Best Books of 2024
The best books of 2024 as selected by Cassie McCullagh, Kate Evans, Jason Steger, Lev Grossman and Michaela Kalowski. Keep scrolling for a full (and somewhat idiosyncratic) list. GUESTS Jason Steger, literary journalist. Former literary editor at the Age and SMH; and regular guest on ABC TV's Tuesday Book Club. Lev Grossman, bestselling American novelist and journalist — whose books include The Magicians trilogy and (his latest), The Bright Sword (an Arthurian tale). Michaela Kalowski, literary interviewer and the curator of Radio National's Big Weekend of Books BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS (listed according to the person who made the recommendation) Lev Grossman: Percival Everett, James Paolo Bacigalupi, Navola Tana French, The Hunter Kate Atkinson, Death at the Sign of the Rook M.T. Anderson, Nicked Karl Ove Knausgaard, The Third Realm Nick Harkaway, Karla's Choice Cassie McCullagh: Percival Everett, James Kaliane Bradley, The Ministry of Time Francis Spufford, Cahokia Jazz Ceridwen Dovey, Only the Astronauts Michaela Kalowski's selection (in categories) Uplifting (subject matter or style): Ailsa Piper, For Life Julia Baird, Bright Shining International: Percival Everett, James Francis Spufford, Cahokia Jazz Australian: Robbie Arnott, Dusk Lexi Freiman, The Book of Ayn Tim Winton, Juice Catherine McKinnon, To Sing of War James Bradley, Deep Water Julian Borger, I Seek a Kind Person Books in Translation: Greek Lessons by Han Kang Fantasy: Kelly Link, The Book of Love Jason Steger Uplifting/ positive: Colm Tóibín, Long Island Melanie Cheng, The Burrow Kaliane Bradley, The Ministry of Time Other highlights Nick Harkaway, Karla's Choice Helen Garner, The Season Samantha Harvey, Orbital Heather Taylor Johnson, Little Bit Kate Evans Positive/ Joy or beauty: Niall Williams, Time of the Child Hanif Kureishi, Shattered Deborah Levy, the Position of Spoons International: Francis Spufford, Cahokia Jazz Alan Hollinghurst, Our Evenings Richard Powers, Playground In translation: Olga Tokarczuk, The Empusium Australian: Fiona McFarlane, Highway 13 Dylin Hardcastle, A Language of Limbs Catherine McKinnon, To Sing of War Robbie Arnott, Dusk Inga Simpson, The Thinning CREDITS Presenters: Kate Evans, Cassie McCullagh Producer: Kate Evans, Sarah Corbett Sound engineers: Craig Tilmouth, Ann Marie Debettencor Executive Producer: Rhiannon Brown
The Bookshelf · Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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Show Notes
The best books of 2024 as selected by Cassie McCullagh, Kate Evans, Jason Steger, Lev Grossman and Michaela Kalowski. Keep scrolling for a full (and somewhat idiosyncratic) list.
GUESTS
Jason Steger, literary journalist. Former literary editor at the Age and SMH; and regular guest on ABC TV's Tuesday Book Club.
Lev Grossman, bestselling American novelist and journalist — whose books include The Magicians trilogy and (his latest), The Bright Sword (an Arthurian tale).
Michaela Kalowski, literary interviewer and the curator of Radio National's Big Weekend of Books
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
(listed according to the person who made the recommendation)
Lev Grossman:
Percival Everett, James
Paolo Bacigalupi, Navola
Tana French, The Hunter
Kate Atkinson, Death at the Sign of the Rook
M.T. Anderson, Nicked
Karl Ove Knausgaard, The Third Realm
Nick Harkaway, Karla's Choice
Cassie McCullagh:
Percival Everett, James
Kaliane Bradley, The Ministry of Time
Francis Spufford, Cahokia Jazz
Ceridwen Dovey, Only the Astronauts
Michaela Kalowski's selection (in categories)
Uplifting (subject matter or style):
Ailsa Piper, For Life
Julia Baird, Bright Shining
International:
Percival Everett, James
Francis Spufford, Cahokia Jazz
Australian:
Robbie Arnott, Dusk
Lexi Freiman, The Book of Ayn
Tim Winton, Juice
Catherine McKinnon, To Sing of War
James Bradley, Deep Water
Julian Borger, I Seek a Kind Person
Books in Translation:
Greek Lessons by Han Kang
Fantasy:
Kelly Link, The Book of Love
Jason Steger
Uplifting/ positive:
Colm Tóibín, Long Island
Melanie Cheng, The Burrow
Kaliane Bradley, The Ministry of Time
Other highlights
Nick Harkaway, Karla's Choice
Helen Garner, The Season
Samantha Harvey, Orbital
Heather Taylor Johnson, Little Bit
Kate Evans
Positive/ Joy or beauty:
Niall Williams, Time of the Child
Hanif Kureishi, Shattered
Deborah Levy, the Position of Spoons
International:
Francis Spufford, Cahokia Jazz
Alan Hollinghurst, Our Evenings
Richard Powers, Playground
In translation:
Olga Tokarczuk, The Empusium
Australian:
Fiona McFarlane, Highway 13
Dylin Hardcastle, A Language of Limbs
Catherine McKinnon, To Sing of War
Robbie Arnott, Dusk
Inga Simpson, The Thinning
CREDITS
Presenters: Kate Evans, Cassie McCullagh
Producer: Kate Evans, Sarah Corbett
Sound engineers: Craig Tilmouth, Ann Marie Debettencor
Executive Producer: Rhiannon Brown