Favorite Books of 2022

Previously: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

In 2022, I again read 101 books, much fewer than in previous years. This is partially due to my growing podcast addiction, and partially due to the fact that I’m writing this a month early - on November 22 - because I will be out of town for the rest of the year. You can view my 2022 reading list on Goodreads. Each year, I blog about my favorite books, an idea I got from the incomparable Aaron Swartz.

So, without further ado, here are my...

Top 10 Favorite Books Read in 2022

1) Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. A tour de force of creativity. This book is overflowing with iconic lines, witty aphorisms, and sensational dialog. We need more writers like Palahniuk.

2) A Promised Land by Barack Obama. A thoroughly enjoyable look into Obama’s first term. He inherited the Great Financial Crisis and a whole host of culture wars. Throughout the book, Obama comes across as every bit as smart, reasonable, and decent as his reputation.

3) Red Roulette by Desmond Shum. Riveting from start to finish, this terrifying tell-all is all about the inner workings of the CCP, and a fascinating true-life story to boot.

4) Empires of the Sea by Roger Crowley. Wonderful. The story of how the Ottomans commanded the Mediterranean with the dreaded Barbarosa brothers is nothing short of epic. Next, Crowley tells the story of the Knights of St. John holding off the Ottoman fleet at the siege of Malta. Finally, Crowley finishes with the tale of how the Holy League beat the Ottomans at Lepanto in October of 1571, changing the course of history. Crowley, as usual, is in top form.

5) The Storyteller by Dave Grohl. Incredibly readable. Dave Grohl comes across as the positive and grateful person he seems to be in interviews. It is no wonder that everybody in the music industry wants to work with him.

6) Will by Will Smith. I was unable to put this book down. This fascinating book is packed with life lessons. I was riveted throughout.

7) New Teeth by Simon Rich. Simon Rich is a comedic genius. So many of his stories are just 100 percent perfect.

8) Tracy Flick Can't Win by Tom Perrotta. Perhaps the ending was a little deus ex machina for Tracy Flick, but I really enjoyed everything else about this book. I find small-town high school politics to be comforting, nostalgic, and poignantly funny. Perrotta has a gift for tracking myriad characters, each with their own distinct and believable voice. I also read Election and The Leftovers this year and, so far, this book is my favorite by Perrotta.

9) Cicero by Anthony Everitt. I have read a lot of Cicero’s writing, without reading his actual biography so this book was a very enjoyable way to learn more about the Roman statesman. My opinion of Cicero himself remains unchanged. On the one hand, he was somewhat self-made, a great orator, a wit, a productive writer, and a consul, who always managed to find himself at the center of world events. On the other hand, Cicero was vain; he was a gossip; he was egotistical; he was a complainer; and he sold out his ideals when it mattered most by turning his back on the Republic in order to flout Anthony. It is easier to admire the high-minded and unwavering principles of a Cato than a weather vane like Cicero. Cicero often reminds me of a politician who only makes decisions by taking opinion polls and hiring focus groups, rather than leading from a concrete set of values. In the end, I think Cicero’s choices reveal that his primary motive was always his own vanity and status rather than the glory of Rome or the longevity of the republic.

10) The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Follett brings medieval England to life with vividness and vitality. Each character and each line of dialog is utterly believable, which is rare for historical fiction. Half my life is spent daydreaming about living in other time periods so this book is a welcome opportunity to time travel.