The 2024 Literary Landscape: A Curated Selection of Must-Read Books
Non-Fiction: Windows into Reality
In a time where truth can seem stranger than fiction, non-fiction continues to captivate readers with immersive narratives that illuminate our world. Andrew Ross Sorkin, known for his bestseller “Too Big to Fail,” delivers another riveting account in his latest work. Across nearly 600 pages, Sorkin meticulously reconstructs the 2008 financial crisis using newly uncovered historical documents, providing readers with an insider’s perspective on one of the most consequential economic events in modern history. His ability to transform complex financial mechanisms into a thrilling human drama makes this an essential read for anyone seeking to understand how our economic systems function—and sometimes fail spectacularly.
Meanwhile, the acclaimed documentarians Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns have shifted their historical lens to America’s founding in their richly detailed new work. Having previously created the iconic “The Civil War” series, the duo brings the same level of thoughtful analysis and visual storytelling to the nation’s origins. This lavish volume features a treasure trove of period drawings, paintings, and pamphlets, creating a multidimensional portrait of early America. For those seeking more contemporary cultural analysis, Martin Scorsese’s conversation with Jesuit priest Antonio Spadaro offers a fascinating intersection of cinema and faith. The legendary director discusses his Italian Catholic upbringing and its profound influence on his filmmaking, resulting in a moving exploration of how personal belief systems shape artistic expression.
Memoirs: Lives Extraordinarily Lived
This year has produced an exceptional crop of memoirs, each offering unique insights into remarkable lives. At 85, literary titan Margaret Atwood has finally turned her considerable narrative talents to her own story. From her unusual childhood in the remote wilderness of northern Quebec to writing “The Handmaid’s Tale” in 1980s Berlin, Atwood’s life reads like one of her novels—filled with unexpected turns, creative passion, and profound relationships. Her recollections of her decades-long partnership with fellow novelist Graeme Gibson, who passed away in 2019, are particularly poignant, revealing the personal foundations that supported her groundbreaking literary career.
The entertainment world offers its own compelling life stories. Dick Van Dyke, approaching his centennial birthday this December, shares wisdom accumulated over nearly a century of performing. His memoir blends professional anecdotes with personal reflections, creating a portrait of an American entertainment icon. On a different end of the fame spectrum, Emmy-winner Jeff Hiller’s collection of autobiographical essays chronicles his long, often frustrating journey to recognition. With the same gentle wit that characterized his Emmy acceptance speech—where he noted the world’s response to his acting ambitions was “Maybe computers”—Hiller explores growing up gay in Texas and his winding path to Hollywood acclaim. For music enthusiasts, Dolly Parton’s lavishly illustrated part-memoir combines personal stories with vibrant images and memorabilia, completing her trilogy of photographic books with characteristic folksy charm and wisdom.
Fiction: Imagined Worlds, Universal Truths
Fiction continues to provide both escape and insight in equal measure, with this year’s standout novels spanning centuries and continents. Patrick Ryan’s bestselling multigenerational saga traces two Ohio families through much of the 20th century, weaving personal dramas against the backdrop of American historical moments. The novel explores how a single act of infidelity, sparked during the euphoria of World War II victory, creates ripples that affect generations to come. In a more contemporary setting, Lily King’s novel follows a creative writing student caught in an intellectual love triangle during her university years, then revisits her decades later as a successful novelist forced to reckon with her past choices when unexpected events reconnect her to her college years.
The literary landscape also embraces genre fiction with distinctive flair. S.A. Cosby’s buzzy literary thriller unfolds in a crime-plagued Virginia town where three siblings—money-handler Roman, troubled Dante, and exhausted Neveah—discover their father’s coma-inducing car crash was no accident. Meanwhile, Larry McMurtry’s “Lonesome Dove” experiences a renaissance, particularly among younger female readers unexpectedly captivated by its tale of retired Texas Rangers driving cattle into Montana. The 40th anniversary edition, featuring a foreword by “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, introduces this Pulitzer Prize-winning Western epic to a new generation. For those seeking newer worlds, Dani Francis’s “romantasy” series debut has become a BookTok phenomenon, set in a dystopian future where a psychically-gifted young woman infiltrates enemy ranks to fight from within.
Art Books: Visual Feasts for Discerning Eyes
Art books offer immersive visual experiences that transport readers beyond text alone. Mary Ellen Matthews, the in-house photographer for “Saturday Night Live” for 25 years, presents over 200 creatively staged portraits of hosts and musical guests in her striking collection. Her imaginative compositions—like Alec Baldwin channeling “The Godfather” while menacingly holding a stuffed cat—reveal the playful collaboration between photographer and subject that has defined SNL’s visual aesthetic for a quarter-century. In a more somber but equally powerful collection, Vanessa Bryant showcases over 100 murals that appeared across Los Angeles and beyond following the tragic 2020 helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, their daughter Gianna, and seven others, documenting how public art becomes a vehicle for collective grief and remembrance.
Architecture and design enthusiasts have several stunning options to consider. One lavish volume spotlights 300 unique gardens worldwide, from Milan’s urban Bosco Verticale to Manhattan’s Le Pavillon restaurant, documenting how designed green spaces transform environments from Vietnam to England. For mid-century modern devotees, a striking survey celebrates iconic designs like Arne Jacobsen’s Egg Chair and Charles and Ray Eames’ Hang-It-All coatrack, with photography that approaches these functional objects as fine art. Photography collectors will appreciate Swiss collector Nicola Erni’s showcase of nearly 400 fashion photographs from her extensive private collection, featuring work by masters like Richard Avedon and Cindy Sherman, thoughtfully paired with complementary artworks in other media.
Culinary and Children’s Books: Nourishment for Body and Imagination
The culinary arts and children’s literature may seem worlds apart, but both provide essential nourishment—one for the body, the other for growing minds. In the kitchen, James Beard award-winning pastry expert Dorie Greenspan offers no-fuss cake recipes alongside charming illustrations, while domestic icon Martha Stewart has rereleased her influential 1982 debut cookbook after vintage copies became coveted collector’s items. For more contemporary cooking inspiration, Instagram personality Dan Pelosi (@GrossyPelosi) provides crowd-pleasing recipes for various hosting scenarios, and the fourth-generation owners of the 114-year-old New York institution Russ & Daughters share traditional recipes and history from their legendary appetizing shop.
For younger readers, beloved illustrator Jan Brett—the unofficial queen of Christmas books—presents another intricately detailed holiday tale featuring an adorable pug named Ari searching for his missing festive sweater. “Parks and Recreation” star Nick Offerman combines his acting fame with his woodworking expertise in a step-by-step guide for carpentry projects suitable for builders of all ages. Literary excitement continues in the young adult space with Suzanne Collins’ newest addition to the Hunger Games universe. This prequel takes readers back to the 50th Hunger Games, revealing the teenage years of Haymitch Abernathy before he became District 12’s rebellious, alcoholic mentor. For the very youngest readers, Strawberry Shortcake and her fruity friends return in a scratch-and-sniff board book that will delight children while triggering sweet nostalgia for their parents.
