I frankly stole this idea from Book Journey after reading about it on This Reading Life. She has folks submit photos of themselves holding the first book they’re reading for 2024. A really cute idea. I couldn’t submit my photo, because my flip-around feature on my very old phone doesn’t work anymore, but I sent her a picture of the book cover for my first book, which is Homestead by Melinda Moustakis.
I see now as I look back at Book Journey’s original post that I missed the deadline, because she asks people to submit their first books between December 17 and 31. But I’m not that good a planner, so I would have had to know about this on December 31, which was when I started this book, and I didn’t see Brona’s post until today.
So, just for fun, for all you nonplanners like me, what was your first book to read in 2024? Are you still reading it, or have you already finished?
whatmeread 
My first is Every man for Himself, Beryl Bainbridge’s “Titanic” novel – literally 3 pages left to go, ran out of time on my lunch break.
Nice! That sounds interesting.
It was good, couldn’t quite see it as the prize-winning, Booker-nominated, novel it was, but I enjoyed it.
Started Elizabeth Mavors’ A Green Equinox just after it, which has a nicely British oddness which I’m enjoying very much.
I’m reading two: 1) Crime and Punishment (started a couple weeks ago so it’s technically the last of 2023 and first of 2024) and 2) The Book of Joy, for The Contemplative Reading Project.
That sounds very ambitious of you. I read Crime and Punishment so many years ago! I don’t want to contemplate anything, which is why I haven’t joined your project. Just kidding! I hope it goes well for you.
Technically speaking, I also started my first book on December 31, but it’s still the first book of 2024!
I’ve borrowed an audiobook from the library, The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman. It’s a nonfiction about WWI. I tried it once before but gave up on it, so I hope the audio version will be better! And, I hope Homestead is a good pick for your 1st of 2024 🙂
Good luck! I finished Homestead already and it’s pretty good.
Tragically my first book of the year ended up on the abandoned heap on the 3rd! Hope that’s not going to set the tone for the year. Discounting that, then, the first book I expect to finish is Someone From the Past, and I was happy to see on GR that you’ve given it 5 stars. So far I’m loving it!
Oh, that’s a good one. I’m reviewing it soon.
I am so much into Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire for the time being. It has led me to the Stoics and I am now reading a lot about their teachings and views on life. The first book I finished was The Discipline of Desire – Based on the Teachings of Ryan Holiday.