The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

Join 1,707 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023

Book cover of Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life

Brian Rush McDonald Why did I love this book?

Year of the Tiger challenged me to make the most of my life despite difficulties. The author’s commitment to using her life to impact society despite severe disability is inspiring.

The author refused to accept ‘no’ from authorities when they said they could not accommodate her needs, and her doggedness has helped pave the way for others. She vividly showed how the accommodations provided through the Americans With Disabilities Act have been a life changer for her and so many others.

This was an informative and inspiring introduction to a world that I previously understood little of, a different kind of memoir, one I highly recommend.

By Alice Wong,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Year of the Tiger as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • ONE OF USA TODAY'S MUST-READ BOOKS • This groundbreaking memoir offers a glimpse into an activist's journey to finding and cultivating community and the continued fight for disability justice, from the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project

“Alice Wong provides deep truths in this fun and deceptively easy read about her survival in this hectic and ableist society.” —Selma Blair, bestselling author of Mean Baby

In Chinese culture, the tiger is deeply revered for its confidence, passion, ambition, and ferocity. That same fighting spirit resides in Alice Wong.
 
Drawing on a collection of original essays,…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2023

Book cover of A Place Called Home

Brian Rush McDonald Why did I love this book?

A Place Called Home is a glimpse into the world of homelessness, mental illness, and hunger.

It is almost unbelievable that a person could grow up in the circumstances Mr. Ambroz did, often hungry, taking care of his mother and siblings, scrounging for food, and being shuffled from one foster home after another. I found myself pulling for his survival every inch of the way. That Mr. Ambrose could grow up in such circumstances and still become a productive member of society inspires hope.

The book is a window into the plight of families who experience mental illness and homelessness and how society often fails them. It is an incredibly hopeful book.

By David Ambroz,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Place Called Home as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

PORCHLIGHT BESTSELLER
Zibby Owens 2022 Book of the Year

A galvanizing, stirring memoir about growing up homeless and in foster care and rising to become a leading advocate for child welfare, recognized by President Obama as an American Champion of Change.  “You will fall in love with David Ambroz, his beautifully-told, gut-wrenching story, and his great big heart.” (Jeanette Walls, author of The Glass Castle)

“It's impossible to read A Place Called Home and not want to redouble your efforts to fight the systems of poverty that have plagued America for far too long. In this book, David shares his…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023

Book cover of Gather Together in My Name

Brian Rush McDonald Why did I love this book?

Maya Angelou frankly and vividly tells of her early life, the difficulties she faced, and the courage she displayed in surviving with personal dignity still intact.

It is astounding that someone who endured what she did could eventually develop the skills to recount the story in such a vivid and compelling manner. The book enabled me to witness some of Black Americans' humiliation and suffering. Ms. Angelou's refusal to give up and her resourcefulness in surviving humbled me. It is a truly inspiring read.

By Maya Angelou,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Gather Together in My Name as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this second volume of her poignant autobiographical series, Maya Angelou powerfully captures the struggles and triumphs of her passionate life with dignity, wisdom, humor, and humanity.

“A curiously heartening story in which decency, honor, truth, love do exist, imperfectly, fractionally and flickeringly, not in some Platonic realm of the ideal, but in the flawed lives of real men and women.”—The Washington Post

Gather Together in My Name continues Maya Angelou’s personal story, begun so unforgettably in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. The time is the end of World War II and there is a sense of optimism…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

The Long Surrender: A Memoir about Losing My Religion

By Brian Rush McDonald,

Book cover of The Long Surrender: A Memoir about Losing My Religion

What is my book about?

Brian Rush McDonald became a Jesus freak in the 70s in Mobile, Alabama, and then immersed himself in the dogma of fundamentalism at an ultra-conservative college and seminary.

Troubled about the teaching that lost souls would face eternal damnation, he would eventually go to Taiwan with his wife and three children, serving as a missionary for seven years. But discomfort with religious dogma persisted, and he returned to America, continuing to serve as a pastor. He pursued a Ph.D. and came to understand himself better by studying spiritual development across the lifespan.

Thirty years after his youthful surrender to religious service, he walked away from the pulpit and into a different life. The Long Surrender is a riveting memoir about losing religion to find freedom.

Book cover of Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life
Book cover of A Place Called Home
Book cover of Gather Together in My Name

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