity of life in tandem. It was a beautiful story. You must add it to your reading list!
Rating: ★★★★★
“The one person who will never leave us, whom we will never lose, is ourself.”
Summary from Stanford Libraries:
“In "Communion” hooks celebrates the experiences of women over thirty, shares collective wisdom, and bestows on us the lessons learned as we practice the art of loving.
My Thoughts:
Everyone is probably sick of hearing me hype up the work of bell hooks but there is no sign of me stopping anytime soon. All women should read this book and learn how to better love themselves and one another. I would lend you my copy but it’s filled with pen marks.
Rating: ★★★★★
