Like every year, I had set a resolution of reading at least 12 books in 2024. As 2024 was going to be a special year for me, I had little apprehension about whether or not I would be able to complete my resolution. I was to become a mother, which I am now, and with the overwhelming physical and emotional stimulation, this thought came to me sometimes. But thankfully, it was just a passing cloud of thought and nothing else. In fact, most of the books I read were while feeding my baby, which would happen quite frequently during his first six months of being on Earth. Otherwise, I only read in the morning while doing breathing exercises or at night when I am all set to doze off. Eventually, I managed to read 13 books in 2024, which was only one more than my resolution. The reason for “only one” is not my son but physical exhaustion and primarily doom scrolling.
The year started with me reading Dust Child. A book based on Armenian babies during the Vietnam War and their fate. Armenian stands for babies of American and Vietnamese women. Next in line, I read Never Let Me Go, which had the premise of a special school where test-tube babies were engineered only to become organ donors when they grow up.
None of my years ever goes without reading books on the Holocaust. Thus, I read The Volunteer and Beneath a Scarlet Sky this year. Both were great, but I found Volunteer to be better as it has a more non-fiction and real edge in writing style.
I also read a self-help book, “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living”. It was a great read, to be frank, and I found a lovely 4 rules method to solve worrying thoughts. “Writing down precisely what I am worrying about. Writing down what I can do about it. Deciding what to do. Starting immediately to carry out that decision.”
Apart from this, below is a video journey of my book reading track of 2024. Hopefully, I will be able to complete at least these many next year as well.
Aali Pant 