Andrew Mina

Old and recent, paper and audio, non-fiction and fiction – 2024 was a year of blended reading that delighted the soul, moved my heart and transported my mind across the globe.

When I look back on the list of books (I was two short of my reading goal) I see a common thread between them. So many were stories of people overcoming and becoming, making their way in the world and making the way at the same time.

There is also an even split between female and male authors, which I am glad about. For the first time in many years, there is more fiction than non-fiction.

Standout non-fiction:
Seasons: Stories of Loss, Light, Hope and Harvest by Celina Evelyn Mina

Standout fiction:
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

Below I have listed the titles with author’s name and the publishing date. Followed by some remarks, star rating out of five, the genre, format and where the book was sourced from.

Hyperlinks for the books go to Goodreads.

December

The Vegetarian by Han Kang (2023)

Kang delivers you raw and exposed characters which leaves you going to from wanting to read on, and not sure you can read on. It has been described as haunting for the right reasons.
Translated by Deborah Smith.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Borrowed from the library

Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury (2021)

This is a book for both kids and adults. Read it quickly and then read it slowly.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Hardback / Personal copy

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang (2023)

It took my two goes to read this book. After reading the opening chapters the situation is so intense I was nervous to read on. But once I got going again I couldn’t put it down. The ending was not as strong as the rest of the book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Personal copy

Juice by Tim Winton (2024)

The world Winton writes about is scary and wholly undesirable. As a work of fiction it does not leave you unaffected in your daily choices today.
Narrated by David Field.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Audiobook / Borrowed from the library

November

Winter’s Tales by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen (1993)

A must read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Hardback / Borrowed from the library

Killing Floor (Jack Reacher #1) by Lee Child (2010)

It is good to read where it all started. However, Child provides a good amount of background in each book. You can start with any of his books, like I did. I am not sure I’ll read anymore soon though.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Borrowed from a friend

Seasons: Stories of loss, light, hope and harvest by Celina Evelyn Mina (2024)

This book will strengthen your understanding of how your inter world experiences seasons just as nature does.

Celina has woven beautifully four stories from her life with Biblical teaching on seasons.

This hybrid-memoir with its authentic and vulnerable stories will stir your faith, provide guidance for the seasons you’re in, and give Biblical insight to help you on your journey.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Non-fiction / Paperback / Personal copy

October

You Can Culture: Transformative leadership habits for a thriving workplace, positive impact, and lasting success by Tobias Sturesson (2024)

This is a fantastic book, but it is more than just words on pages it is a toolbox of insight and wisdom, a multifaceted resource for personal reflection and team development, and an inspiration that with intentionality and focus you can be an agent change for any culture in your sphere of influence.

Two more things you need to know going into reading this book are:

1. It can be used a Culture change framework for you to work with over a 12 month period.
2. This book is a personal story of overcoming a horrendous toxic culture and also includes hundreds of other voices that Tobias a curated through his podcasts, client stories and research.

This book is not just for HR and the C-suite but super helpful for the B-suite.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Non-Fiction / Hardback / Borrowed from work

Without Fail (Jack Reacher #6) by Lee Child (2018)

At this point I have had too much Jack Reacher but still a good story.
Narrated by Jeff Harding.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Audiobook / Borrowed from the library

Winter Swimming; The Nordic way towards a healthier and happier life by Susanna Søberg (2022)

When getting into a new hobby, I am the kind of person who starts of slowly, does the research, and then begins to investing into it.

I had heard of the benefits of winter swimming but Søberg’s book sets you straight with the health benefits, practical guidance and right amount of personal stories to inspire you. A complete guide to winter swimming.

So now on a weekly basis you can now find me in the morning dipping in the Øresund (the sea between Denmark and Sweden).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Non-fiction / Hardback / Borrowed from the library

September

The Affair (Jack Reacher #16) by Lee Child (2011)

This was intense and had you on the edge of your seat as the story made its mandatory twist and turns.
Narrated by Dick Hill.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Audiobook / Borrowed from the library

The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering organizations by empowering people by Gary Chapman and Paul White (2011)

Many people are looking for the ‘secret sauce’ to help transform their workplace culture and rightly so!

Between the new way of working, quiet-quitting, and creating a healthy life/work balance, people leaders need an approach that meets the needs of their entire team.

I have a suggestion: Appreciation

In their book “The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace”, Chapman and White have taken ‘The 5 Love Languages’ and used them as a foundation to teach how to use appreciation in any kind of organization as the way to build the employee experience and to help overcome some of the biggest challenges being faced by HR today.

The book’s main audience is people leaders, but we also know that peer-to-peer appreciation is paramount.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Non-Fiction / Paperback / Borrowed from work

August

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (2008)

Listening to Bel Canto as an audiobook made it very easy to be swept away to South America as Fields excellently narrated Patchett’s smooth words. This book was good on many levels but can’t place what to highlight one over the other.
Narrated by Anna Fields.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Audiobook / Borrowed from the library

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (2022)

What a great book and what made it come even more amazing was listening to Garmus speak at the 2024 Sydney Writers Festival and to her hear about the books origins, her writing and publishing journey. (Get a glimpse here).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Personal copy

The Trouble With Happiness and Other Stories by Tove Ditlevsen (2022)

Classic Danish writing that gives you an in-depth look behind closed doors in a Copenhagen setting.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Borrowed from the library

July

I Don’t Mean to be Rude, but…: The truth about fame, fortune and my life in music by Simon Cowell (2003)

I certainly appreciate knowing more of Cowell’s story and the journey he has been up to 2003. His story amplifies it is about talent and dedication.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Non-fiction / Paperback / Borrowed from the library

Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (2011)

Looked up Munro’s work based on a recommendation and I found it very readable and beautifully told. However, I haven’t continued to read her work at this time after the accusations and revelations from her daughter.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Hardback / Borrowed from the library

In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park (2015)

What a personal history. It is a miracle that she is even alive let alone this book has been written and published. I have now loaned this book three times now as Park’s story is so remarkable.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Non-fiction / Paperback / From book exchange

The Sentinel (Jack Reacher #25) by Lee Child and Andrew Child (2020)

Okay. There is a drop in the story-telling from the previous books in the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / From book exchange

Blue Moon (Jack Reacher #24) by Lee Child (2019)

Good read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / From book exchange

Glad we met: The art and science of 1:1 meetings by Steven G. Rogelberg (2024)

Leading people is a privilege and takes so much intentionality.

In Rogelberg‘s book, I found great reminders, new insights, practical tools and the joy that comes from leading well, not just over the short term but over the long term.

This book is perfect for people leaders but especially valuable for first-time people leaders, as well as employees who seek to get the most out of their 1:1s.

It will help to equip all parties to talk about well-being, motivation, productivity, roadblocks, priorities, clarity about roles/assignments, alignment with other work activities, goals, wider coordination, employee development, and career planning.

It would be easy to say who needs a book for this topic, but having this book means you sit a little bit longer with the topics than perhaps with an eLearning course you may click through, which many of us have access to.

Finally, I would say this book can help equip managers to be successful in this area and break down the fears and concerns that employees may have.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Non-Fiction / Hardback / Borrowed from work

June

Nothing completed

May

Tim Burton: The iconic filmmaker and his work by Ian Nathan (2024)

Really interesting overview of Burton’s and work
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Non-fiction / Hardback / Borrowed from the library

Brief Lives by Anita Brookner (1990)

Well written and such a good read. I feel like I had been transported directly into the situations. Book reminded me to ensure we’re really making the most of our time to impact others for good.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / From book exchange

April

The Phantom Thief (The Breakfast Club Adventures #3) by Marcus Rashford and Alex Falase-Koya (2023)

Okay. Nice story but not the best quality writing. I think the book was chosen more because of Rashford than the series.
Illustrated by Marta Kissi.
⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Personal copy

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton (2018)

Such an excellent read. So many wonderful characters and such vivid story-telling. This is one of those books that you find yourself cheering on the protagonist whilst asking yourself ‘what would I do?’. Now a movie on Netflix that does the book justice.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Hardback / Borrowed from the library

Action Dude Holiday on the Moon (Book #2) by Andy Riley (2023)

Action Dudes are such fun to read and the illustrations a great!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Personal copy

March

Double Agent (Kate Henderson #2) by Tom Bradby (2020)

Simply a good action read and could connect the dots without having read the first book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / From book exchange

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum (2022)

I love when a translated book doesn’t lose it ‘taste’ or ‘culture’ and this is such a book. Reading this made me want to open a bookstore to be around books, to have great coffee, to build community, and create spaces for conversations that last.
Translated by Shanna Tan.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Personal copy

February

The Shipping News by Annie Proulx (1993)

So well written! No wonder it has been awarded may accolades. You really do ride the ups and downs. It reminded me not to give up, to hold on to hope, and believe there is a way forward.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Hardback / Borrowed from the library

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3) by J. K. Rowling (1999)

So much to take in. Reading out aloud helped keep up with the action.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Personal copy

January

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) by J. K. Rowling (1998)

Well written and best read quickly after the first book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Personal copy

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J. K. Rowling (1997)

I appreciated the rich and interesting craft of story-telling by Rowling.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fiction / Paperback / Personal copy

Eat, Pray, Eat: One man’s accidental search for enlightenment by Michael Booth (2011)

What an adventure. Well worth the read. This book is full of honest and raw emotions and some very funny moments.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Non-fiction / Paperback / From book exchange

Did not finish

Faith, Hope and Carnage by Nick Cave and Sean O’Hagan (2022)

Seven Gothic Tales by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) (1934)