Top 5 books of 2022
I said in a recent post that I read a lot. We have a TV in our house, but it’s in the basement and the only way to use it is to pull something up on your phone then use the screen mirroring thingy with the apple TV box, and because the Internet is a little iffy down there, it really doesn’t work that well, which is fine with me. I’d much rather read.
As long as I can remember, back to my earliest childhood, I would be in my room reading when the rest of the family was watching TV. Except for Sunday nights when we got Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins. That show was a gift and I never missed it. Even before I could read, I would much rather have my mother sitting on my bed reading Uncle Wiggly and His Friends or The Giraffe Who Went to School, two of my favorites.
I remember the day my mother took me to the public library and I got my first library card. The librarian walked me around and showed me where everything was. Unfortunately, this was way before I knew the difference between fiction and non-fiction, and her explanation of the Dewey decimal system and the card catalog with its tentacle-like drawers was way beyond my 8-year-old brain’s capacity to grasp. My mother made sure I knew where to find books for my age and reading level and I was in heaven. The only downside was that I couldn’t drive yet, so I had to wait until someone had time to take me to my favorite place on earth. I’ve been an avid reader ever since.
But back to 2022. These days I don’t find much that interests me at the library, though I don’t spend a lot of time there. Small-town libraries are suffering at the hands of Amazon. Mostly I see a book someone else has read on social media and I go right to Amazon and one-click-order it. I’ve found some great books that way.
Also, an aside: did you know that with Amazon Prime you can choose a charity to connect with, and then every time you order, a portion of what you’ve spent is given to that charity? As if I needed another reason to order more books . . . I just learned this last year. Maybe I’m late to the party?
Anyway, I read 42 books last year, which I feel like is pretty good for someone who races around trying to keep up with Captain Energy (Ben) and his never-ending supply of projects. I didn’t finish a couple of them because I got bored with them, but most I read front to back. Here are my top five.
The Power of Writing It Down, by Allison Fallon
This one is at the top of my list for the year. I’ve listened to Ally’s podcast Find Your Voice many times since she is a writer who speaks to writers, so when I heard about this book, I had to have it. It did not disappoint. If you have ever been through a difficulty, a trauma, a stressful situation (in other words, if you’re human), and found yourself stuck ruminating about it, Ally shows you how to get past it faster and more easily than you thought possible. It’s all in how you write it down. Without being dramatic, I can say this book has been almost life-changing for me. Highly recommend.
Carnegie’s Maid, by Marie Benedict
I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but this was a book I saw someone else reading (thanks, Nina!) and decided to try. It’s clean, the characters are relatable and believable, and the story pulls you along. I loved this one.
My Last Name, by Erich Schumacher
This very short book is probably labeled fiction but reads like a memoir—that of an elderly lady who obviously has an impaired memory at the end of her life. Through the story, she remembers her first last name, her second, and her third, and a little about each one. In the end though, none of those names matter but the new one she is given. You can read this in one sitting, and the end is breathtakingly beautiful. I’ve read it twice and cried both times.
The Memoir Project, by Marion Roach Smith
Marion Roach is the queen of memoir writing. She has written it (Another Name for Madness which I also read this year) and taught it for most of her adult life. If you want to know about writing memoir, she’s your gal. This little guide is invaluable if you think you have a story to share. Read it, and she will help you get your story out. Recommended for writers and those who want to be.
Saved at the Seawall, by Jessica duLong
Since 2001 I have been fascinated by stories from the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and I love reading different people’s perspectives. Saved at the Seawall contains stories of the mass evacuation of lower Manhattan across New York Harbor, in most cases by mariners who were never trained for such an event. I loved this. True stories, brutal honesty. Language warning.
I feel like I read more than my share of duds this year and I won’t bother mentioning them. But here are a few more I liked that didn’t make my top 5:
Finish, by Jon Acuff. Jon is always good for some motivation.
God Has a Name, by John Mark Comer. Brutal honesty here: This was one of the first books I read last year so it’s been a minute and I just don’t remember much about the book except that I closed it thinking, “That was pretty good!” I just don’t remember why. Sorry.
Undistracted, by Bob Goff. Encouraging, uplifting, motivating.
How to Do the Work, by Dr. Nicole LePera. If you’re at all interested in your own mental health (or that of someone close to you), you should read this.
Another Name for Madness, by Marion Roach. The memoir written about her mother’s journey through early-onset dementia. I liked this not just because it’s a great example of memoir, but because I lived for a year with someone who had dementia, so I could relate.
Subpar Parks, by Amber Share. This book covers all the US National Parks, and some candid reviews visitors left of them. Hilariously funny. (Yosemite: “A bunch of gray rocks.”)
The Judge’s List, and The Whistler, by John Grisham. Every once in a while you just want a good legal thriller, and who else would you read but Grisham? These were both great.
The Women in the Castle, by Jessica Shattuck. Historical fiction, the story of a small group of women whose husbands were part of the German resistance during WW2 and killed for it. Language and adult themes, but a compelling albeit very sad story.
About Alice, by Calvin Trillin. The memoir Trillin wrote about his late wife, Alice. By the end of the short book you know Alice well and wish you could grab a coffee with her. She sounds like a delightful person.
The Gay Talese Reader, by Gay Talese. Recommended by Marion Roach, this is a collection of essays written by Talese. His most famous “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold” is included. I wasn’t so much interested in Sinatra as I was in how Talese wrote about him and others.
Forgiving What You Can’t Forget, by Lysa Turkeurst. A deep look at forgiveness. Maybe a little too touchy-feely for me, but she makes a lot of good connections.
My Life and Hard Times, by James Thurber. Isn’t anything by James Thurber a classic?
Widen the Window, by Elizabeth A. Stanley. Specifically, the author writes about widening your window of tolerance to better handle the stresses of life and recover from trauma. I loved about two-thirds of this book, then hit a wall and couldn’t make myself read any more. I think I was just trauma’d out for the year.
And that’s a reading wrap for 2022. I’ve already started my list for 2023 and would love your suggestions. What’s the best book you’ve read recently and what did you love about it? Please share!
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One of the best reads was by a favorite author, Carol Kent. “When I Lay my Isaac Down”. How to deal with and overcome unbelievable, unexpected circumstances and hold on to your faith.