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Our readers’ favorite books of 2024 so far
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Sun, sand and a great book – that’s the perfect formula for a relaxing beach vacation. Since we’re firmly in the grasp of summer 2024, it’s about time to choose your next great read. We’ve got a selection of some of the most gripping, moving and entertaining books our readers have loved this year. Whether you love reading on an e-reader like a Kindle or you prefer real paper, there’s something for everyone.
Thriller fans, don’t miss “Eruption” by Michael Crichton and James Patterson. This action-packed epic about a volcanic eruption in Hawaii will have you racing through the pages. It’s the ultimate summer 2024 beach read. Or dive into the psychological suspense of “The Housemaid” by Freida McFadden, which follows a mysterious housekeeper who becomes entangled in her wealthy employer’s dark secrets.
In the mood for an uplifting women’s fiction read? Pick up Kristin Hannah’s “The Women,” which is all about the unsung women who served as nurses during the Vietnam War. Or try Celeste Headlee’s “Do Nothing: How to Break Away From Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving” to help you make time for leisure instead of letting hustle culture rule your world.
Grab your sunscreen and a copy of one of these books. Our readers can’t get enough of them, and it’s time to spice up your next beach trip. Check out the full list below.
Our readers’ favorite books of 2024 so far
“Eruption”
Amazon
This “New York Times” bestseller is a dual creation from two powerhouses. “Eruption” was a passion project of the late author Michael Crichton (“Jurassic Park”) that’s been finished by James Patterson. And you’re going to want to be seated for this one.
When billionaire tech CEO John Crowley climbs an active volcano in the exotic island nation of Vanutu, he gets more than he bargained for. The volcano erupts violently while Crowley is on the mountain.
Cut off from his guides, Crowley must make a terrifying solo descent down the mountain to escape. This thrilling tale combines interactions with deadly forces of nature like volcanoes and fast-paced storytelling. It all makes for a thrilling adventure you won’t want to put down.
“Grown Woman Talk: Your Guide to Getting and Staying Healthy”
Amazon
Women are often sidelined when it comes to talking about health. This book offers some much-needed empowerment around the subject, especially for marginalized women of color. Dr. Sharon Malone aims to break the silence surrounding women’s health issues in this helpful guide.
Dr. Malone offers advice on living and aging better and getting the best care along the way. She works to help women realize the power they already have over their health. They just need the right tools and the willingness to use them.
This book makes it easier for women of all ages to start discussions about their help with their doctors, and have better patient-provider relationships that can act as a bridge to saving more lives.
“The Covenant of Water”
Amazon
Spanning 1900 to 1977 in Kerala, India, “The Covenant of Water” follows three generations of a family cursed with death by drowning. Among some of the family members involved include a Christian girl sent by boat to meet her much older husband while grieving her father’s drowning death.
This young bride goes through several massive changes over her life marked by faith, love and loss. Through her journey from child bride to family matriarch, her story explored here paints a portrait of a family afflicted by recurrent tragic drownings, set against the backdrop of Kerala.
Oprah chose this novel as part of her 2023 book club selections.
“What This Comedian Said Will Shock You”
Amazon
Comedian Bill Maher offers his take on American politics and culture in his latest book. It covers topics ranging from free speech and cancel culture to health and romance. Maher reworked and updated many of these “editorials” to directly address life in our current moment to keep things fresh.
The book also provides commentary on the state of America today. Maher shares his uncensored opinions on the media, generations, politics, police, religion and more. If you’re a fan of Maher’s work, you’ll likely enjoy this book as well.
“The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War”
Amazon
Erik Larson recounts the months between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the attack on Fort Sumter that sparked the Civil War in this novel. At the time, Southern states seceded from the Union while Lincoln remained powerless to intervene. Larson creates a political thriller out of the story, capturing the betrayals that pushed America to the brink of war.
Drawing on diaries, plantation records and other communications, the book shows how Lincoln desperately tried to avoid conflict even as he dealt with shady advisors. It’s a dark reminder of the bloodshed that would end up taking more than 750,000 lives over the course of the war.
“Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving”
Amazon
Celeste Headlee investigates why we are working harder and feeling more anxious and lonely in this nonfiction novel. She suggests that even though we’re working more to better our lives, doing so can end up sabotaging our well-being.
Headlee uses history, science and research to challenge assumptions about productivity and goals. She discusses modern habits that can be broken to make significant changes in our lives, encouraging readers to return to a way of life that lets us thrive.
“Mark Rothko: Paintings on Paper”
Amazon
This book explores works created by abstract painter Mark Rothko throughout his career. Though Rothko is known for his large canvases, he made over 1,000 works on paper that he viewed as finished pieces rather than studies.
Ranging from early figures and surrealist works to his famous fields of color, these works showcase Rothko’s art. The book accompanies the first major exhibition of Rothko’s works on paper in forty years, bringing together nearly 100 rarely-seen examples.
“The Women”
Amazon
This inspirational novel might just push you to do some good. Set during the Vietnam War (1965), 20-year-old nursing student Frankie McGrath enlists in the Army Nurse Corps. Frankie quickly becomes part of the chaos of war — a stark contrast to her sheltered upbringing in sunny California. She’s forced to figure out how to navigate life and death daily while getting closer to the soldiers she treats.
Soon, Frankie grows into a seasoned veteran. But the real battle proves to be returning home to a very different America than the one she left behind. As she reconnects with loved ones and immerses herself in the antiwar movement, she learns important facts about humanity and herself.
“You Never Know: A Memoir”
Amazon
Actor Tom Selleck shares the story of his rise to fame in Hollywood in this memoir, talking about the mistakes and hard-won successes he came across along the way. He also pays tribute to mentors like James Garner and the classic Western genre he loves.
For “Magnum P.I.” fans, he reveals how he put his career on the line to make the character more imperfect. Selleck also shares his perspective on a changing industry, explaining how he’s reached iconic status by always staying true to himself.
“The Housemaid”
Amazon
Need an exciting thriller you won’t want to put down? It all starts with “The Housemaid” – and there are sequels, too!
Millie is an ex-convict looking for a fresh start as a live-in housemaid for the wealthy Nina Winchester. At first, the job seems promising. Nina is friendly and welcoming when Millie moves in.
But Nina’s behavior soon takes a disturbing turn. She gives Millie confusing instructions, sometimes failing to mention critical information like her daughter’s severe allergy. Millie soon suspects her new boss may be unwell, or that maybe there’s something else hiding beneath the surface. What kind of secrets will Nina stumble upon? You’ll have to wait and see.
Tropical Storm Sara made landfall in Belize on Sunday as forecasters expect heavy rain to cause life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides.
The storm made landfall near Dangriga, about 55 miles southeast of the capital Belmopan, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.
This comes after Sara drenched the northern coast of Honduras, where it stalled since Friday, swelling rivers and trapping people at home.
Moises Castillo / AP
One death was reported Saturday morning by Honduras Emergency Management, who also said that there have been at least 90 rescues and over 47,000 people affected by the storm.
The Hurricane Center’s tropical storm warning as of Sunday included Honduras’ Bay Islands as well as the country’s northern coast from Punta Castilla to its border with Guatemala; the Caribbean coast of Guatemala; Belize’s coast and northward into the coast of Mexico’s state of Quintana Roo, from Chetumal to Puerto Costa Maya.
The storm, which is moving at 6 mph, will continue to move inland over the Yucatan Peninsula and could drop up to 10 inches of rain across the area, with localized totals reaching 15 inches, through early next week. The conditions “will result in areas of flash flooding, perhaps significant, along with the potential of mudslides,” according to the Hurricane Center.
NOAA/National Hurricane Center
“A storm surge could raise water levels by as much as 1 to 3 feet above ground level near and to the north of where the center of Sara crosses the coast of Belize,” the center said Sunday. “Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.”
Sara is the 18th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which officially runs from June 1 until Nov. 30, with activity typically peaking between mid-August and mid-October. An average season brings 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which did predict the 2024 season would produce “above average” numbers.
A gold pocket watch given to the ship captain who rescued 700 survivors from the Titanic sold at auction for nearly $2 million, setting a record for memorabilia from the ship wreck.
The 18-carat Tiffany & Co. watch was given by three women survivors to Capt. Arthur Rostron for diverting his passenger ship, the RMS Carpathia, to save them and others after the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in the north Atlantic on its maiden voyage in 1912.
Andrew Aldridge/Henry Aldridge and Son via AP
Auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Son, who sold the watch to a private collector in the United States on Saturday for 1.56 million British pounds, said it’s the most paid-for piece of Titanic memorabilia. The price includes taxes and fees paid by the buyer.
The watch was given to Rostron by the widow of John Jacob Astor, the richest man to die in the disaster and the widows of two other wealthy businessmen who went down with the ship.
Astor’s pocket watch, which was on his body when it was recovered seven days after the ship sank, had previously set the record for the highest price paid for a Titanic keepsake, fetching nearly $1.5 million (1.17 million pounds) from the same auction house in April.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the fact that Titanic memorabilia has set two records this year demonstrates the enduring fascination with the story and the value of the dwindling supply and high demand for ship artifacts.
“Every man, woman and child had a story to tell, and those stories are told over a century later through the memorabilia,” he said.
Rostron was hailed a hero for his actions the night the Titanic sank and his crew was recognized for their bravery.
Andrew Aldridge/Henry Aldridge and Son via AP
The Carpathia was sailing from New York to the Mediterranean Sea when a radio operator heard a distress call from the Titanic in the early hours of April 15, 1912 and woke Rostron in his cabin. He turned his boat around and headed at full steam toward the doomed vessel, navigating through icebergs to get there.
By the time the Carpathia arrived, the Titanic had sunk and 1,500 people perished. But the crew located 20 lifeboats and rescued more than 700 passengers and took them back to New York.
Rostron was awarded the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal by President William Howard Taft and was later knighted by King George V.
Madeleine Astor, who had been helped into a lifeboat by her husband, presented the watch to Rostron at a luncheon at her mansion on Fifth Avenue in New York.
The inscription says it was given “with the heartfelt gratitude and appreciation of three survivors.” It lists Mrs. John B. Thayer and Mrs. George D. Widener alongside Astor’s married name.
“It was presented principally in gratitude for Rostron’s bravery in saving those lives,” Aldridge said. “Without Mr. Rostron, those 700 people wouldn’t have made it.”
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