I love to read, and it was hard to narrow down over 50 books read to just three favorites for 2024, but here they are!
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
I listened on Audible, and the two narrators were excellent. They brought the story to life in a mesmerizing way. The idea of predicting cause of death and age of death was intriguing, and I wondered how the predictions by an older lady on an airplane would turn out. Do we have any control of our future or is fate pre-destined? This book was a fun exploration of that concept. Very enjoyable listen!
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The Women by Kristin Hannah
I like most books that showcase strong and brave women, so this book fits that focus. Learning about the women who served and helped save lives in Vietnam is important. If we don’t learn from the past, we cannot behave better today.
It is never too late to thank and honor veterans. It is never too late to acknowledge women’s service and contribution anywhere you see it. Thank you Kristin Hannah for writing about this subject.
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This book inspired me to make changes in my life and my relationship with my phone, but the book is more directed at parents in the active parenting years. (My kids are grown adults now, but I still found it a valuable read).
I suggest this book as required reading for any parent with a kid under the age of 18 and specifically new parents. Most parents (and teachers) know that things have gone awry with phones in kids’ hands all the time instead of interacting with peers, parents, and anyone around them, and the author showed how things took a turn for the worse when smart phones and social media took over our kid’s attention, and their play-based life diminished.
Haidt discusses two trends happening right now: overprotection in the real world and under-protection in the virtual world, which is leading to an anxious generation of those born after 1995. Girls are particularly experiencing more mental health problems of anxiety, depression, and self-harm, and social media is largely to blame. He also discusses boys, but I have girls and so read that part more closely.
The author suggests four foundational reforms:
1. No smart phones before high school
2. No social media before 16
3. Phone-free schools
4. Far more unsupervised play and childhood independence
The bottom line is that kids need to get off their devices and regain control of their minds.
As a parent, we can start to make corrections and help our kids be less anxious and curb addiction. The material is well-researched and presented and deserves serious attention.
Let me know your favorite reads by leaving a comment! And if you want more recommendations, look back at previous year’s favorites:
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Please feel free to comment below and share your favorite books with me!
