Roof Beam Reader
Adam Burgess
Top 10 Reads of 2023
Hey, Readers!
I posted my annual review earlier this week, but I’m back again today with a short and sweet “Top Ten.”
Last year, I organized this by selecting one favorite book for each month; this time, I’ve decided to share my overall favorites of the year. This was really tough, as I had 52 five-star reads out of 145 books read in total. Choosing ten titles is a little nonsensical, but we all love a good list, don’t we?
To make it happen, I had to exclude any book that I gave less than five stars (there were some four star reads on my original draft, but that put me a few books over ten.) I also excluded manga, which I read a lot of this year. I’ll probably return to share a list of my favorite manga reads separately, sometime in the new year.
Edit: After drafting this (second) version of my top ten, I decided I really want to include two four star reads, so I’ve added them as honorable mentions at the end. I just couldn’t hit that “publish” button without them, when I loved them so much!
Be sure to share your favorite read(s) of the year in the comments! Have you read any of mine?
Ten
Nine
Eight
Seven
Six
![Going to Meet the Man [stories], by James Baldwin](https://contemplativereading.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/38469.jpg?w=194)
Five
Four
Three
Two
One
Honorable Mentions
Roof Beam Reader 
Wolfsong is on my list to read in 2024. I read Baldwin for the first time this year with Giovanni’s Room. I’m going to post a “Top 10” of my own sometime next week. Congrats Adam on your new project, as well as the upcoming podcast! Sending lots of love your way!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wolfsong is special; it’s definitely a bit strange and maybe even melodramatic, so I’m not going out recommending it to anyone, but I was really taken by it. I love Baldwin, of course. He’s one of my favorite writers & thinkers. I haven’t read Giovanni’s Room since working on my dissertation, but it might be time for a revisit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have only read our #2.
Here is my post:
LikeLiked by 1 person
The only one I have read is Pachinko which I liked but found depressing.
However, I have met Mr. Rogers which was quite memorable. I think I was about 7. Later, when I was working at Penguin he came into the office and someone organized cake. We were very spoiled by the many authors who came in and sometimes didn’t even bother to go to the conference room but this time dozens of people showed up. When we saw him coming down the hall, the room burst into spontaneous song, “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood. . . ” I suppose it happened to him often but he acted surprised and delighted.
Constance
LikeLiked by 1 person