These may or may not be published in 2023, but I read them this year.
Fiction
- Too Like the Lightning and The Seven Surrenders by Ada Palmer. These are two books in the Terra Incognita series. These were the best books I read of the year by far. The world building is great. There is a lot of philosophy built in as well as a lot about what makes a good society (and how do we define good). I thought that I am a well-read person but Palmer’s depth and breadth of knowledge is impressive. Excellent all around.
- The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The novel looks at slavery from the inside. In puts real human face on the horrible life Compelling characters and excellent writing.
- The Story of Hong Gildong. A Korean classic. Not very long, but worth a read.
Non-fiction
- Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo.
Story of the poor in Mumbai and their struggles to survive. Impressive reporting detail. - What is Life? by Erwin Schrodinger. An older book that asks and answers age-old questions about how to define life. Important.
- The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee. I truly enjoy all the Mukherjee books. I didn’t find this book as good as the Emperor of Maladies, but it was still a fascinating read