There are a lot of excellent reads coming in 2024. Lots — from romances to thrillers to upcoming Read With Jenna picks. If you're looking for a new book to pick up right now, though, we have options.
Isaac Fitzgerald, author of the 2022 memoir "Dirtbag, Massachusetts," stopped by the 3rd Hour of TODAY Jan. 3 to name a few of the books he loved this January.
Read on to find out what he picked and why.
Books to read in January 2024
"Erasure" isn't a new book, but it is a relevant one — and it's one of Fitzgera Fitzgerald shouted out this 2001 classic by Percival Everett, which has been adapted into a new movie entitled "American Fiction" starring Jeffery Wright, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Adam Brody.
The book, according to Fitzgerald, is about a "Black English professor who — struggling with his own writing — decides to publish a tongue-in-cheek novel titled 'My Pafology' (before changing the title to, well, a word we can’t print here) only to find that his joke-of-a-novel is suddenly propelling him to literary success beyond his wildest dreams."
"Binding 13" by Chloe Walsh
Has Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift's romance put you in the mood for reading about sports-centric love stories? Fitzgerald recommends this series from Irish writer Chloe Walsh about a team of rugby players and their lovers.
"In the first book of the 'Boys of Tommen' series we follow Shannon, an outcast who manages to catch the eye of the team’s rising star, Johnny. It’s a long, slow burn and a totally unique offering for even the most ravenous romance readers. Plus thighs! Rugby thighs! What more do I need to say other than, 'Rugby thighs!'" he said.
"1000 Words" by Jami Attenberg
New year, same dreams — now it's time to actually work on them. For the aspiring or active writers out there, Fitzgerald recommends this book from writer Jami Attenberg, saying it's the "book that’s going to guide you to accomplishing your goal."
The book is a collection of writing advice and encouragement from the likes of Roxane Gay, Lauren Groff, Celeste Ng, not to mention Today Show regulars Emma Straub and Jasmine Guillory. The concept originated in 2018, when Attenberg was under deadline and decided to write 1000 words a day for two weeks straight, inviting others to join her.
"Anna O" by Matthew Blake
Fitzgerald hypes "Anna O" as one of the "most talked about thrillers of 2024," and said it's exciting and twisty to boot.
"It’s a fun and beguiling murder mystery that follows a 25-year-old who kills her best friend and her boyfriend and then promptly falls into a deep sleep, and the doctor whose job it is to wake her up so that she can stand trial and everyone can figure out what happened," he said.
"Comedy Book" by Jesse David Fox
Jesse David Fox, a senior editor at Vulture, is an expert in the comedy space, and he shows exactly how much here. "A blend of criticism, history, and personal experience, Fox’s 'Comedy Book' is the equivalent of talking with an extremely smart friend about something they are absolutely obsessed with," he said.