December 2024

As I type this, it’s 6.26pm on New Year’s Eve, and I’m in bed, fresh from the bath and in really comfortable pyjamas. As someone whose friends make fun of her for having too busy of a social life, I went in the opposite direction this Christmas. Asides from travelling down south for my work Christmas party, and attending the annual Feminist Fiction Liverpool festive dinner, I spent this month in a state of rest. I didn’t go home for Christmas, I enjoyed being alone, and I tried to recover from what’s been a really hectic year.

It worked, I feel great, and as well as hopefully being asleep before midnight tonight, I had a lot of time to read this month! Here’s my December reads, and I should be posting my highlights of 2024 in the next few days. Thanks to everyone who reads my newsletter, whether I know you in real life or not, and I hope 2025 is as wonderful for you as is possible.

The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia LaingThis was one of the books recommended to me by Zain in Topping’s, and it proved really different to what I was expecting. Ostensibly a book that follows the author after she moves to New York for a partner, and soon splits with them afterward, it studies different artists who have been based in the city, and their own relationship to loneliness, people and their own work. As someone who has been single for a long time, who loves New York, and who is fascinated by those on the fringes, this thoughtful and insightful book felt like it was made for me.

Orbital by Samantha HarveyThis won the Booker, so you don’t need me to tell you how great it is, but I listened to it on audiobook. Doing it this way proved to be a profoundly moving and beautiful experience of a book that is more vibes than plot. It charts 24 hours in a spacecraft as it orbits Earth, and describes the thoughts and interactions of the six astronauts onboard, as well as what they can see with incredible prose. I listened to this via BorrowBox, a wonderful app you can access to borrow audiobooks via your library membership, and I’m excited to re-read this in print and compare the experiences.

Cleavage by Cleo WatsonLook, I know I shouldn’t have read the sequel to Whips, by the woman who was behind Boris’ Johnson’s infamous party of partygate, but it was too trashy to resist. It definitely isn’t as good as its prequel, but I still enjoyed it for the day I was reading it.

The World According to Lee McQueen by Louise RytterThis is a short collection of quotes on different subjects including tailoring, London and women by the much-mourned fashion genius Lee Alexander McQueen. I loved reading his insights, and his book is beautifully designed. If you’re interested in him and his work, I’d highly recommend the 2018 documentary McQueen.

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel RuizThis book is huge in 12-step circles, and I’m surprised it’s taken me so long to read it. Written by medical doctor and Toltec wisdom expert Don Miguel Ruiz, it outlines four basic rules for living mentally well. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but if you’re someone who struggles with seeking external validation, I’d really recommend it.

What I Ate in One Year (and Related Thoughts) by Stanley TucciWho alive, regardless of gender or sexuality, isn’t completely in love with Stanley Tucci? I managed to pick up a signed copy of this book in the West Kirby Bookshop and found myself craving spaghetti while reading it in bed after 11pm at night. It’s a literal diary of what he does and eats across one calendar year, going between filming Conclave in Rome, his home in London, and various holidays and work trips across the world. The way he writes about food is passionate and exacting, and I found myself shelling out for the fancy tinned tomatoes on his recommendation.

Violet Bent Backwards Over in the Grass by Lana del ReyOne of my highlights of 2024 was securing Lana del Rey tickets for her Anfield gig, and I’m sure one of the highlights of 2025 will be attending said gig. This collection of poetry, written on a typewriter and accompanied by photos she took herself, feels like being plunged back into Tumblr culture. A must-purchase for any self-respecting LDR fan.

The Housemaid, The Housemaid’s Secret, The Housemaid is Watching & The Housemaid’s Wedding by Freida McFaddenSara and Liv had been telling me to read this series for a while, and I’m not sure why it took me so long to start. Once I did, I was all in. I devoured the first book in one sitting, then promptly downloaded and read the rest of the series. It’s a series of books following Wilhelmina “Millie” Calloway after she takes a maid and nanny job at a rich Brooklyn couple’s house after she’s released from prison. If you love a trashy and gripping thriller, don’t waste any time. My dad and I share a Kindle account, and he’s now on the Housemaid train, so I’ll report his thoughts back when he finishes.

Termush by Sven HolmI picked this one up at the Faber Editions event at the West Kirby Bookshop, and it really reminded me of Severance by Ling Ma in its theme. Set in a hotel/compound following an unnamed apocalyptic event, Termush is home to those who were rich enough to secure a space to spend the end of the world. As you’d expect, things begin to crumble, but in an unexpected way. It’s a short read, but an affecting one.

100 Queer Poems by Andrew McMillan & Mary Jean ChanI’m a big poetry reader, so I’m not sure why this one didn’t really resonate with me. It’s a mix of well-known and more obscure poets, but I didn’t really enjoy the curation, and there seemed to be more misses than hits for me.

You Know You Love Me (Gossip Girl #2) by Cecily von ZiegesarI’ve finally picked up on re-reading the Gossip Girl series, and the second one was a fun follow-on from the first. I’ve also ordered the rest of the series on eBay, so hopefully I’ll finish this re-read in 2025!

Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley TucciIt feels appropriate that December would end on the first Stanley Tucci book. This one goes through his life, including his childhood, career and family, through the lens of food. As the child of Sicilian immigrants growing up in Westchester, he was raised on simple, satisfying and beautiful food, with the philosophy that ingredients should be of the best quality. It’s made me think a lot about my own diet, as well as the provenance of the food I eat, but, like in his other book, his passion for food, and how he uses it to express love, make this book a completely joyous read, even as he discusses his experience of oral cancer.