Yesterday, I posted a list of the books I read in 2023. Today, I’ll pore over that list and make some recommendations!
That’s not the same as telling you which of these books were the best. The best book on the list is Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, an epoch-making work that has a serious claim to being the best book of philosophy ever written. Do I recommend it? Only if you’re already really into philosophy; but if you are, you probably don’t need my recommendations. If you’re not, I can’t recommend it, because it’s tough. (But if you want to try anyway, my 61 videos about the book may help you on your journey!)
The book that most surprised me, in a positive sense, was the autobiography of Anatoli Mariëngof. It’s brilliant! Not only does it give you a fascinating look at Russia from before the Revolution to after the Second World War, with an emphasis on artistic circles; but it is also beautifully written, touching, tragic, and a text that makes one feel blessed to be allowed to meet another human being. I can’t recommend it enough. BUT… as far as I can see, it has not been translated into English. It does seem to be available in French as Mon siècle ma jeunesse, if that is any help to you.
Two writers dominate the list: Robert van Gulik and Georges Simenon. Van Gulik was a Dutch diplomat and Sinologist who is now most well known for his Judge Dee detective novels, set in medieval China. They’re a lot of fun, and he wrote them in English first, so you can confidently pick up any. All of them are good, though I wouldn’t start with the short story collections. Simenon is also a famous detective writer, being the inventor of Inspector Maigret, but I mostly read his psychological novels or romans durs. These are quite good! They’re short, they read quickly, but there’s always something interesting about them. I loved De ijzeren trap (L’Escalier de fer), about a man who is ill and suspects his wife of poisoning him. It remains unclear for a long time whether she really is or whether he’s just imagining it; and I won’t spoil it for you. Another great one was De zaak Louis Bert (Cours d’Assises), which is almost an anti-Maigret.
What’s the best fiction I read in 2023? One of these three books:
- Little, Big by John Crowley. A magnificent, dreamlike fantasy. I remember being completely blown away by it when I was half my current age; and while it didn’t blow me away quite as much this time (I think I prefer the author’s Aegypt tetralogy) it is still magnificent. The language alone!
- Lavinia by Ursula K. LeGuin. Her last novel is a retelling of the final books of the Aeneid from the perspective of the woman the heroes fight for. I read it after rereading the Aeneid itself, which of course doesn’t hurt, but frankly, I recommend LeGuin more than Virgil. It’s a beautiful book by one of the 20th century’s great writers.
- The Death of Ivan Ilyich. More a novella or a long story, but it’s a powerful meditation on death, illness, and the meaninglessness of many lives.
That said, I also highly recommend Finney’s The Circus of Dr. Lao, a short novel about a circus full of mythical creatures coming to a sleepy American town. It’s bizarre and brilliant. Be prepared for a lot of the characters using slurs to talk about the Chinese protagonist, but there’s no doubt whose side the book is on.
As for non-fiction, in the beginning of the year I read some books about Utrecht, where I live, and this is something I recommend! For your own place of residence, obviously. It will deepen your perception of your surroundings. I also liked Zink, which tells the story of Neutral Moresnet, a neutral zone between Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands that you have probably never heard of. Cordula Rooijendijk’s book about early Dutch computing was special to me because it is in part the history of my own grandfather, Bram Loopstra, who was a co-builder of the first Dutch computers. But my favourite was Kindred by Rebecca Wragg Sykes, an amazing book about Neanderthals, and about the science of Neanderthals. It not only taught me a lot about its subject, it also gave me real insight into how we got this knowledge. Highly recommended.
I’m leaving many worthy books untouched — including classics like The Hobbit and Alice in Wonderland and the Apology that don’t need my commentary — but this is where I’ll leave things.