December 2024 is already here. I can’t believe how fast the year has flown by. It feels like I just set my 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge, and now I think it’s already time to look back a little and reflect at the books that stayed with me, challenged me, inspired me, and left a lasting impression.
This year, reading became my favorite way to explore new ideas and make sense of the world. Some books challenged my old ideas, while others opened my mind to completely new thoughts. Through them, I discovered five big themes that changed how I see myself, the world around me, and the stories we’re all part of.
- Books that help me understand the next generation and ourselves
- Books that challenge how I think about luck, choices, and success
- Rethinking what I believe about education
- Books that showed me the hidden impact of trauma and healing
- Books that rediscover the wonders of life around us
This recap is a reflection on what I read, a way to remember how these books shaped me, and a reminder for my future self of how far I’ve come.
How I Set (and Beat) My Reading Challenge
At the start of the year, I set a modest Goodreads challenge of 50 books. Last year, I aimed for 52 (one per week) but found it a bit overwhelming. Plus, I assumed this year might leave me with less time for reading.
Turns out, I underestimated myself. I ended up reading 111 books (per today, 17 December 2024), more than two times my goal! This was partly thanks to receiving advanced review copies from publishers and other platforms. Reading upcoming releases let me spot emerging trends and understand which topics were gaining traction and trigger my curiosity to read more and more.
Books That Help Me Understand the Next Generation and Ourselves
As I look back on my favorite reads this year, one theme stands out: the crisis of humanity in today’s world. While systemic changes are essential, nothing feels more urgent than nurturing kindness, resilience, and emotional well-being in the next generation. Yet, many adults find themselves stretched thin, juggling the demands of busy lives while trying to meet the emotional needs of children who rely on us for guidance. Whether they’re our own kids or those we encounter in daily life, these children look to us to help them navigate an increasingly complex world. This year, books on generational and social psychology struck a deep chord with me, offering insights that lingered long after I closed the book.
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Haidt talks about child development and how our species has evolved to learn and grow. He makes a compelling argument for letting kids explore, play, and even take a few risks, things that help them build resilience and learn to face life’s challenges.
But the digital age has thrown a wrench in this natural process. With smartphones and screens always within reach, kids (and adults) are growing up in environments that don’t match their developmental needs. They’re exposed to things they’re not ready for, like adult content and complicated social situations, which can disrupt their growth. Haidt explains how this mismatch creates long-term issues, not just for kids, but for society as a whole. It’s a powerful, eye-opening book that left me questioning how we can better support the next generation.
This book has been everywhere this year. I was thrilled to see it win Goodreads Nonfiction Book of the Year, especially since it had my vote! Among all the amazing nominees, this one stood out to me because it tackles the root issues we’re facing today. I honestly believe this is a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of humanity.
Books That Challenge How I Think About Luck, Choices, and Success
As I get older, I notice more people who attribute their successes entirely to their own hard work, as if life is fully within their control. That mindset implies that anyone who hasn’t achieved the same must simply not be working hard enough.
We often fall into the trap of believing we can control most aspects of our lives, confidently thinking we’re in charge of our futures. Yet, we tend to overlook the role of chance, the unexpected twists and turns that shape our paths. Opportunities don’t exist in a vacuum; they’re shaped by history, the people before us, and countless factors beyond our control.
- Fluke by Brian Klaas
Fluke is a fascinating book about how randomness, luck, and chaos influence our lives in ways we often fail to notice. The book challenges the idea that life is entirely predictable or meritocratic, offering a perspective on success and failure.
One of its key lessons is that we live in a world influenced by chaos theory. Small, seemingly insignificant changes can lead to monumental impacts, making life feel unpredictable, and, at times, random. But does that mean we should stop trying and just embrace failure because “everything is random”? Absolutely not.
Klaas argues that understanding the role of luck doesn’t mean giving up. Instead, it should shift how we view both good and bad outcomes. If you believe that success is purely the result of talent and hard work, you’ll likely take full credit for your wins and harshly blame yourself for failures. But when you acknowledge that chance plays a major role, your perspective changes. You’re more forgiving of yourself, more empathetic toward others, and better equipped to navigate life’s unpredictability.
This book makes me rethink and reshapes how I see the world. It’s a must-read for anyone curious about the delicate balance between effort and chance in shaping our lives.
Rethinking What I Believe about Education
These two books transformed how I see education. Raised to Obey opened my eyes to the hidden motives behind public education systems, showing me that their purpose hasn’t always been to nurture intelligent, independent thinkers. Meanwhile, The Education Wars challenges the popular belief that education alone can solve all our social and economic problems.
- Raised to Obey by Agustina S. Paglayan
This book was a wake-up call for my naive assumptions about the education system. It uncovers the uncomfortable truth that governments historically designed education systems not to reduce inequality or poverty but to maintain social order. The focus, as the book reveals, has often been on teaching obedience rather than critical thinking.
This realization answered a question that had been on my mind for years: Why do so many education systems fail to empower individuals? It also made me reflect on how these hidden motivations continue to shape policies and outcomes, even in the places closest to me.
- The Education Wars
Education is burdened with unrealistic expectations. We expect schools to fix everything: income inequality, lack of social support, and more. But as this book powerfully argues, schools have become battlegrounds for societal frustrations, and the results are far from ideal.
The authors calls for a bold shift in how we think about education. Instead of treating schools as the solution to every social and economic problem, we should see them as spaces that prepare thoughtful, informed citizens. Imagine a world where equitable access to good jobs, housing, and healthcare lightens the load on schools. This would allow educators to focus on nurturing curiosity and broadening minds instead of merely boosting future earnings.
The book also touches on a deeper issue we see today: the obsession with wealth. This relentless focus on financial success often leads people to forget the value of treating others with kindness and humanity. It’s a powerful reminder of the need to rethink not just education, but the values we prioritize as a society.
Books That Showed Me the Hidden Impact of Trauma and Healing
We often judge others, or even ourselves, without truly thinking about how much the past shapes who we are. Trauma leaves marks that aren’t always visible, shaping our emotions, relationships, and the way we navigate the world. For me, two books by Dr. Bruce D. Perry stood out in this journey of understanding. These books that felt like sitting down with someone who truly gets the complexities of human. Through powerful stories and profound wisdom, they helped me see just how complex and resilient the human spirit can be. Every page felt personal, touching my heart and staying with me long after I closed the covers. These books made me reflect on the depth of our shared humanity and how healing is always within reach, even in the hardest moments.
- What Happened to You? by Dr. Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey
Life is undeniably tougher today, and it’s easier for people to fall victim to the difficult experiences that shape them. This book is a powerful reminder of how society often misunderstands or blames those who’ve experienced trauma. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with you?” we should be asking, “What happened to you?” Dr. Perry emphasizes how our biases—whether about race, gender, or sexuality—create systems that are far from trauma-informed. Marginalized individuals, already facing exclusion and dehumanization, endure constant stress that Perry identifies as a core trauma.
This idea that marginalization itself is traumatic was an eye-opener for me. It shifted my perspective on how we approach and understand trauma in society. After reading this book, I find myself viewing the world and the stories of others through a more empathetic lens.
- The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Dr. Bruce D. Perry
This older book by Dr. Perry quickly became another favorite. While What Happened to You? discusses trauma more broadly, this book takes you into Dr. Perry’s world, sharing real-life stories of children he’s worked with. Each chapter is filled with heart-wrenching accounts of how trauma affects young lives. I have to admit that it’s not an easy read. It’s frustrating and heartbreaking.
The book explores the profound power of human relationships and what children truly need to thrive. Whether it’s parents, doctors, or policymakers, the adults in a child’s life play an enormous role in their emotional resilience. I learned to appreciate just how incredible children are: the vulnerability, complexity, and capacity for growth. It also made me admire those mindful adults who treat children with the understanding and care they deserve.
Books That Rediscover the Wonders of Life Around Us
With a background in biology, specifically medical science, I understand how challenging it can be to simplify complex concepts without losing their essence. That’s why I deeply appreciate these books and their authors for not only making biology accessible but also presenting it in such a beautifully written and engaging way.
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Kimmerer masterfully blends science, storytelling, and Indigenous wisdom. Her poetic descriptions of plants, like strawberries and sweetgrass, made me pause in awe of the natural world. This book feels like listening to a scientist and artist in harmony.
- An Immense World by Ed Yong
This book invites readers to see the animal kingdom in a whole new way. Instead of comparing animals to ourselves, it highlights how every creature is uniquely shaped by its senses, experiencing the world in ways we can hardly imagine. From the sounds we can’t hear to the light we can’t see, Yong reveals the incredible sensory worlds that surround us but often go unnoticed. With thoughtful illustrations to guide readers, the book makes complex ideas accessible and reminds us that understanding animals enriches our own lives. An Immense World is a celebration of life’s diversity and a call to appreciate the interconnectedness of all living things.
- Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
Sheldrake takes readers on a mind-bending journey into the hidden world of fungi, organisms that are stranger than science fiction and more interconnected than the internet. Sheldrake reveals fungi as nature’s ultimate recyclers, transforming decay into life and creating underground networks that help trees communicate. But fungi aren’t just helpers. They’re manipulators too, with some species controlling insects in eerie, zombie-like ways. This book challenges you to rethink life’s connections and leaves you wandering at fungi’s role in shaping our world. By the end, you’ll see these underrated organisms as some of the most fascinating players on Earth.
Book Resolutions for Next Year
To be honest, I don’t have a fixed reading plan for 2025. I usually just go with the flow by picking up new books that catch my eye or following recommendations from friends and platforms. It keeps things exciting and spontaneous.
That said, I do enjoy setting a realistic reading goal. For next year, I’m aiming for 75 books. It feels like the perfect balance: a goal that pushes me to explore more while still allowing me to read each book at my own pace. After all, reading should be as enjoyable as it is enriching.
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