There is a lot more between the pages of a book than just stories.
Reading opens up doors to places that you probably will never get to visit in your lifetime, to cultures, to words, and to people.
It makes you more empathetic. By immersing yourself in other cultures, books give you the opportunity to enter fully into other people’s thoughts and feelings.
With a plethora of books coming out in 2023, how do you know the book to buy and for what season, especially if you don’t have a reading plan?
John Kimachu is the manager of Avenue Book Centre. He says that the book releases of 2023 promise to teach you, make you cry, take you around the world, and help you read outside of your norm.
Top books to put on your To Be Read List (TBR) this year, he says include; Naked Truth by Robbie Burns. It’s all about how anyone can make money trading shares, The Art of Execution by Dennis M. Bryan-on how the world’s best investors get it wrong and still make millions, and The Smart Money Method by Stephen Clapham-He speaks about how to pick stocks like a hedge fund pro.
The Infinite Leader by Chris Lewis-It is about balancing the demands of modern business leadership and Life’s Greatest Secret by Mathew Cobb is all about the race to crack the genetic code.
“Other releases that you cannot afford to miss include Sense-hacking by Chris Evans, The Alignment Problem by Brian Christian, Trust and Inspire by Stephen M.R.Covey, and Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb," says Mr Kimachu.
For Kenyan titles, readers have varieties in store.
They include Confessions of Nairobi Women by Joan Thatiah. The book offers a candid look into the life of a Nairobi woman today, the societal hurdles and decisions she faces, and the consequences that follow.
Hawkers-Pokers by Kinyanjui Kombani, and Should I? by Florence Bett- responds to your lingering questions about your personal finances.
Drunk by Jackson Biko. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NMG
Retirement Planning, a holistic guide to a satisfying season by Rose Wakiria, Making Cents, real conversation about personal finance by Waceke Nduati Omanga and Money Wise by Rina Karina Hicks will also make for interesting reads.
At Text Book Centre, some of the Kenyan titles any reader should not miss this year include Beauty Queen by Barbara Kimenye, a book that is developed to meet the supplementary reading needs of young people and to encourage reading for pleasure, Jackson Biko’s Drunk, a book about a man of means with a passion for life, zest for the finer things in life, including women and Thursdays, a book that depicts the life of struggling artistes, and Best of Whispers by the late Wahome Mutahi.
Some other African titles include On Black Sisters’ Street by Chika Unigwe, YouthCan, a book by Lizz Ntonjira which is a collection of powerful, inspiring and challenging stories from youth breaking barriers across Africa, and Prayer Battle2 by Dr D.K. Olukoya.
Other books to anticipate this year according to African Book Addict include; Hangman by Maya Binyam, BUTCH by Kima Jones, Innards: stories by Magogodi oaMphela Makhene, The Year of Return by Ivana Akotowaa Ofori, Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase and Digging Stars by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma among others.
