Posted by I had a target of 30 books for this year. GoodReads is telling me I finished 14 and I am currently reading 6. That does not quite make the mark. However, the mix was good and the lower numbers are mostly driven out of periods of zero reading alternated with periods of a book a week. Every year, I make it a point to mix up my reading list, pending more towards non-fiction but also slotting in fiction, especially in the holidays, so I can just get lost in a story. Some books stay with me long after I turn the last page, either because they shift my perspective, challenge the way I approach life, or just offer the kind of joy that only a great novel can. This year was no different. As some people have time to read or may need a book to gift last minute, here are some of my 2024 favourites. Each one left a mark in its own way.
1. Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk
Even though Crush It! was written years ago, it hit me at exactly the right time. Gary Vaynerchuk’s energy and unapologetic passion for building personal brands felt just as fresh and relevant today as when it first came out. It reminded me that the basics—creating valuable content, being authentic, and staying consistent—never really go out of style.
What I loved most was how it re-energized the way I think about content, especially for my blog and podcast. It made me step back and reconsider how I add value through writing and how that is what drives me each week. It also reminded me of what I already knew – the importance of consistency and engagement. I followed it up with Crushing It! and Day Trading Attention, but this first one was the spark. It’s not just a business book; it’s a kick in the right direction when I needed it.
2. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
I must admit I did quite a bit of reading on books about the way we think and react, about biases and intuition, decision-making and critical thinking. I feel like I am not even half way, but it was through Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow that the journey began. The breakdown of how our brains operate—between fast, instinctive thinking and slower, more deliberate analysis—felt eye-opening. I know it’s not novelty, but the studies illustrating each example are really quite something in making us all aware that we also operate often under our system 1 (i.e. without thinking). Reading this alongside Think Again by Adam Grant, Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel (on the opposite side) and May Contain Lies by Alex Edmans (ongoing but fast!) deepened that reflection. These books taught me that being more critical of the information I consume is essential—and sometimes uncomfortable. They made me pause and reconsider how I react to data, decisions, and even conversations. And how we all need a bit more of this in this controversial alternative-facts world.
3. Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown
Reading Brené Brown has become a bit of a yearly ritual for me. I have been through most of her books and I am yet to find one that does not add much to my life. I even like that some of them bring stories from old ones as it helps refresh my memory. There’s something grounding about her work, and Braving the Wilderness is no exception. It’s about standing alone, embracing vulnerability, and finding belonging within yourself rather than searching for it externally. A bit of a long run on this one for me.
Authenticity isn’t always comfortable, but it’s necessary. Whether in personal or professional life, Brené reinforces the importance of staying true to what we believe, even when it feels isolating. She has a way of making me reflect while also nudging me to act with more courage. And I feel just a bit less alone when I brave the wilderness.
4. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
I have historically not been big on biographies, but I decided to give it a go recently and found it an interesting way of absorbing a story. Especially when they are written in a storytelling fiction way and bring non-fiction lessons. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins left an impression I didn’t expect. Listening to the audio book made it even more intense—Goggins’ narration and added commentary made the experience feel like more than just a memoir as he adds side stories all the way making it a mix of podcasting and book reading that goes well beyond the written book.
His story is hard to digest at times, you almost want it to be fiction. It’s raw, brutal, and relentless, but there’s something deeply inspiring about his mental toughness. While I know that not everything in these kinds of books can (or should) be replicated, I found value in the perspective shift. Reading Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and The Fund, by Rob Copeland added to that realization. Biographies, I’ve found, offer a different kind of reflection—a mix of learning from someone else’s path while being reminded to carve your own.
5. Confessions of a Forty-Something F–k Up by Alexandra Potter
Not everything I read has to be deep or transformational —sometimes I just need to get lost in a good story. Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k-Up was that book for me this summer holidays. Typical airport book, I picked it up on my way to the Mauritius and was bummed I did not get #2 right away as it has been sold out in the places I looked since. It was funny, relatable, and the kind of novel I breezed through in just a few sittings.
Set in a place I know well, it felt familiar in a comforting way, and I loved how it captured the messiness of life without taking itself too seriously. Fiction is such an important part of my reading balance. It’s easy to get wrapped up in professional development or non-fiction, but books like this remind me that storytelling is powerful, even when it’s light-hearted.
This is where I landed this year—a mix of motivation, reflection, and a bit of fun. Good reading isn’t just about professional growth or new skills. It’s about curiosity, staying open to different genres, and letting stories—whether real or imagined—add something to my life.