Have you read any of these, my top favorite reads from 2024? Part two

Do you dream of lazy days on the couch with books in hand, soaking up new knowledge, skills, and perspectives?

Does that feel like a pipe dream? 

If you’d like to read more this year and you’re keen on learning, take advantage of my review of the books I read in 2024.

Because books are everything.

They allow you to inhabit universes far from your own.

Books let you take a quick 5-minute dip or a luxurious, hunker down until hours later you emerge, all the wiser. 

Books allow you to learn, lead, and laugh.

That’s why I make reading a priority. 

Let’s celebrate all things books!

Here are my choice reads from 2024, part one.  I covered part one last week in the categories of Learning and Development, Personal Development, Health and Wellness, and Business Development.

Today I’ll finish up with my diversity, equity, and inclusion-focused books.  I read a lot more last year because my annual project was DEI-focused.  Click on the link to see which book fits in which themed month and the accompanying movies, podcasts, music, and donations that go with them.

Things fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

• “Tells two overlapping, intertwining stories, both of which center around Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria.”
• It’s a wonderful deep dive into a culture that is likely very different from your own, watching worlds collide and both celebrations of culture and cultural divides.

War Child by Emmanuel Jal

• My dear friend Jal’s true story about being a child soldier during the war in South Sudan
• While the book rips at your heart with the violence that humans are capable of, it also delivers hope for the human spirit

Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death by Jean-Dominique Bauby

• My son recommended this book to me and wowza, what a read
• It’s a true story written by a man who cannot move or speak and yet is able to find the beauty in life

Jal and I at a UN event

My Life is Art by Emmanuel Jal

• A true testament to resilience and the power to overcome one’s traumatic past (Jal is a former child soldier) this book is a deep dive into how he did just that and how you can too

The Lightmaker’s Manifesto: How to Work for Change without Losing Your Joy by  Karen Walrond

• Karen wraps her uplifting but not definitely not saccharine, sage advice in examples and stories of other change-makers
• If you need some life breathed into your battered soul, this is a must-read

Dance of the Jacaranda  by Peter Kimani

• This read is about the early history of Kenya and clashes with the British colonials
• The author skilly intertwined the perspectives of the colonialists, tribal Kenyans, and Indian Kenyans

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

• I picked this book based on “60 LGBTQ+ Books That Really Deserve a Spot on Your Shelf”
• It’s a beautiful, poignant read that retells the story of Achilles

Chrones Don’t Whine by Jean Shinoda Bolen

• I read her “Goddesses in Every Woman” in my twenties and still remember the impact it had on me so I decided to give this book a whirl
• As I’m about to enter my 60th spin around the sun I wanted to learn more about aging, specifically women’s aging, and this book did not disappoint

ADHD Solution Deck: Health & Wellness: How to balance health, happiness and ADHD by Lily Beacham

• For my neurodiverse-themed DEI month, I wanted to learn more about ADHD as I suspect I have at least one key person in my life who has it
• Easy to digest and full of insight into the world of ADHD plus practical tips, this book is a keeper

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

• Stop what you’re doing and go get this book. It’s phenomenal.
• The author beautifully combines poetic writing that draws you in, with real-life examples and an irresistible invitation to view our world through a radically different lens

The Leaders Guide to Unconscious Bias by  Pamela Fuller

• I used this book to prep for the Learning and Development Roundtable member requested Unconscious Bias and it didn’t disappoint
• It’s a wonderful blend of tools, tips, techniques, and teaching through stories and examples

Unapologetically Black Girls Book Club organized by Dr. Dominique Riviere

• Fun fun fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the book club meetings facilitated by Dr. Riviere who brought to life characters in books that aren’t normally seen in dominant worldviews

All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep by Andre Henry

• A painful poignant read, this book is a keeper
• Andre doesn’t pull any punches, nor should he, recounting true stories of why people of colour can find so-called friendship with white folk very problematic

Never Been Better by Leanne Toshiko Simpson

• Written by a Japanese Canadian author, this is a delightful rom-com about three patients with different cultural backgrounds in a psychiatric ward … and what happens when they leave the ward

Overall top reads of 2025

Phew! You made it through my list of my top 2024 reads.  You may be asking yourself, what are my top, top reads.  I’m happy to tell you.  Out of all the books I read last year, here are my absolute favs:

1. HBR guide to critical thinking 
2. The Miracle Morning (Updated and Expanded Edition): The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8 AM) by Hal Elrod 
3. All In: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams by Mike Michalowicz
4. Launch (Updated & Expanded Edition): How to Sell Almost Anything Online, Build a Business You Love, and Live the Life of Your Dreams by Jeff Walker 
5. My Life is Art by Emmanuel Jal
6. The Lightmaker’s Manifesto: How to Work for Change without Losing Your Joy by  Karen Walrond
7. Chrones Don’t Whine by 
8. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
9. All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep by Andre Henry

I hope some of these books spark your curiosity and you’re motivated to pick up a book and read.

Know I’m cheering you on for your 2025 reading adventures.

Now go on and learn, laugh, and lead

Learn

• Pick a book from my list that calls to you or make a list of your own

Laugh

• Given the stormy state of the world, sometimes you just gotta laugh. Here for your viewing pleasure are books that do just that

Lead

• Get reading – whether a few minutes a day or delectable, delicious hours of reading – you won’t regret it.