Books I Read This Year (2024)
+ ChatGPT analyzes the list & what it says about me
Instead of my normal Saturday roundup thing, here’s a list of the books I read this year (so far…) and then I asked ChatGPT what it says about me.
I’m not into Goodreads and my Twitter thread of books I read fell apart this year, and then you always have that tricky business of books you only read part of or novels you didn’t finish.
I always feel like I forgot something, but I think that’s mainly due to books I don’t finish, you’ll see the ones I remember below.
Some of these are familiar if you’re a regular reader, many of them were mentioned in the weekend newsletters.
Quick notes on the list:
I read 23 books so far this year
I didn’t include many of the “business” books I sometimes peruse through, this feels different
If there are any notes below it, that’s a straight copy and paste from my Twitter account, I don’t think I’ll do it that way again, I’ll just keep a running Notion doc, here’s that Notion doc if you’d rather see that, though what’s below is just a copy and paste of that.
And any links go to Amazon, yes they are affiliate, do what you will with that info.
I’ll probably finish a couple more books this year and will add those to the Notion doc
Keep going for what these books “say” about me…according to ChatGPT
Books I Read This Year (2024)
Daisy Jones and The Six. by Tara Reid
didn’t expect this to be first but hey my wife read it last year, I watched the show & it’s a quick read. Good story, good format
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
totally transforms from “literary fiction” to something else. Would be a great film, but probably moved to like rural Montana
Laser writer 2 by Tamara Shopsin
Quirky book about a quirky computer repair shop
Nice to have books like this from ppl who aren’t F/T writers
Masters of Atlantis by Charles Portis
Absurd bureaucracy. Like catch 22 or confederacy of dunces
Private Equity by Carrie Sun
exec asst to a billionaire!
so many good insights about work
wrote more about this: https://joshspilker.substack.com/p/we-need-more-writing-about-work
Talented mr. ripley by Patricia Highsmith
not sure this would work in the modern "era"
felt like he was going to get caught a few times
did you know this was a series of books?
"Fates and Furies" by Lauren Groff
enjoyed this immensely.
clever storytelling technique that doesn’t come off too gimmick-y
“Biography of X” by Catherine Lacey
started this via audiobook last fall, stopped & then i picked up the paperback, & it made more sense for me
good format, not much resolution TBH
“Splinters” by Leslie Jamison
like a nice memoir, not a gripping one, not a “hit” memoir, some great sentences, a few beautiful ones
“The Mezzanine” - Nicholson Baker
Clever book good read, I liked the form
“Among the Bros” by Max Marshall
wow, southern frats are as bad as you think they are. well-written
“Where are Your Boys Tonight?” by Chris Payne
Emo oral history, super interesting & I sped thru it but I know enough abt Fall Out Boy now
"Crypto Confidential" by Nathaniel Eliason
crypto investment 'thriller'
"Foster Dade Explores the Cosmos" by Nash Jenkins
boarding school, drugs, sex, badness
too long tbh
good format / POV but it broke it a bit too much. would rather it have stuck to the investigative mode like "diary of x" and cut 200 pages
“Blue Ruin” by Hari Kunzru
good novel abt art & friends, kind of anti-climactic end tho
“Help Wanted” by Adelle Waldman
Minor stakes but good character insights
“10:04” by Ben Lerner
Pls don’t follow me if you’ve never read this book
lot of here, about marriage but a lot about art but I also liked the dissection of the promise of open hypertext didn't quite work
"Reboot" by Justin Taylor
pretty fast read, i liked the offhand commentary abt movies & TV shows
a few nice meta elements, too
“Health and Safety” by Emily Witt
Will probably finish via audiobook
Audiobooks
On the Edge by Nate Silver
Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks by Chris Herring
In various states of completion:
NDA An Autofiction Anthology (short stories anthology)
Any Person is the only self (essays)
No Judgment by Lauren Oyler
“There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension” by Hanif Abdurraqib**
“Dynamics of Spiritual Life” by Richard Lovelace
Books I started but didn’t finish, but i may finish at some point (not a complete list)
Little Life (novel)
Great Expectations
The Maniac by Benjamin Labatut
What These Books Say About Me (According to ChatGPT)
I asked ChatGPT to analyze this list and to come up with any common thematic elements and also what it says about me as a reader.
Trends and Insights from the Book List
1. Literary Fiction with a Focus on Style and Form
Examples:
"The Mezzanine" by Nicholson Baker
"Daisy Jones and The Six" by Tara Reid
"Fates and Furies" by Lauren Groff
"Biography of X" by Catherine Lacey
"10:04" by Ben Lerner
Trend Insight:
You are drawn to books that experiment with storytelling structure and narrative form. Many of these books feature unusual formats (e.g., oral histories, meta-narrative elements, shifting POVs). This indicates a reader who values both creativity and innovation in fiction.
2. Interest in Work, Culture, and Systems
Examples:
"Private Equity" by Carrie Sun (corporate life insights)
"Among the Bros" by Max Marshall (southern fraternity culture)
"Where Are Your Boys Tonight?" by Chris Payne (emo culture oral history)
"Help Wanted" by Adelle Waldman (workplace dynamics)
"Health and Safety" by Emily Witt (modern professional life)
Trend Insight:
You enjoy books that dissect workplaces, culture, and niche systems (e.g., corporate assistants, fraternities, emo music scenes). These choices reflect curiosity about how different "small worlds" operate and how individuals navigate them.
3. Themes of Art, Creativity, and Media
Examples:
"Blue Ruin" by Hari Kunzru (novel about art and friends)
"Wellness" by Nathan Hill (marriage, art, and digital spaces)
"Reboot" by Justin Taylor (meta-commentary on TV/movies)
"Foster Dade Explores the Cosmos" by Nash Jenkins (boarding school culture and writing style)
"Laser Writer 2" by Tamara Shopsin (quirky repair shop setting)
Trend Insight:
Books with commentary on art, creative work, or media appeal to you. These selections often overlap with explorations of relationships, systems, or decline (e.g., the dissection of hypertext promises in Wellness).
4. Memoir and Autofiction Exploration
Examples:
"Splinters" by Leslie Jamison (reflective memoir)
"NDA An Autofiction Anthology"
"Any Person is the Only Self" (essays)
"No Judgment" by Lauren Oyler (unfinished)
Trend Insight:
You gravitate toward personal narratives and autofiction—works that blur boundaries between fact and fiction. This shows an appreciation for introspection, both from the author’s perspective and your own experience of the book.
5. Modern Realism and Disillusionment
Examples:
"The Guest" by Emma Cline
"Help Wanted" by Adelle Waldman
"The Talented Mr. Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith
"Masters of Atlantis" by Charles Portis
"Birnam Wood" by Eleanor Catton
Trend Insight:
Many of these novels share themes of flawed individuals, quiet societal critique, and subtle disillusionment. They reflect a preference for grounded, character-driven stories where the stakes may not always be "grand" but the humanity feels raw and real.
6. Books About Sports and Niche Histories
Examples:
"Blood in the Garden" by Chris Herring (1990s Knicks)
"On the Edge" by Nate Silver (sports analytics)
"There’s Always This Year" by Hanif Abdurraqib (basketball reflections)
"Crypto Confidential" by Nathaniel Eliason (crypto world thriller)
Trend Insight:
You enjoy nonfiction that explores sports, niche histories, or specialized communities. These choices reflect your interest in learning about "subcultures" and analyzing events or trends through a unique lens.
What This List Says About You as a Reader
Curiosity-Driven: You explore a wide range of topics—literary fiction, workplace dynamics, culture, and niche histories—indicating an intellectual curiosity and a desire for variety in your reading.
Format-Focused: Unconventional or creative formats in storytelling seem to stand out to you. You enjoy books that push boundaries and offer new reading experiences.
Modern Yet Reflective: Your reading leans toward contemporary works that wrestle with modern themes: work, art, relationships, and systems of power.
Attention to Craft: You value authors with distinct writing voices, whether it’s clever prose (The Mezzanine) or sharp cultural insight (Among the Bros).
Enjoys Smaller Stakes: While some books cover grand themes, you often favor stories with smaller, more intimate stakes, where character exploration is central.
Keep going-
-Josh Spilker