Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company. His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone. Or does he? An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian—while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Jasmine Bashara never signed up to be a hero. She just wanted to get rich. Not crazy, eccentric-billionaire rich, like many of the visitors to her hometown of Artemis, humanity’s first and only lunar colony. Just rich enough to move out of her coffin-sized apartment and eat something better than flavored algae. Rich enough to pay off a debt she’s owed for a long time. So when a chance at a huge score finally comes her way, Jazz can’t say no. Sure, it requires her to graduate from small-time smuggler to full-on criminal mastermind. And it calls for a particular combination of cunning, technical skills, and large explosions—not to mention sheer brazen swagger. But Jazz has never run into a challenge her intellect can’t handle, and she figures she’s got the ‘swagger’ part down. The trouble is, engineering the perfect crime is just the start of Jazz’s problems. Because her little heist is about to land her in the middle of a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself. Trapped between competing forces, pursued by a killer and the law alike, even Jazz has to admit she’s in way over her head. She’ll have to hatch a truly spectacular scheme to have a chance at staying alive and saving her city. Jazz is no hero, but she is a very good criminal. That’ll have to do. Propelled by its heroine’s wisecracking voice, set in a city that’s at once stunningly imagined and intimately familiar, and brimming over with clever problem-solving and heist-y fun, Artemis is another irresistible brew of science, suspense, and humor from #1 bestselling author Andy Weir.

In a Tokyo suburb, a young man named Toru Okada searches for his wife’s missing cat—and then for his wife as well—in a netherworld beneath the city’s placid surface. As these searches intersect, he encounters a bizarre group of allies and antagonists. Gripping, prophetic, and suffused with comedy and menace, this is one of Haruki Murakami’s most acclaimed and beloved novels.

Toru, a serious young college student in Tokyo, is devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. As Naoko retreats further into her own world, Toru finds himself drawn to a fiercely independent and sexually liberated young woman. Stunning and elegiac, Norwegian Wood first propelled Haruki Murakami into the forefront of the literary scene.

She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled. As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.

An electronics salesman who has been deserted by his wife agrees to deliver an enigmatic package— and is rewarded with a glimpse of his true nature. A man who views himself as the son of God pursues a stranger who may be his human father. A mild-mannered collection agent receives a visit from a giant talking frog who enlists his help in saving Tokyo from destruction. The six stories in this collection come from the deep and mysterious place where the human meets the inhuman—and are further proof that Murakami is one of the most visionary writers at work today.

by Haruki Murakami. In this book, Murakami shares his thoughts and experiences about running and writing. He talks about how he started running in his 30s and how it became a big part of his life. Running helps him think and gives him ideas for his writing. The book is like a diary where Murakami writes about his runs, the races he joins, and how running affects his life and work. He also talks about getting older and how that changes his running. The book is not just for runners but for anyone who enjoys a good story about trying hard and not giving up.

The best book about the best director in the world. It was such a great book it was adapted into a movie. Bet the other books on this list can't say that!

The great thing about this book is that it takes a big-picture view of human history. It attempts to explain the main themes of human history without getting bogged down in the details. Sapiens also debunks many popular myths about human history, including the one that people today live happier lives and have better diets than our hunter-gatherer predecessors. It comes with an epilogue about the future of humankind in light of ever-accelerating technological progress. With the recent advances in AI it is more relevant than ever. If you're going to read one book on history this year, read this one.

Hajime has arrived at middle age with a loving family and an enviable career, yet he feels incomplete. When a childhood friend, now a beautiful woman, shows up with a secret from which she is unable to escape, the fault lines of doubt in Hajime’s quotidian existence begin to give way. Rich, mysterious, and quietly dazzling, in South of the Border, West of the Sun the simple arc of one man’s life becomes the exquisite literary terrain of Murakami’s remarkable genius.

This is the only audiobook I've ever listened to lol. But it is a very interesting story about Elon, arguably the most interesting person alive.

While training for the New York City Marathon, Haruki Murakami decided to keep a journal of his progress. The result is a memoir about his intertwined obsessions with running and writing, full of vivid recollections and insights, including the eureka moment when he decided to become a writer. By turns funny and sobering, playful and philosophical, here is a rich and revelatory work that elevates the human need for motion to an art form.

I'm a sucker for audiobooks read by the author and this is one of them. Trevor Noah is a skilled comedian and his stories of his growing up in South Africa are genuinely hilarious. It's like listening to a book-length stand up show.

Greek myths retold by Stephen Fry. He is both the author and the narrator of this book. His wit and sense of humor come across in both the text and in the delivery. Plus, you actually get to learn Greek myths.

A book about surfing. An autobiography. Pulitzer Prizer winner 2016. Narrated by the author.

"The Black Swan" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a seminal work that explores the profound impact of rare and unpredictable events, termed "Black Swans." Taleb argues that these events, which are often overlooked or underestimated, have massive consequences on our world. He highlights the limitations of traditional forecasting methods and emphasizes the need for resilience and adaptability in the face of uncertainty. Blending philosophy, economics, and personal anecdotes, Taleb provides a compelling critique of our understanding of risk and uncertainty. This book is essential for anyone interested in risk management, economics, and understanding the unpredictable nature of our world.

"Fooled by Randomness" is a thought-provoking book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb that delves into the role of chance in our lives and how we often mistake random events for meaningful patterns. Through a mix of personal anecdotes, philosophical insights, and statistical analysis, Taleb explores how randomness affects the world of finance, business, and daily life. The book challenges readers to rethink their perceptions of success, failure, and the forces that drive outcomes. This book is ideal for readers interested in finance, probability, and the philosophical implications of randomness.

Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov, a Russian aristocrat is sentenced to house arrest in his residence at a luxury Hotel Metropol in Moscow. The story spans decades, as Rostov develops friendships, enmities and relationships with the staff and guests at the Metropol. I've actually listened to this story as an Audible audiobook two or three times.

ARQ is a tense sci-fi thriller that takes the time loop concept into a dystopian future. Directed by Tony Elliott, this 2016 Netflix film stars Robbie Amell and Rachael Taylor as a couple trapped in a time loop during a home invasion. The story unfolds in a world where energy resources are scarce, and a powerful machine called the ARQ might be the key to survival. As the protagonists relive the same few hours repeatedly, they must outsmart their attackers and figure out how to stop the loop, all while uncovering hidden truths.