3 Books Made It Onto “The” Bookshelf In 2023

The simple process by which I curate my best books of the year

How do you know you have a keeper?

As readers, there are a few books we read each year that leave a lasting impression. They will change how we understand or feel about something. They will change the way that we believe. And they (sometimes) will even change the way that we behave. These are the keepers.

I am sure that everyone has their way of determining their keepers. I know I do.

As I think about it, I take all my books through a three-part process.

Firstly, the book gets “played with” (as my son describes it). The more I like it, the more it gets carried everywhere, stuffed into my bag, dog-eared, coffee-stained, and the spines get so creased that even the book title is no longer noticeable.

Secondly, if all is going well, the book gets thoroughly “scribbled” with pens, pencils, and a highlighter. I don’t have a system, but I tend to draw an untidy line under any text where I like what I read. Then, if I really like it, I will drop an asterisk. And if I love it, I bring out the big gun highlighter pen.