Beyond the Frame 37/
Ten best-loved books of 2024 and an opportunity to win your favourite.
My Ten Favourite Books of 2024
I’ve compiled a list of favourite books from 2024.
Five photography books, two travel guides, a journalist’s first-hand account and two autobiographical books.
Not all were published in 2024, some were new to me last year, some are books that I returned to and appreciated again.
Competition
One lucky reader will win their choice of the books listed.
To enter simply read through the list and leave a comment stating:
The title of the book you would be most delighted to win.
A single sentence explaining what it is about the book that appeals to you.
I will pick a winner next week.
The Shipping Forecast — Mark Power
I wrote about Mark Power’s fascinating project in Beyond the Frame 25/. Making photographs in each of the UK’s Shipping Forecast sea areas, Mark has created an impressive collection of monochrome pictures.
Magnum Contact Sheets
I wrote about this weighty collection of Magnum contact sheets in Beyond the Frame 10/. It has remained within arm’s reach on my desk all year and flicking through it never fails to inspire.
Seeing Beyond Sight
From Beyond the Frame 13/, the account of teaching photography to blind teenagers is as evocative as the photos they made.
The West Wing and Beyond — Pete Souza
Pete Souza enjoyed unparalleled access to the White House for many years and his images, which I looked at in Beyond the Frame 20/, will no doubt become part of American visual history.
Jump — Philippe Halsman
Few books have delighted me more than Jump, which I mentioned in Beyond the Frame 31/. Joyful!
Night Train to Odesa — Jen Stout
Jen Stout’s account of her time covering the war in Ukraine, reviewed in Beyond the Frame 7/, is told with modesty and gives a unique insight into a journalist’s experience of conflict.
A River’s Tale - A Year on the Mekong — Edward A. Gargan
From Beyond the Frame 23/, I reread The River’s Tale because I admire the quality of the writing so much. There’s something effortless about it that really brings the Mekong to life on the page.
Spiritual Places In and Around New York City
Recommended by a most excellent friend, my time in New York City last year, described in Beyond the Frame 4/, was enhanced considerably by seeking out some of the locations mentioned in this quirky guide.
All That Matters — Sir Chris Hoy
As an 11 time World Champion and 6 time Olympic champion cyclist , Chris Hoy is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished track cyclists in history. His account of being diagnosed with terminal Stage 4 cancer is intensely moving and yet surprisingly optimistic. He describes the circumstances surrounding his diagnosis with unfiltered honesty and, somehow, manages to write an uplifting account of how he and his family have dealt with the news.
I read Chris’s autobiographical account in a single day, which is something I’ve not managed since I was 11.
Gratitude — Oliver Sacks
This collection of three short essays, written by Oliver Sacks towards the end of his life, is characteristically thoughtful, reflective, and deeply personal. It is one of those rare books where a reader might feel like there’s been a subtle but profound shift in the way they view the world by the time they reach the final page. Certainly, that’s how this reader felt.
Your book recommendations
If there’s a book that you really enjoyed reading last year, I’m always grateful for recommendations. Photography books, travel books, biographies… anything that made you say, “Now, that was a jolly splendid book” when you put it down. Feel free to leave recommendations in the comments.
An unexpected benefit of starting this newsletter has been discovering wonderful books. While researching various subjects, I’ve come across titles I might not have otherwise found. My office desk is now creaking beneath the weight of a pile of books to be read and reviewed. But there’s always space for more!
If you are entering the competition to win a book, good luck.
Until next time, go well.
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Great list!!! ❤️
I would like to win "A River's Tale".
I lived ten years in Thailand, much of it on the banks of the Chao Phraya, but I also drove a motorcycle along the entire length of the Mekong from Cambodia to the Burmese border; being now old, that is a memory that will not be repeated, and I would love to have that book to keep the memory close.