Books of the Year 2023

The Discomfort of Evening by Maricke Lucas Rijneveled (2018). An utterly unique and original novel, unflinching in its brutality. Set in a rural farming community in the Netherlands and narrated by a ten-year old, the work depicts the disintegration of a family.

Wild Horses by Jordi Cussa (2000). A vivid description of the heroin epidemic that decimated Catalonia in the early 1980s, this novel is a blend between adventure and tragedy. Once you’re on the metaphorical horse, it’s very hard to get off. Cussa does a great job in not moralising. Thanks AJG for the tip.

If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor (2002). A literary poem to urban life, its noises, rhythms, and communities that can form, yet whose individuals remain anonymous. The work is also a meditation on transience and the importance of memory.

The Constant Gardener by John Le Carré (2001). More than just an amazing page-turner about endemic corruption, this work addresses the perennial topic of moral ambiguity, namely, what might be the ‘right’ course of action and whether means can justify ends.

The Every by Dave Eggers (2021). A book for modern times, where the debate about whether to trade enhanced convenience for constant surveillance takes centre stage. Eggers seems to suggest that we should not become overly reliant on technology without examining the consequences.

Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart (2021). Neither the first nor the last novel to examine the experience of lockdown, but narrated with both wit and poignancy. Reading this was also a reminder of how almost all of us just had to make it up as we went along during this bizarre period.

The Children of Dynmouth by William Trevor (1976). Reading this was a throwback to a different era, but the author’s creation of Timothy Gedge – the central protagonist – is a unique one. One is both drawn to and repulsed by him, forcing us to read on to the conclusion.

The Life of Pi by Yann Mantel (2002). A work I had meant to read for many years, and undoubtedly worth it. This is a joyful account of storytelling and unreliable narration. It doesn’t matter whether Pi’s story is true, this book is more about survival with humour.

Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins (2020). Set in Oxford and written by a tutor in Creative Writing at the University, this is a great example of storytelling. The work is multi-layered, bringing to mind Tolstoy’s famous maxim on families as well as offering new perspectives on the city.

Endurance by Alfred Lansing (1959). A remarkable account of Shackelton’s travails in Antarctica, his quiet leadership and people skills as well as both the physical and mental fortitude of those who partook in the expedition. Thanks RY for the tip.

The Art of Fiction by David Lodge (1992). As the title suggests, Lodge – both an academic and a novelist – provides insights into the processes authors use when writing. The work is made by constant reference to classic texts as case studies.

Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker (2017). A tech journalist by training Bosker does a superb job in this witty account of demystifying the world of wine. Ultimately her contention – with which it is hard to disagree – is that if you enjoy it, then drink it.

Outlive by Dr Peter Attia (2023). An easy-to-understand guide on how to live longer. Think of the principle as ‘Medicine 3.0’, or shifting the paradigm of healthcare from reaction to pre-emption. Sleep well and cultivate good mental health were two of my key takeaways. Thanks EBZ for the tip.

Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell (2019). I have enjoyed everything I have read by Gladwell and his latest work is another great study in behavioural psychology and the tactics we should deploy to avoid always having a default to truth; an exercise, per Daniel Kahneman, in thinking more slowly.