The 5 Best Books I Read in 2024
By Oliver DeMille
They are all worth reading. In fact, it was very difficult to narrow it down to just 5. With that said, here they are, along with some thoughts on why each one is great, and tips on things to look for as you go. If any of them pique your interest, get them and read… Enjoy the list! This post contains affiliate links.
- Insidious by Orrin Woodward. This book is fantastic! A must read, and a runaway for the #1 top book of the year. In fact, it’s so great that I wrote an entire article and review just to talk about the super-important ideas in this one book.
| Tip: Read my detailed review of this book here >> |
- Government Gangsters by Kash Patel. It’s deep, spot on, and incredibly relevant to our world today. Patel outlines what needs to happen to get our government back, specifically to size it down wisely and make it follow the Constitution once again. And he tells us what to do as well as the specifics of how to do it. Great book! Fabulous read, whether you agree with his recommendations or not.
| Tip: Pay special attention to everything he says about “fencing”. This alone is worth the price of the book. And after you study this, also research the word “impoundment” as it relates to the Federal Government. So important. Indeed, Fencing and Impoundment may be as important in our time as Checks and Balances were in the time of the American Framers. Not that they should be, but you want to know what they are and how they are used. |
- Jane Austen’s Little Book of Wisdom compiled by Andrea Kirk Assaf. This small book is pure fun! Every quote is worth deeply pondering. You’ll truly benefit from the witty and profound wisdom it contains. I loved it. Whether you want to be a better leader, spouse, dad, mom, student, sibling, boss, or employee, or just improve yourself and your effectiveness in relationships and life, this book is great reading on two levels—the wisdom of the words, and the beauty of how Austen uses the language. It will put a little more poetry and charm into your personality! Or just bring more smiles to your face in the year ahead. Super fun.
| Tip: Read and ponder one quote each day. At this pace it will last almost a year—and the year will undoubtedly be better! |
- The End of the World is Just Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization by Peter Zeihan. In short, the future is not what you think it is. That’s the message of this really excellent book. If you’re concerned about decline ahead, think again. Things are going to go a different direction, and the changes will happen surprisingly quickly. Not that there will be no decline, but just that it will look different than you expected.
Or, on the other hand, if you think we’re entering a new golden age and things are going to just get better and better, you don’t understand the real trends that are unfolding right now. In a nutshell, whatever you tend to think about the future, you’re likely wrong. Something else is happening, and it has already begun. And if we understand this book, we’ll know what to expect. This book is fun to read and also realistic, direct, and doesn’t pull punches. What a great read, and from an author who makes you smile on nearly every page. For example, from the book flap:
“For generations, everything has been getting faster, better and cheaper. Finally, we reached the point where almost everything we could ever want could be sent to our home within days—even hours—of when we decided we wanted it. America made that happen, but now America has lost interest in keeping it going…. All this was artificial. All this was temporary. All this has ended.”
“Which means everything about our interconnected world—from how we manufacture products to how we grow food to how we keep the lights on to how we shuffle things around to how we pay for it all—is about to change. A world ending. A world beginning.”
So where is it all headed? And what should we do to prepare? Read the book! It’s mind blowing and, frankly, uplifting and exciting.
| Tip: Get ready to laugh. To ponder. To think. This book is really fun, very sobering, and delightful. |
- The Empty Land by Louis L’Amour. This one is very timely in our current era of history. To put the message succinctly: If you want changes in politics, things have got to change. And that’s never easy. Lessons on what to expect if you truly want politics to improve—and how to not fail because you’re either too idealistic or too pessimistic. If you love literature as much as essay, this book is your huckleberry. A truly great read. And it’s an intense and dynamic action story. Very fun reading. Enjoy!
| Tip: As you read, keep a written list of everything done or said by characters in the book that is too idealistic, and another list of everything done or said that isn’t idealistic enough. Keep doing this through the entire book. When you are done with the book and both lists, compare each list to current politics:
1-What things need to be done to change our political system that are held back or blocked by being too idealistic? Tough question. Face it and seriously think about it. 2-What things are being done in our current events that are too pessimistic and could use more idealism? Put some real thought into this. The examples you learn from this book will help you understand real world needs at a much higher level. |
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
6. John Adams by Page Smith. This two-volume set titled simply “John Adams” is a truly great book, and whether you enjoy biography or not, this is one of the most amazing stories you’ll ever read. Page Smith is perhaps the best 
historian and author of American History; he’s definitely my favorite. This book brings life-changing greatness. Such powerful examples for our day—to both youth and adults.
7. The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman. A great book on the challenges of AI and other emerging technologies. It outlines the major risks of AI-era tech and also many potential benefits of AI technologies. If you tend to be excited about AI, you need to read the sections on the risks, and in contrast if you tend to be skeptical of AI you need to read the sections on the huge potential benefits. No matter where you currently stand on the topic of AI and related technologies, just reading this book will give you a much better understanding of the topic—what the questions really are, and what we as a society need to consider. It’s an easy book to read and understand, with lots of interesting examples and stories.
8. How Rome Fell by Adrian Goldsworthy. People often compare the rise and fall of Rome to the trends and struggles of modern America. This usually follows the patterns outlined by classic historian Edward Gibbon, which is well worth studying, but the same topic, as addressed by Adrian Goldsworthy, is much closer to the actual American pattern, and a much more accurate book about what to genuinely expect. A fantastic read.
Enjoy your reading in the month and year ahead…
And Keep On Turning the Page,
Oliver
Leave A Comment