EP81: Our Favorite Books of 2024

Live from the Book Shop: John Updike's Ghost

Did we get this out in time for Thanksgiving travel? We did not. But we did get this out in plenty of time for you to grab one of these bangers as a present — or for yourself to read and be a part of the big community discussion. This week it's simple stuff: Our favorite books of the year. No, not the "best" books (since we only read about 75 books each this year), but the ones we liked the most. Here's the list, in no particular order. Listen up to hear why: HANNAH'S PICKS

• James, by Percival Everett
• Brightly Shining, by Ingvild Rishoi
• Fire Exit, by Morgan Talty
• Long Island Compromise, by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
• Sandwich, by Catherine Newman
• The Safekeep, by Yael van der Wouden
• Ministry of Time, by Kaliane Bradley
• The Book of Love, by Kelly Link
• The Guide, by Peter Heller
• All Souls, by Michael Patrick McDonald

SAM'S PICKS

• The Most, by Jessica Anthony
• On the Calculation of Volume, Book 1, by Solve Balle
• Banal Nightmare, by Halle Butler
• Fire Exit, by Morgan Talty
• The Bright Sword, by Lev Grossman
• The Book of Elsewhere, by Keanu Reaves and China Mieville
• The Physics of Sorrow, by Georgi Gospodinov
• King Nyx, by Kirsten Bakis
• Charlie Hustle, by Keith O’Brien
• ​​​​​​​Rebel Girl, by Kathleen Hanna