A List of Likes
Things that creatively inspired me in 2024
In no particular order, here’s a list of things I liked in 2024 that in some way shaped me as a person and as a creative.
Books:
A Canticle for Leibowitz was the book I read this year that will stay with me the longest. I read it as summer was turning into autumn and the world felt more surreal by the day. There were times that the novel felt less fiction and more fact. Science Fiction is not typically my go-to genre, so if you’re a fence-sitter on dystopian stories, rest assured: this is well-worth the read.
I reread Georges Bernanos’s Under the Sun of Satan for the first time since college and loved it even more on the second go around. It’s not an easy read. But it is so, so good. And chilling…
Speaking of chilling, I spent most of August listening to the audio book version of The Secret History while working on illustrations for a 2025 book. It’s been eons since I read that one, but hearing the story read by the author, Donna Tartt, was a treat.
Music:
Cunningham Bird covering Stevie Nicks was an utter delight, especially Crying in the Night.
Movies:
Wildcat was my absolute favorite movie of 2024, full stop. It’s classified as a Flannery O’Connor biopic, but it’s so much more. The way her short stories unfold in the movie is nothing short of magical. Wildcat is the movie that I foisted on friends and strangers alike, begging them to watch. I was a skeptic going into this one, because I loathe the way Flannery is typically reduced to a caricature, a cranky Southern lady wearing half rims pounding out stories of mayhem and violence. But the movie digs down deep into the red soil of Georgia and comes up with something incredibly special. This is probably going to go in my top five movies, ever.
Podcast:
Inconceivable Truth was the best podcast I listened to in 2024. It’s a story of mystery and family and all the grey areas in between. Journalist Matt Katz did an amazing job with this one and the way he unpacks familial identity is terrific. On a personal note, the podcast helped me understand DNA in such a way that I was able to make a breakthrough in the hunt for my own great-grandfather, a man I’ve been looking for since my teens.
Television:
Nolly was a delight. If you’ve ever struggled with the way life can sometimes feel like a deck of cards thrown in the air, this one’s for you. The true story of British soap opera actress Noele Gordon, it’s witty and fun, but unexpectedly perceptive. One aspect of the series that especially captivated me was its unpacking of concepts like love and success and how neither can be reduced to a formula.
Far North is hilarious (and heartbreaking). The true story of how an ordinary Kiwi couple took down a massive, international drug ring is insane. What I appreciated most with Far North was how the series shows that average people can be huge forces for good. Caveat: there is some rough language in this one and a plot line involving self-harm.
So that’s 2024, in a nutshell. Which begs the question: what creatively inspired you this year? I’m looking for books/movies/music to add to my to read/to watch/to listen list, so am up for any and all suggestions!