10 Books That Have Stuck With Me 10 Years Later
A selection of titles that I originally read a decade ago and still wholeheartedly endorse.
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I’ve been keeping a book log for 13 years now. This means that every year when I start a new page on my reading spreadsheet, I can gaze back a full decade and take a stroll through books from my past.
Here are some books that I first read 10 years ago and have stuck with me. It was a really good reading year and I had a rather difficult time getting it down to 10 books.
I’d love to hear the books you read long ago that changed you, stayed with you, and found a permanent place in your memory.
Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer. Krakauer’s investigative journalism is a must-read, no matter the subject. In this book he explored the confluence of factors that led to NFLer Pat Tillman’s death by friendly fire in the hills of Afghanistan. For me, it was one of the first books to give a face to the forever war in the Middle East.
Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall. This book is one of the few to have ever made me cry. Denver Moore is a homeless man, Ron Hall is a self-made millionaire, and Miss Debbie (Ron’s stubborn, amazing wife) will change their lives forever. A true story that will definitely stay with you.
Phantoms in the Brain by VS Ramachandran. This was a book that Jane was reading for PT school and which I happened to pick up off the coffee table for the hell of it. I was entranced. Ramachandran’s writing about the brain will stick with you forever.
The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Potzsch. This underrated mystery series stars a hangman and his daughter investigating murderous doings in 17th century Germany. I’ve only read the first couple (of seven), but remember really enjoying the originality and setting.
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. To be honest, I don’t remember a ton of the particulars of this novel, but there are some scenes that remain very clear in my memory. Shuffling between Ethiopia and New York City, this long and affecting novel about brothers in medicine is quite powerful.
Dark Summit by Nick Heil. I can’t resist mountaineering stories. This memorable book tackles the darker side of adventure tourism, which has only gotten worse in the years since.
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris. This book is a classic in the biography genre for a reason. There’s just no way to regret reading this one (or the entire trilogy, really.) It’s about time I read it again, actually.
River of Doubt by Candice Millard. Morris got me on a Roosevelt kick and Millard is as good a narrative history writer as there is. All of her books are must-reads; this one narrows in on TR’s post-presidency South American adventures.
Little Bee by Chris Cleave. This is another story about which I don’t remember too many details of, but sure remember the feeling of reading it. One of the first books to open my eyes to the plight of refugees. Cleave is one of those authors who I’ll always read.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. I love all of Jamie Ford’s sentimental and heartfelt novels, but his best, in my opinion, remains his debut. This one traces the long friendship of a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl as they navigate WWII-era prejudices in the pacific northwest.
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-Jeremy