Books I enjoyed in 2023

I read less this year than the previous few years. I'm sure that had to do with my move to Spain, but looking at my tracker the pace actually slowed down earlier in the year. I believe I traded some book reading for more periodicals (New Yorker, Economist and Atlantic typically). Still, overall a year of quality reading with a lot of learning. Here are some I want to remember:

Non fiction

The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism - Martin Wolf. As someone still thinking through when and how to limit markets and 'capitalism', I thought the first half of this book was terrific. The case for linking markets and democracy is well made. Later, in the more proscriptive last part, my energy as a reader slowed down but not so much as to discount the impact of the first sections. I plan to read again.

What's Our Problem - Tim Urban. Helpful is the word that comes to mind on this. A useful framework for taking in more events and news of the day. I use his 2x2 model for political conversation regularly since reading this book.

Going Infinite - Michael Lewis. This book has gotten a lot of negative reviews, but I loved it. I didn't think it was too soft on Sam. And it was a lot of fun to learn about this incredible story of rapid fame and wealth creation for an unexpected character.

Stay True - Hua Hsu. Just a beautiful read. About friendship and healing from tragedy and the passage of time. I read through in just a few sittings, absorbed by the intimate view we get of another person's journey.

Fiction

Lola Quartet - Emily St. John Mandel. She is among my favorite living writers so I'm surprised it took me so long to read this previous book of hers. (I did the same with Arcadia from Lauren Groff and enjoyed that too). Same compelling characters in old but believable circumstances, making decisions and going through live as best they can. And got to smile at a character overlap as she has done with all the other books too.

Ruth and Pine - I picked this off a shelf in a bookstore without any context, and loved it. The lives of two different women through one day in Dublin. Well designed and executed, I felt connected to both of the characters throughout.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow - I couldn't stop reading this one. The story telling jumps from different points of view and at different time periods, which is a great way to explore a long term, complicated relationship. Really well done.

After the Funeral - Agatha Christie. My Christie addition this year - very fun read with requisite twists and turns. Poirot does it again.