2024 Book List
This year's reading list was a mix of innovation, hustle, big ideas, and healing. My reading spanned non-fiction that challenged my thinking and a few carefully selected fiction works that offered welcome escapes. Wrapping up the Children of Anguish and Anarchy series was particularly nostalgic, rekindling my love for fantasy reminiscent of my Harry Potter days.
Favorite Book of the Year : My favorite read this year was Small Mercies. It was another year of very few fiction books, so it was nice to squeeze in. The story takes place in Boston which I was fascinated by because I love to read stories about places I’ve lived. When I lived in Harlem, I read a lot of stories based in Harlem and it was always cool to be able to identify landmarks or specific experiences. The novel is a powerful exploration of race, revenge, and community during the tumultuous summer of 1974, featuring a complex protagonist, Mary Pat Fennessy, who searches for her missing daughter against the backdrop of Boston's racial tensions.
Most Insightful Read of the Year : I learned a lot from Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist. Summer 2024 was my first time working in VC and I was drinking from a fire hose. It was nice to have this book as a reference for unfamiliar terms. When it was first recommended to me, I was told it is viewed as the “VC Bible”, and I can see why.
Books in Order :
Wisdom of Titans - William J. Ferguson
A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay - Octavia E. Butler
HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience - Ayesha Rascoe
Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist - Brad Feld
Small Mercies - Dennis Lehane
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future - Peter Thiel
Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love - Marty Cagan
Children of Anguish and Anarchy (Legacy of Orïsha, #3) - Tomi Adeyemi
Sisterhood Heals: The Transformative Power of Healing in Community - Joy Harden Bradford
I Finally Bought Some Jordans: Essays - Michael Arceneaux
Upcoming Reads for 2025: My first book of the year will be The Souls of Black Folk, and I'm committed to reintroducing more fiction into my reading routine after the intense focus of grad school.
