What can we say, we’re a bunch of bookworms.
In the midst of their busy schedules, KCM founders Katie Couric and John Molner manage to find the time to add another title to their multi-hyphenate resumes: Certified bookworms. We asked them for the best books they read in 2023, and let’s just say they had trouble narrowing their lists down. But Katie and John aren’t the only well-read members of team KCM: We polled the rest of the staff about their favorite reads from the past 12 months, and the picks are wide-ranging. From thrilling to moving and everything in-between, there’s something on this list, no matter what you’re in the mood for. Let’s dive right in!
Katie Couric’s favorite books of 2023
Lives of the Wives by Carmela Ciuraru
This is one of my favorite books, and not simply because I’ve known the author since she was 16! A brilliant look at five literary marriages and their dynamics—often dominated by egos, misogyny and suppressed ambition. Sounds heavy, but Carmela’s extraordinary writing and razor sharp wit makes you feel like an eyewitness to these marriages. I especially enjoyed the story of Patricia Neal and Roald Dahl. As Nancy Meyers would say, “It’s complicated.” – Katie Couric
Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro
Dani is a fabulous writer and an even better person. Her book is about trauma, loss, loneliness and really the human condition. I love the characters she creates — they’re unforgettable.
My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand
I mean, she’s an icon. I used to know all the words to “Second Hand Rose” when I was 8, and when she came on my talk show, she brushed my bangs aside and said, “Your girl is lovely, Hubbell.” Need I say more?
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Nobody said the list had to be books that came out in 2023! I forgot what a great (albeit flowery) writer F. Scott was — for example, when describing summer parties at Jay Gatsby’s house, Nick Carraway observes, “At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motorboats slit the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam.” Cataracts of foam? See what I mean? Anyway, it brought back some nice memories of reading it in high school — or were those the CliffsNotes?
John Molner’s favorite books of 2023
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin
My dad Herby read this biography (which is the inspiration for the Christopher Nolan movie, Oppenheimer) and told me he loved it (as did many others!). I picked it up before we left on a fly-fishing trip a few weeks ago and really enjoyed the book. My immediate takeaways (spoiler alert): Oppenheimer was not a Communist and he was very, very smart! I’m glad Oppenheimer was on the American side. It’s unclear whether the Manhattan Project would have delivered this new age weapon to the Americans in time without his leadership — and the Germans were also racing to develop their own A-bomb. – John Molner
Aurora by David Koepp
The second of two novels by a brilliant writer (who I first met 40 years ago when I was a freshman in college) who’s best known for his screenplays for dozens of films including Jurassic Park, Mission Impossible, and Spider-Man. While his movies include blockbusters and other great films, I really love his books: Aurora, which is set in the small city outside of Chicago, shows us the chaos that comes as people scramble to prepare for a global power outage expected from a major, once-in-a-century solar event. But rather than show us the disaster and the total dislocation brought to a large city, Koepp zeroes in on his main characters — a tech titan and his estranged sister in a small community. It’s ultimately a story about their relationship set against the backdrop of this unimaginable global power catastrophe. Koepp is a master storyteller — and this is really a fun ride. I also loved his first novel, Cold Storage. In it, a long-dormant, highly transmissible, deadly fungus threatens human life — with only a few unlikely defenders standing between the release of the fast-spreading virus and the global human race. Koepp really makes this a page-turner; check out my interview with him in Molner’s Table. –John Molner
We Should Not Be Friends by Will Schwalbe
Loved, loved this book — as I also enjoyed Will’s earlier books (particularly End of Your Life Book Club). In his most recent book, Will explores an unexpected friendship that started between him and a Yale classmate. What did Will, a gay intellectual book nut (he reads everything) have in common with a Yale wrestler (and future Navy seal)? Will takes us on the journey of an unexpected friendship that’s 40 years strong and still going. –John Molner
The Auburn Conference by Tom Piazza
We’ve all been struck by a book that consumed our thoughts and inspired ongoing reflection. That’s what happened when Elvis Costello — yes, that Elvis Costello — read Tom Piazza’s latest book, The Auburn Conference. The premise of the novel is heady stuff: What if, during a late-1800s writer’s conference, legendary scribes like Mark Twain, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, and Harriet Beecher Stowe all rubbed elbows and discussed the state of the union? The questions they examine along the way have plenty of relevance to not only the tumult of the country post-Civil War but to 2023, too. Katie and I ran into Costello at an event and found out he’s a longtime pal of Piazza’s — so, naturally, I had to ask him some questions about their friendship and his thoughts on the book. –John Molner
Children of the State by Jeff Hobbs
Jeff is an extraordinarily talented writer and a keen observer. In his most recent book, Children of the State, Jeff takes us up close and personal into our nation’s dysfunctional juvenile detention system. Why is it important? Why should we care? What happens if we don’t address the issues? Jeff makes us wrestle with something I’d never given much thought to, but now appreciate that we need to fix, as it’s hopelessly broken. The kids sentenced to incarceration in juvenile penitentiaries are disproportionately from marginalized and under-resourced communities; many of them come from homes where they’re not getting the support they need from parents. Once a child finds their way into the juvenile system, it doesn’t get better. Jeff’s first book, The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, is also an important and beautifully written story. It’s about the untimely, tragic death of a remarkable young man who made his way from the poorest section of Newark to Yale, before getting pulled back into the world of crime and drugs.
The Wager by David Grann
This story, another in Grann’s historical fiction series, takes place around the events of the shipwreck of the British ship HMS Wager in the mid-18th century. Most of the crew died from starvation and exposure, but a number of men survived and returned to England in 1745. Grann reconstructs the mutiny, despair, and terrifying events of the survivors of this shipwreck. It’s an incredibly engrossing story — meticulously researched and expertly told by Grann.
How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks
This one’s a favorite of both John and Katie! Says Katie, “David Brooks, one of the smartest people I know, is unbelievably vulnerable about his inability to truly connect with people and equally admirable in his desire to, at 62, change. For anyone trying to foster deeper relationships, this book is invaluable. It’s also surprisingly amusing.” John adds, “I’m just starting this book but I’m really curious to read. I loved Katie’s interview with David on her podcast, along with Kelly Corrigan, so I bought a copy!”
KCM staff’s top picks
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
I didn’t think I was a big horror fan before I picked up this book — which is admittedly weird, considering how much I love murder mysteries and thrillers — but Grady Hendrix’s writing totally changed me. The book’s about two estranged siblings who have to sell their parents’ house following their sudden death. The only problem? Their parents collected a ton of creepy dolls and puppets, and the dolls don’t exactly want to leave. This book is funny, scary, and has a whole lot of heart. I know it sounds like a weird mix, but trust me on this one. – Sara Levine, Newsletter Editor
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
This love story, told over the span of three decades, uses the backdrop of a burgeoning gaming industry to explore a relationship between two video game creators who are business partners, at times unrequited lovers, and other times platonic frenemies. The characters are insufferable with their inability to communicate with each other, a frustration for the reader that also feels very relatable. – Matthew Sobocinski, Video Producer
I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
I Have Some Questions for You is nowhere near as good as Makkai’s 2018 book The Great Believers (see below), but it’s still a very entertaining piece of literature. Makkai has an uncanny ability to write in two different time frames and then piece them together seamlessly. This novel takes a former student at a New England boarding school back to the campus for a winter stint teaching podcasting, and revolves around her convincing a student to tell a true crime story about a homicide that took place on the campus when she was a student. – Matthew Sobocinski, Video Producer
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
I’m a big reader (I read over 30 books this year) and The Great Believers was my favorite by a landslide. Our video producer Matt Sobocinski and I share a lot of book recommendations, and this is the first one we actually both recommended to each other. The Great Believers jumps in time between Chicago in the 1980s and follows a group of young gay men at the height of the AIDS crisis and the present day, as a mother tries to rescue her daughter from a cult. It’s absolutely heartbreaking, and you’ll fall in love with a lot of characters, only to lose them. But the book’s also a beautiful reminder to live life to the fullest, and to give your heart fully to the people you love, while you can. – Emily Pinto, Senior Producer
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
This was the “it” book of late 2022, but I didn’t read it until this year, and was very — sorry — glad I finally did. A memoir by a Nickelodeon kid star-turned-author, it explores McCurdy’s intensely traumatic upbringing. The book basically deserves the world’s biggest trigger warning: McCurdy explores eating disorders, alcoholism, sexual abuse, and heaping helpings of family dysfunction. But the book’s primary focus is on the catastrophically terrible parenting of the titular mom, who had serious mental-health issues, forced her daughter into acting, and used any means necessary to keep McCurdy in show biz. It’s absolutely unputdownable, and I highly recommend listening to the audiobook version: Hearing McCurdy’s voice crack as she recounts some of the darkest passages makes it very clear how much she weathered — and how hard she fought to rebuild her life. – Molly Simms, Editorial Director
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
As someone navigating early adulthood as a twentysomething, Dolly’s personal stories are a powerful and youthful read. Full of friendships, bad dates, and lessons on how to approach life, this book is lighthearted, relatable, and hilarious. Hardships come to the surface that someone of any age can relate to: issues that make them question if they’re “enough,” and where they’re meant to be. At the beginning, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the protagonist to find romantic love. At the end, it turns out that my favorite part was the idea that love was around her all along, especially in her female friendships — the kind of love that inspires you, supports you, and brings you back when you feel lost. – Corinne Brown, Associate Graphic & Brand Designer
Remainder by Tom McCarthy
This novel is from 2005, but I just got around to it earlier this year, and it’s really stuck with me. It’s narrated by a man who’s involved in a traumatic accident; he doesn’t remember the details, but he does end up with a significant financial settlement. His recovery requires him to re-learn basic parts of human physicality, which he believes makes his experiences less authentic, since he can’t be “in the moment” as he once was. To deal with that, he uses his windfall to develop increasingly complicated recreations of innocuous moments from his past, hoping to recapture the feelings of spontaneity that came with them. I loved the book’s exploration of how we connect with memories and what makes them special — and what can happen when nostalgia becomes an obsession. – Ryan Buxton, Deputy Editor
American Royals IV: Reign by Katharine McGee
I’m not even an avid follower of the actual Royal Family, but I love this series that takes place in a fictional United States, where a monarchy was established after the Revolutionary War. The series starts in the present day, where eldest daughter Beatrice is preparing to ascend to the throne, and her “spare” siblings Samantha and Jefferson are trying to stay out of trouble — and failing. This fun, melodramatic (in the best way) series is perfect for fans of The Crown and Red, White, and Royal Blue, and with the fourth American Royals book, McGee wraps it up in a perfectly satisfying fashion. – Sara Levine, Newsletter Editor
Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss’s Glossier by Marisa Meltzer
If you moved to NYC around 2015, then you’ll remember the chokehold that Glossier (the brand and the products) had on women of a certain age. I remember following the brand avidly, waiting in line for pop-up store experiences, going to their Glossier fragrance exhibit, and desperately trying to figure out a way I could work there (all while spending lots of $$ on the Glossier products). But just as quickly as this company rose to the top of the social food pyramid, it just as quickly fell down the ranks — going from a fledgling it-girl start-up that was going to break the mold on beauty and tech, to… just your average, somewhat-overpriced, mediocre beauty brand. This book reads like a fast-paced thriller, and Marisa’s brilliant reporting and writing is incredibly entertaining for beauty insiders and outsiders alike. – Julia Lewis, Director of Digital Media & Brand Content
Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology, Edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C Van Alst Jr.
This book is for all my fellow spooky folklore readers. This anthology of spine-tingling tales written by Indigenous authors explores complex family legacies, monstrous creatures, generational trauma, ghosts, and so much more. These stories are a celebration of Indigenous peoples’ survival and imagination —you’ll be on the edge of your seat while reading. – Julia Lewis, Director of Digital Media & Brand Content
Mobility by Lydia Kiesling
This whip-smart bildungsroman is made for you if you have a love/hate relationship with girlboss culture. Protagonist Bunny Glenn starts off as a surly American teen living in Azerbaijan with her foreign service family. As a typical 90s kid, her chief interests include boys, magazines, and her social status at boarding school. Elegantly paced, the narrative swiftly follows frustratingly unmotivated Bunny from the collapsed Soviet Union back to America, where she eventually stumbles into a career in the oil industry. Kiesling deftly balances huge, frightening concepts like capitalism and environmental destruction with the minutiae of Bunny’s much simpler day-to-day ambitions — stalking her ex on Facebook, watching Homeland, and studying the caloric content of Trader Joe’s salads. This book is a must-read for anyone who feels complicit in global climate change and feels guilty for squashing those uncomfortable feelings in favor of pouring a glass of wine and vegging out in front of the TV. You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, and you’ll feel an overwhelming urge to book a Grecian vacation. – Diana Valenzuela, Assistant Editor
The Jolliest Bunch: Unhinged Holiday Stories by Danny Pellegrino
Millennials, Xennials, and Gen Xers — rejoice! You don’t have to be a devoted listener of Pellegrino’s laugh-out-loud Everything Iconic podcast to appreciate his newest book. I love the short story format, which bounces around from different holidays in the 1980s and 1990s, with a heavy dose of nostalgia that’s perfect for this time of year. Think of a cross between David Sedaris’ Holidays on Ice and Casey Wilson’s Wreckage of My Presence — funny, raw, relatable. This is a great follow up to his other short stories book, How Do I Un-Remember This?, which KCM also loved (of course). – Sara Sajadi, Head of Growth Marketing and Strategy
