Summary

The article outlines a goal-oriented reading list for 2024, featuring five books chosen for their potential to provide specific personal development outcomes.

Abstract

The author of the article expresses a preference for list-making as a means of organization and satisfaction, reflecting on their previous year's reading experience. They decided to create a reading list for 2024 that is purpose-driven, aiming to read books that align with clear personal goals. The list includes "Nonviolent Communication" by Marshall Rosenberg for improving communication skills, "Complexity" by Mitchell M. Waldrop for scientific curiosity, "Standard Deviation" by Katherine Heiny for a blend of light reading and reflection on life choices, "Mating in Captivity" by Esther Perel for insights into maintaining desire in long-term relationships, and "Modern Architecture Since 1900" by William J.R. Curtis to explore a new area of knowledge in architecture. The author values the connection between reading goals and the motivation to engage with each book, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the reading process over merely completing a list.

Opinions

The author believes in the power of reading with a purpose, selecting books that offer more than just entertainment or bestseller status.
There is a skepticism towards self-improvement books that are overly popular, with a preference for those that provide deeper insights, such as "Nonviolent Communication."
The author appreciates books that combine complex scientific theories with real-life applications, as seen with the inclusion of "Complexity."
Enjoyment from reading is considered important, with "Standard Deviation" chosen for its storytelling quality and relatable themes of love and life.
The author holds Esther Perel in high regard, valuing her expertise and historical perspective on relationships and sexual desire, as presented in "Mating in Captivity."
A commitment to lifelong learning is evident, with the author choosing to explore unfamiliar subjects like modern architecture, despite having no prior knowledge in the field.
The author prioritizes the quality of the reading experience and personal growth over the quantity of books read, suggesting a flexible approach to their reading goals for 2024.

What I Will Read in 2024 and Why

Not your standard listicle

I love lists. It gives you the power of feeling organized and crossing out some items on your to-do list just feels blissful.

Last year, I started to make my first annual booklist, consisting of 10 books I wanted to read. And although I consumed way more books than that in 2023, I did not read half of what I initially put on the list.

So I asked myself what the reason was. And I figured I don’t just read a book because it appears on some bestseller list. I need a clear reason and goal I want to accomplish when I start reading the pages of a new story.

I thought you might too. So I made a goal-oriented reading list for 2024. It consists of 5 books, stating a clear reason for what to expect when finishing it. I hope it adds value to your reading lists too!

Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg

Goal 1: Become a better communicator

The good old self-improvement books. It is almost the law of nature for them to appear at least once on every book list.

I must admit when I looked at the cover and the title, this book did not appear to me at all. Yet, admittedly, I was often disappointed by overpromising titles and fancy book covers, so I figured — why not give it a shot?

This book apparently is full of insights on how we can communicate more effectively and clearly and is said to be 50% Dale Carnegie and 50% Mother Theresa. Also, what I like about the book is that, although it has received smashing good reviews, it still kind of seems like an underdog book and does not seem to be on everyone’s radar (yet). Usually, what I have experienced with very popular self-improvement books is that they only scratch the surface of the topic. So I am hopeful for this to go deeper. And make me a better communicator, of course!

Complexity: The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos by Mitchell M. Waldrop

Goal 2: Fostering my inner Geek

I came across this book while looking up another one about the chaos theory. Although I would not consider myself particularly good at maths or physics, I always loved diving more into these science topics, as I do not have many touching points in my daily life and I consider it important to have a solid knowledge of physical theory.

The book basically touches upon questions such as why the stock market suddenly crashed in 1987, or why species exist in the fossil records for billions of years and then disappear. The book explains how single elements form complex ecosystems. What I like about the book is that it connects the complexity concept to real-life events. To me personally, that makes the book a lot more appealing and interesting to look into.

So if you want to channel your inner geek as well, this book might be for you.

Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny

Goal 3: Easy reading while reflecting on love, life, and infidelity

Besides all my eagerness to learn, self-improve, and advance, I also very often just enjoy reading for the sake of the nice story and to have an easy bedsite read.

This book talks about Graham who enters into a marriage with his second wife. Audra is quite the opposite of Elspeth, his first wife. Audra is excentric, loud, talks non-stop, and is quite conventional. While they are also raising their son who has Asperger’s syndrome, his first wife re-enters his life and he poses all the questions about choices to himself again.

As I think choosing the right partner is one of the major decisions in life, I am hoping this book is a nice story to read on that topic while further reflecting on this important life choice.

Mating in Captivity: Reconciling the Erotic and the Domestic by Esther Perel

Goal 4: Receiving the annual relationship coaching

I truly believe we can never become so good at relationships that we can stop investing time and effort into it. Desire within a relationship has always been a topic that interests me.

Also, I (like probably almost every other woman) am a huge fan of Esther Perel. I love the way she delivers messages about love, sex, and relationships. I also love how she approaches the topic from a historical point of view. For example, she frequently stresses how the monogamic relationship that we are talking about today is anything but old. It is rather a recent phenomenon.

So, if you want to jump in with me and learn more about how to sustain sexual desire in a long-term relationship, join me for this one!

Modern Architecture Since 1900 by William J.R. Curtis

Goal 5: Learn more about something I know nothing about

I made it a habit of mine to dive into topics I have zero to almost no knowledge about. I think it is never too late to learn about completely new topics. It keeps your mind fresh, gives you new perspectives (even though you might realize that only later on) and it is simply fun to explore new things.

I love modern architecture (and by that I mean, I love looking at it with my completely uneducated eye), so I figured, why not try understanding more about it and its history?

This is basically the basic book of architecture that every architecture student should read.

Let’s see if I can get through with it. Join the club, or pick another book in a niche you have never read!

Here it is, part of what I intend to read in 2024. This year, I did not make it my goal to finish all of them (I don’t believe in working through a book I don’t like at all) but at least to start all of them, based on my mood.

And if I cannot find the motivation for that particular book, I can always look at the goal tied to it and think about why I chose it in the first place.