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Opinion: What to read in 2024: Here’s a list of recommended nonfiction books

AP File Photo/Ron Edmonds / Then-President George H.W. Bush, right, shakes hands with then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev following the signing of accords at the White House in 1990. Bush's post-presidency, though not chronicled like that of Jimmy Carter, offers a delightful read.
AP File Photo/Ron Edmonds / Then-President George H.W. Bush, right, shakes hands with then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev following the signing of accords at the White House in 1990. Bush's post-presidency, though not chronicled like that of Jimmy Carter, offers a delightful read. AP File Photo/Ron Edmonds / Then-President George H.W. Bush, right, shakes hands with then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev following the signing of accords at the White House in 1990. Bush's post-presidency, though not chronicled like that of Jimmy Carter, offers a delightful read.

By Clint Cooper 5 min read

Are you a bibliophile?

If you are one — a person who reads habitually — and are a follower of this conservative editorial page, I offer you today some of my favorite reads from the past year.

They may offer a solution for a Christmas gift or for your own personal enjoyment. The following are in order of my ranking of them on the Goodreads website. In keeping to what’s discussed here on a daily basis, all selections are nonfiction, none are brand new and only a few have been on best-seller lists.

› “The Man I Knew: The Amazing Story of George H.W. Bush’s Post-Presidency,” by Jean Becker: Jimmy Carter is often cited for the works of his long post-presidency, but this volume by Bush’s post-presidency chief of staff recounts how he spent his last 25 years, serving others, committing little known acts of kindness, being a loving and caring grandfather, and enjoying life. Whether a fan of Bush or not, readers will appreciate his decency and humanity.