Books On My Shelf That I Hope To Finish In 2024

...None of us have finished the majority of the books on our shelves...

Photo by NEOM on Unsplash

As we prepare for 2024, I hope that you will join me… in the spirit of brutal honesty… by admitting that none of us have finished the majority of the books on our shelves.

With this fact in mind, I’ve made a list of the top 24 books I’ve started over the years, yet haven’t finished, BUT fully intend on finishing in 2024. I will keep you all updated on my progress as the new year goes on — and perhaps this can double as a helpful list of books to add to your own collections.

The fact that I haven’t finished the following books is no dig at their writers and editors. I have been enthralled by every single one of them. Finishing books is just one of those things that’s ridiculously easy to make an excuse not to do. I hope to change that. And part of that change will come as the result of publicly outing myself as a non-book-finisher (God, I hate that that ended with an “r").

24 BOOKS I’VE STARTED YET HAVEN’T FINISHED

Some of these are on my physical bookshelf. Others are on the digital bookshelf of my iPad. Regardless, they all require reading.

1. Playing In The Dark by Toni Morrison

   Not only is this a book that I can’t wait to finish. I can’t wait to re-read it at least once a year. It’s so good!… says the guy who hasn’t yet reached the final page.

   

2. Mad As Hell: The Making of Network by David Itzkoff

   Network is one of my favorite films. Actually, perhaps my favorite of all time. Why the heck haven’t I finished this book?!

   

3. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

   I actually have the entire Earthseed series downloaded on my tablet. Great read so far. What is wrong with me?!

   

4. Exhalation by Ted Chiang

   This was gifted to me. Truly a mind blowing experience so far. The way in weaves numerous stories around the concept of time travel is spell-bounding. Sure wish I could go back in time and finish it before the end of 2023!

   

5. Black Space: Imagining Race In Science Fiction Film by Adilifu Nama

   Another gift from years back. I actually referenced an element of it in issue #1 of Sci-Fi Fuel. Should be a quick read, but you know me… excuses, excuses…

   

6. The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, & Dreams Deferred by Chanda Prescott-Weinstein

   Fantastic so far. If only I had bandwidth as infinite as the universe! No, I’ll finish it this year, I swear.

   

7. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

   I started reading this because of a book club. Never finished it in time for the meeting — but I was still excited to go. So I got there and knocked on the door. No one answered… After a few minutes, I realized I had the wrong date and wouldn’t be able to attend the actual date of the book club. There goes my journey as a “book club” guy. Can’t wait to finish this one though!

   

8. Homey Don't Play That!: The Story of In Living Color and the Black Comedy Revolution by David Peisner

   I started reading this right around the time I got my first TV writing job. Wait, I guess that isn’t an excuse. Excuse me as I scream into this paper bag.

   

9. Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier

   Seriously, who, what, when, where, and WHY is my problem?!

   

10. The Black Atlantic by Paul Gilroy

    Paul Gilroy, please don’t be disappointed in me!!!

    

11. The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

    I’m so… so close to finishing this one it’s ridiculous. Even have the sequel waiting for me on the shelf.

    

12. The Sellout: A Novel by Paul Beatty

    Might as well be describing me at this point…

    

13. On The Real Side by Mel Watkins

    This is a huge book! But it’s filled with valuable information. It’s important to remember and document the long history of Black comedy despite how connected it is to America’s awkward, uncomfortable and grotesque history… says the guy who got maybe 15 pages in… Who do I think I am?!

    

14. How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell

    Okay, there’s a joke to be made about how I took this title to heart by not finishing it, but I won’t say it. Or have I?..

    

15. The Cosmic Dance: Finding patterns and pathways in a chaotic universe by Stephen Ellcock

    This book is mostly pictures…

    

16. Thanks, Obama: My Hopey, Changey White House Years by David Litt

    Got this in preparation for an interview conducted on the Politically Re-Active podcast I was producing at the time. Who knows… maybe my career as a speechwriter could’ve taken flight had I finished reading it.

    

17. Black Utopia: The History of an Idea from Black Nationalism to Afrofuturism by Alex Zamalin

    Maybe I’ll find Black Utopia once I finish this damn book!!

    

18. Migrating To The Movies by Jacqueline Najuma Stewart

    This one really gets me because I purchased it as research for a passion project. I guess passion only takes you so far!!!

    

19. The Crying Of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon

    I downloaded this bad boy right after learning it was inspiration for one of my favorite TV shows, Lodge 49.

    

20. Stakes Is High: Life After The American Dream by Mychal Denzel Smith

    You may recall my text interview with Mychal earlier this year. What kind of interviewer doesn’t read their guest’s book?! Gahhh!

    

    A [TEXT MESSAGE] Conversation With Writer Mychal Denzel Smith

21. Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora edited by Sheree R. Thomas

    An excellent collection of sci-fi stories. Shame if I never read ‘em all…

    

22. Stern by Bruce Jay Friedman

    I don’t recall exactly what prompted me to purchase this but perhaps I’ll remember by the time I finish reading it.

    

23. A, B, C: Three Short Novels by Samuel R. Delany

    A friend let me borrow this. Let’s hope they get it back next year!

    

24. Chitlin’ Circuit: And The Road to Rock And Roll by Preston Lauterbach

    I’ll be ready to answer any and all of your questions about it in 2025!

    

There we have it. That’s the list! If you live in New York, might I suggest seeing if you can purchase one of them at Taylor & Co. Books in Brooklyn?

It might sound familiar to you because of my text interview with its owner and operator,

Andrew E. Colarusso

, a few months back:

A [TEXT MESSAGE] Conversation With Andrew Colarusso

Happy reading!

-Tim