What makes for a favorite book for me?
I think about the book long after I read it, sometimes coming to new insights even though I had not reread any parts of it.
I am unabashed about recommending it to family, friends, and colleagues. I’ll sometimes buy a favorite book and give it to them sans strings.
It’s a book I want to have my own copy of, sometimes two: digital and print, for example, so I can reference it easily.
With that, here are my top five from 2023 that meet one or more of the above criteria.
You Are Only Just Beginning: Lessons for the Journey Ahead by Morgan Harper Nichols
I wanted to read this poetry anthology slowly, to savor each line and sit on the meaning I was making. But I ended up finishing it within a couple days. The language coupled with Nichols’s paintings is a delight for the ears and the eyes. I've already read aloud from this book to start and close professional learning sessions. Any leader or coach could use this as a resource for bringing colleagues back to the why of our work. Anyone who needs some perspective would benefit from the author’s wisdom. It would make for a great gift for graduates and people making a transition in life. (Thanks to Ruth Ayres at Choice Literacy for this gift.)
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker
This nonfiction text is an essential guide for leading groups and facilitating conversations. It is jam-packed with strategies and examples of how to make gatherings more meaningful and impactful. I found myself often pausing to summarize what I learned before digging back into the text. Come to this book with a pen in hand to capture ideas you can use for your next meeting, party, or ceremony. I also appreciate how Parker weaves in her own story and experiences as she imparts her knowledge. She achieves a perfect balance of narrative and information.
Slow Horses by Mick Herron
I don’t know if I have read a better spy thriller, and this company includes John le Carré. It’s also an exciting start to a series. The characters are interesting and flawed, which helps you come to care for them. Herron also touches on the issues of today (bigotry, media-induced fear) without getting preachy. The twists and turns are unpredictable yet plausible.
(Note: I have watched half of Season 1 of the series based on the book on Apple TV. Like most translations from text to screen, the book is better. But the show is definitely worth watching; Gary Oldman as the burned out yet shrewd Jackson Lamb is excellent.)
Getting Things Done: The art of stress-free productivity by David Allen
If you are going to read one book on productivity, make it this one.
When I started Allen’s informational text, I did not anticipate that it make my top five list for 2023. He offers a comprehensive methodology for organizing your ideas and projects that has helped me procrastinate less and feel more successful. Productivity books that came after this one owe a debt of gratitude to Allen's seminal resource.
It took me a while to read it while applying the principles. I will be digging back into the text as I implement this methodology to achieve a "mind like water".
The Heart-Centered Teacher: Restoring Hope, Joy, and Possibility in Uncertain Times by Regie Routman
I typically don’t include educational titles in my year-end favorites lists (I like to encourage colleagues to read outside our work). But Regie’s memoir/guide for teaching, learning and living goes beyond your typical professional resource. She is vulnerable and courageous as she recounts the events in her life and how they influenced the person she is today. After reading Regie’s book, I realized that I want all of our professional books to resemble this one. Our stories are worth telling. They humanize our work and give structure to our life narratives.
What were your top reads of 2023?
Other lists I am enjoying
Check out artist Austin Kleon’s studio gift guide here. I have already purchased the Zequenz ruled A5 flexible journal for my morning freewrites.
Virginia Heffernan shared this list of the top five longread articles of the year, including her Wired piece about AI; it should be required reading for anyone entranced by this topic.
Educator Michelle Caracappa shared her list of books she loved this year on her newsletter, Reading to Lead. Anti-Black Literacy Laws and Policies by Arlene Ingram Willis and Improvement Science: A Primer by Brandi Hinnant-Crawford seem relevant for this space.
I documented every book recommended by readers during a Zoom chat hosted by Arcadia Books (Spring Green, Wisconsin). Tom Lake by Ann Patchett and Still True by Maggie Ginsberg received top marks from everyone who read them.
Powell’s Best Books of 2023 lists are a reliable resource when looking for a gift for a reader or for yourself. (I haven’t read either of them…Yellowface by R. F. Kuang and The Guest by Emma Cline are two fiction titles popping up on multiple lists.)
If you enjoyed this post, the best gift you can give is share it with someone else who might appreciate it, too. Please keep the learning going.
Matt,
I love this topic and your criteria for what makes a book your favorite. What resonates for me, like you, is that I keep thinking about the book after I've read it, and I recommend it to others. 2023 favorites for me include Forster by Claire Keegan, a novella,; The Art of Gathering: How to Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker, which you recommended to me; Poverty, By America by Matthew Desmond; Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom by Ilyon Woo; Byline: How Local Journalists Can Improve the Global News Industry and Change the World by Cristi Hegranes with Seth Libby. It turns out 4 out of the 5 are nonfiction, which are great for a better understanding of and participation in of our complex world. Also, thanks Matt for including my book The Heart-Centered Teacher: Restoring Hope, Joy, and Possibility as one of your favorites. I love what you wrote about it. And I narrate audiobook of it for the reasons you mention. It's often fun and affirming to have both the book and the audiobook. Here's to reading many more great books in 2024! And thanks for all you do Matt--and all you share with us--to promote excellent and joyful literacy, leadership, and coaching practices.
With admiration and affection, Regie