Each year, I read books for enjoyment and entertainment, but also for personal growth and transformation. In 2024, these nine books met all those qualifications. Not only were they easy to read, they also sparked fresh ideas, inspired deeper reflections, and led to new life experiences.
Here are my top 9 books of 2024—more than just stories, they inspired real actions and tangible change.
1. Say Good Night to Insomnia
by Gregg D. Jacobs
– NEW THOUGHT:
In most cases, thoughts and behaviors, not just medical problems, can be the primary causes of insomnia, and those can be learned and unlearned.
– FAVORITE QUOTE:
“The goal of cognitive restructuring is to improve sleep by promoting positive sleep thoughts (PSTs) and minimizing negative sleep thoughts (NSTs).”
– ACTION TAKEN:
I sleep better! (Not every night, but more nights than before.) I practice better sleep hygiene—like avoiding falling asleep to podcasts—and, with help from this book, I now use positive sleep affirmations, such as reminding myself before I fall asleep that, “There’s nothing more you need to do today; enjoy this long break,” and “Even if you wake up early, your body will still get the core sleep it needs.”
~ ~ ~
2. Forgive for Love
The Missing Ingredient for a Healthy and Lasting Relationship
by Fred Luskin
– NEW THOUGHT:
It is our inability to let go of the daily relationship hassles that causes the most decay in our relationship, not the infrequent big disasters.
– FAVORITE QUOTE:
“The eyes of love reveal our partners to be wounded individuals who make mistakes, not terrible people trying to do harm.”
– ACTION TAKEN:
Fred Luskin’s work inspires me to more frequently challenge my “unenforceable rules” instead of turning them into an expectation or demand, thus more fully opening me up to practice his framework for forgiving others, myself, and, well, just life.
~ ~ ~
3. Not the End of the World
How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet
by Hannah Ritchie
– NEW THOUGHT:
I don’t have to be hopeless about climate change: while our climate problems are big and pressing, we have the technology to solve them, if we decide to, and if we don’t wait much longer.
– FAVORITE QUOTE:
“We have the opportunity to be the first generation that leaves the environment in a better state than we found it.”
– ACTION TAKEN:
This book helped give me enough hope to participate in a local climate group, communicate with my lawmakers, have conversations with others about climate, and, when given the option, eat more chicken and less beef.
~ ~ ~
4. The Anxious Generation
How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Caused an Epidemic of Mental Illness
by Jonathan Haidt
– NEW THOUGHT:
Two trends—overprotection in the real world and underprotection in the virtual world—are the major reasons why Haidt thinks children born after 1995 have become the anxious generation.
– FAVORITE QUOTE:
“A play-based childhood strengthens friendship and social relationships, while a phone-based childhood weakens them.”
– ACTION TAKEN:
Haidt’s research motivates me to put down my phone more often during the day, keep it out of reach at bedtime, and more intentionally engage with the world around me through experiences instead of just reading about it. [Read more here: A Wake-Up Call We Better Not Ignore]
~ ~ ~
5. Executing Grace
How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why It’s Killing Us
by Shane Claiborne
– NEW THOUGHT:
The roots of the death penalty are sunk deep in the legacy of lynching; as lynchings decreased, legal executions increased.
– FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Even if we believe that these men are guilty of the things they are being executed for, it is hard to miss the sickening reality that what’s being done to them is the very thing we are trying to rid the world of. Once again, the cure is as bad as the disease.”
– ACTION TAKEN:
Thanks to this book—and following the good work of Shane Claiborne—I have attended two online vigils on execution nights of two men on Alabama’s death row. I now follow state and national organizations that oppose the death penalty to stay informed about how to take action. I also read Ghosts Over the Boiler, a jolting book I won’t forget, written by men on Alabama’s death row.
~ ~ ~
6. No Bad Parts
Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model
by Richard C. Schwartz
– NEW THOUGHT:
How we relate to the parts in our inner world is often how we relate to other people in our outer world.
– FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Love is the answer in the inner world, just as it is in the outer world. Listening to, embracing, and loving parts allows them to heal and transform as much as it does for people.”
– ACTION TAKEN:
Schwartz has me paying more attention to and dialoguing with my inner parts (including thoughts and emotions), often journaling more to hear the important messages they have to tell me.
~ ~ ~
7. Children Under Fire
An American Crisis
by John Woodrow Cox
– NEW THOUGHT:
Children who witness an attack involving a gun or knife (or are in close proximity to it) can be just as psychologically damaged as children who have themselves been shot or stabbed.
– FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Every moment of every day, gunfire reshapes our kids’ lives, because of whom it takes away or what it makes them witness or how it forever changes their view of the world.”
– ACTION TAKEN:
Books like this one keep me closely involved with Moms Demand Action to find ways to protect our children (and adults) from unnecessary gun violence. Collectively we campaign for stronger background checks, Red Flag laws, and responsible gun ownership. We lobby our state and national legislators and show up for advocacy days. We also work with community partners to support survivors of gun violence.
~ ~ ~
8. Aging as a Spiritual Practice
A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser
by Lewis Richmond
– NEW THOUGHT:
Letting go of what is already slipping away is how we actually enjoy our life. (But really? I still haven’t totally grasped it.)
– FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Love is the highest form of connectedness.”
– ACTION TAKEN:
This book includes a fabulous section on how to take “A Day Away,” which I did last week. It’s a spiritual mini-retreat designed to help you embrace gifts that may not have been accessible in your younger years. It is a powerful way to appreciate and consolidate the wisdom that comes with age. I’d love to make it a yearly date with myself.
~ ~ ~
9. Do Walk
Navigate Earth, Mind, and Body. Step by Step.
by Libby DeLana
– NEW THOUGHT:
Although this book wasn’t particularly profound through its words per se, just reading about how the author’s simple daily walks transformed her life was inspiring.
– FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Go gently, slow down, look up, and humbly learn.”
– ACTION TAKEN:
Because of reading DeLana’s book, I find myself taking more daily walks than ever before (I often turn them into Curiosity Walks; instructions here). It’s become a form of meditation, helping clear my mind and ground my body. I’m not as committed as DeLana—I won’t walk in the rain, for example—but on more days than not, I’m on my neighborhood streets noticing more than I ever have.
Did you have a favorite book from 2024? Did it prompt a new experience for you? Share in the comments.
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