Books you have to read in 2024.

As the end of 2023 began drawing closer, I started tearing through books like my life depended on it. Maybe it was to escape burnout, or to fill up the creative batteries again, but it got me thinking more on the stories I’ve read this past year that have had some sort of significant impact on my own life. Whether it be an entrepreneurial journey that kept me in the fire for a bit longer, or a poetic novel that inspired me to lean back into the artistry of what we do online, the following are a collection of books you should read this upcoming year.

An easy read that I ended up finishing in a few hours on a roadtrip down to Maryland. Chop Wood Carry Water is reminiscent of those age-old Aesop fable tales, yet is modern enough to be relatable to any scenario. This is a book that I will no doubt return to several times throughout my life, as it provides guidance on most things that we’ll encounter in our lives. Pulling from philosophy and other texts, the story breaks down complex ideas into simple bite-sized chapters that will have you reflecting on how to improve your own life and relationships. More importantly, it comes to answer the question of how we learn to enjoy the process, hardships and successes that lay on the path before us.

It has its moments of corniness for sure and sometimes feels as if it’s written far too simply. However, it’s concise and won’t waste your time.

It was on a flight back to Austin that I came across a random documentary called “American Symphony” on Netflix. Having recently binged through other documentary-style films such as the Beckham Doc and Big Vape, I clicked on the title without much hesitation.

Little did I know that this piece of media would end up having such a large impact on my life. The story of the documentary follows Jon Baptiste, a composer, pianist, and incredible musician (who scored the movie, Soul, which I’m sure you’ve watched before) as he goes on to have the most emotionally draining year. From winning Grammys, to his wife - Suleika, returning to hospitalization due to her Leukemia, the story had me in tears by the end. It was from this doc that I came to learn more about Suleika’s story. She was not only a cancer survivor, but also an incredible public speaker and author. So you could imagine my glee when I learned that she had also published a book about her journey years prior.

This book was incredible, it’s hard to put it into words. However, I promise it will give you a new perspective on illness, life, hope, and all the little things in between.

Ocean Vuong is truly a master in manipulating emotions through words. It’s been a while since I’ve read something that stopped me in my tracks - I would constantly catch myself re-reading paragraphs, highlighting sentences, shocked at how beautiful it all looked. This is one of the first books I’ve read that felt more like a painting at times.

I read OEWBG the first time while in a more entrepreneurial headspace. To be honest I was stressed out - spiraling into anxious bouts surrounding profitability, numbers, and future uncertainties in the businesses. Safe to say, this book found me at the right time - a strong reminder that creating great art is the first step, the foundation of everything. On December 6th I made a promise to myself that I would lean back into the artistry of what I do and let the rest figure itself out. Thank you Ocean.

If you love any of my random, rambly writing, you’d be pleased to know that a better, more formalized version of this exists online. Perhaps the greatest set of “rambles-about-random-facts-and-stories” to ever exist written by one of the greatest to ever do it, John Green. Every human should read this book at some point - it’s funny, informative, emotional, and educational all at once.

Man this one hurt. Enter Simon, two months prior to break-up, finding himself in a hot-and-cold, back-and-forth situation. Not knowing where his heart sat, feeling uncertain, scared to love again. Normal People cut a knife through me.

The story follows two normal people who find themselves tangled in a web of love and commitment-issues. A strong reminder that opening yourself up to love, no matter how vulnerable it makes you, is always worth it in the end. This book is pretty slow so may not be for everyone, yet is worth powering through, especially if you find yourself resonating to the description above.

While not a book I read this past year, Shoe Dog is by far my favorite story of entrepreneurship of all time. The story of Nike is full of incredible coincidences, courage, and motivation that will not fail to inspire you in your own journey. I’m a strong believer that the best educational books take place in autobiographies and stories from those who have walked the walk. Shoe Dog is one of, if not my favorite book of all time and I could not recommend it more

There’s a section in The Third Door at the very end dedicated to the author’s family - I vividly remember having to put the book down to shed a few tears before finishing the last sentence. Yes, while this looks like the typical-dropshipping-guru-money-hack-book, it could not be farther from that. The Third Door follows the incredible story of a college student who dreams of meeting the worlds most influential people. I’m not sure why this struck a cord in me, but it had a strong influence on the spark that has guided the last few years of my life.