47 Books in 2022
A friend told me that I seemed so “productive” lately and I bristled. It sounded like I was selling out to grind culture and capitalism. Yet it’s true, I read a lot, I’m constantly crafting, I train the dogs, I work full time, I squeeze in a lot of naps. How can I reframe productivity with an abundance mindset?
I did read a bunch this year, check out my reviews and Kindle highlights below or follow me on Goodreads.
If you read only one book off the list:
All the Horses of Iceland
by Sarah Tolmi
A beautiful book of adventure, human nature and the unknown as an Icelandic traveler brings a herd of horses to his homeland. I promise it’s unlike anything you’ve read before.
FIVE STARS
The Maker of Swans *****
by Paraic O’Donnell
This scratches my never ending itch for the perfect book about subtle magic.
There was something in this that Eustace found both unsurprising and indistinctly loathsome.
All the Horses of Iceland *****
by Sarah Tolmi
A beautiful tale of travelers, outcasts, horses and magic. I wish I could get up close to the white mare with no name.
Magic cuts across all faiths.
Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir *****
by Akwaeke Emezi
Akwaeke Emezi casts a spell: “face your work.” And then they do. And do it with outstanding skill and artistry. And again. And again. The life of an ogbanje isn’t simple. But it is fascinating.
I took a picture of it in my mind; I wanted to remember precisely this moment, if nothing else.
FOUR STARS
The Book of Difficult Fruit: Arguments for the Tart, Tender, and Unruly (with Recipes) ****
by Kate Lebo
Four stars for any book that has an entire chapter on thimbleberries. They are amazing. They look like a weird raspberry and taste like a cherry. I only see them when I’m deep in the woods. Hence the “difficult fruit.”
The recipe for this chapter should be “Stop Pretending There Are Recipes That Rescue Zucchini.”
Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto ****
by Tricia Hersey
I have been following Bishop Hersey’s work for many years and she is a huge source of inspiration. I do not buy in to grind culture and actively seek to construct an existence outside of it.
The NYT wrote up the book’s release and I read the article. And then the comments (I know…) and wasn’t shocked at how quickly race became an issue to some commenters. Hersey was called, inspired and driven to her work based on the treatment of her ancestors. I find it so beautiful and powerful that she has found a lineage to her rest movement in Maroons and her Grandma Ora. She’s a beautiful person and this manifesto is a beautiful love song to the rest we all deserve. This is about more than naps, but it’s Sunday so please go nap.
Each time I arose from a rest moment, things felt different. I looked different, my thinking was different, things that I couldn’t work out while awake made sense after a nap.
The Wild Truth: A Memoir ****
by Carine McCandless
Perhaps a strange book to start on Christmas day. But it was so hard to put down I stayed up until 4am to finish it. I knew Chris’ desire to find something in the Alaskan wilderness was serious. Into the Wild shouldn’t be romanticized. With his sister Carine’s book, his journey takes on greater meaning.
“Everyone was so kind and forgiving of Chris for what he’s done to this family,” she continued.
Trust Exercise ****
by Susan Choi
The high school emotions feel so so real. When love and attachments either makes you feel flying high or utterly crushed.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue ****
by V.E. Schwab
We’re terrified of not being seen, but what’s worse is being forgotten immediately.
And no matter how desperate or dire, never pray to the gods that answer after dark.
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood ****
by Trevor Noah
Growing up black in South Africa sounds very very different than in the US. His stories of his mom are so touching and loving. His antics with friends are hilarious.
Filthy Animals ****
by Brandon Taylor
I couldn’t really tell you exactly what the book is about. Nothing? Everything? People? Love? Indifference? But one of the best books I’ve read so far this year.
Real Life ****
by Brandon Taylor
I probably should have given myself a little breathing room between two Brandon Taylor books. Similarly devastating.
People can be unpredictable in their cruelty.
In the Eye of the Wild ****
by Nastassja Martin, Sophie R. Lewis (Translator)
After a bear attack, the author and we need to decide how we feel about it. As an animism anthropologist, she seems to embrace becoming a “medka” (people who are marked by the bear). I have conflicted feelings but feel deep compassion for both her and the bear.
There is something invisible that impels our lives towards the unexpected.
We the Animals ****
by Justin Torres
I always read the author’s acknowledgements and was pleased at the end to recognize the name of his partner as an old colleague of mine. What a small, tiny world this is!
We Had to Remove This Post ****
by Hanna Bervoets, Emma Rault (Translator)
Too true. Too real. But disturbing enough to make me read it in one sitting.
Goodbye, Vitamin ****
by Rachel Khong
A tender, sweet book about a daughter making memories while her dad loses his.
You know what else is unfair, about Joel? That I loosened the jar lid, so somebody else could open him.
The Illness Lesson ****
by Clare Beams
A story within a story. Where birds live within the girls and the girls want to be free like birds.
Abigail’s cheeks were red with risk.
Notes on a Silencing ****
by Lacy Crawford
Unfortunately the assault is not as remarkable as the lengths the school went to place the blame at the author’s feet. Then the details of her family and upbringing make it clear why she framed the event in terms of “what she did” not “what happened to her.”
My parents did not speak to me again about what happened at St. Paul’s. The conversation simply ended.
The Vegetarian ****
by Han Kang, Deborah Smith (Translator)
Intimate and shocking, yet tender. I loved seeing the story from so many perspectives.
Ring Shout ****
by P. Djèlí Clark
Ku Klux Klan as literal demons? A monster made up of millions of mouths? Scary, yet sweet.
Open Book ****
by Jessica Simpson, Kevin Carr O’Leary
I needed a win. I read a few books in a row that just felt like work. Jessica seems like a lovely, if misunderstood and underestimated person.
Darning: Repair Make Mend ****
by Hikaru Noguchi
After taking Hikaru’s workshop, I loved reading her book and hearing her voice through her instructions and stories. Her work is so beautiful!
Creative Mending: Beautiful Darning, Patching and Stitching Techniques ****
by Hikaru Noguchi
I love Hikaru’s approach to mending. She sees everything with such texture and vibrancy.
The Geometry of Hand-Sewing: A Romance in Stitches and Embroidery from Alabama Chanin and The School of Making ****
by Natalie Chanin
This book comes with plastic patterns for stitches! Amazing!
The Art of Repair ****
by Molly Martin
What a lovely surprise of a tiny book! Her stories and illustrations are short, simple and memorable.
Hunting Together: Harnessing Predatory Chasing in Family Dogs through Motivation-Based Training (Predation Substitute Training) ****
by Simone Mueller
Excited to try a new training technique. After chasing an elk, Arco needs something and he could care less about treats.
THREE STARS
The Anomaly ***
by Hervé Le Tellier, Adriana Hunter (Translator)
Moral of the story is that the United States (and more specifically the president) always fucks it up. Lots of interesting what ifs to explore.
Shirley ***
by Susan Scarf Merrell
I really like Shirley Jackson. And this book tried to make me like her less. It didn’t work, but it was hard to focus.
i am the pebble in your italian loafers (also the reason you can own them).
An Ordinary Age: Finding Your Way in a World That Expects Exceptional ***
by Rainesford Stauffer
The author talks about the difficulties of twenty-somethings as they move from their parents’ home, stumble around for a decade or two and then make their own home.
I remember this feeling as a young Gen Xer. And then the gaze shifted to Millennials. And now it’s shifted again. I’m incredibly thankful social media wasn’t the driving force it is now.
Most [people] don’t just want to be included and invited, but valued and seen.
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle ***
by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
Good book, great content, annoying writing. Please don’t write “(ugh!)” every single time you write “the patriarchy.” It felt very “privileged Gen Xer,” which I am a member. But also felt very not me. 🤷♀️
Dealing with your stress is a separate process from dealing with the things that cause your stress.
This Is Major: Notes on Diana Ross, Dark Girls, and Being Dope ***
by Shayla Lawson
An interesting book of essays. Most interesting is that she worked at digital agencies in Portland and I used LinkedIn to figure out which ones and which of my colleagues she knows.
The Great Alone ***
by Kristin Hannah
I stayed up until 3am and cried multiple times, but also kept telling myself it wasn’t a good enough book to warrant so many tears. Alaska…it intrigues me and has captured my heart.
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals ***
by Oliver Burkeman
Not a productivity book, but a book about our relationship with time. Everything was going well until he referenced a study that concluded people are happier on vacation (duh!) through a flawed correlation to refilling antidepressants. What?!? I lost steam after that.
In what ways have you yet to accept the fact that you are who you are, not the person you think you ought to be?
An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good ***
by Helene Tursten, Marlaine Delargy (Translator)
It’s cute, but also weird because Maud is a murderer. Elderly ladies…don’t mess with them.
The Red Parts ***
by Maggie Nelson
My husband calls my TV shows my murder shows. So I guess this is one of my murder books. Not much of a review, but there it is.
Sometimes this genius goes dark and sinks down into the bitter well of his heart, but mostly his apocalyptic star glitters wondrously.
Many Hands Make A Quilt: Short Histories of Radical Quilting ***
by Jess Bailey
Let’s make more radical quilts, k?
Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash Aggressive Dog ***
by Patricia B. McConnell, Karen B. London
Patricia McConnell never disappoints with dog advice. Oh Arco…when will you grow up.
TWO STARS
Craft: An American History **
by Glenn Adamson
I’m sure there was a thread that I was supposed to be following, but it felt like it jumped all over the place (Paul Revere, labor unions, communes, etc). There were sections I was stoked about and others I glossed over. It is very clear that yes, America was “founded” on craft. And that yes, it’s more complicated and nuanced. As always. :)
“The only reason I am not a frustrated woman,” she liked to say, “is that weavers do not frustrate easily.”
Artemis **
by Andy Weir
Did I misremember The Martian? This was a groaner. When Evan asked what book I was reading, I said “it’s a bad book that’s kind of interesting.” So yeah…
The Silent Patient **
by Alex Michaelides
Seriously? I mean sure…I didn’t see that coming. But they were just all so unlikeable.
Wanderlust: A History of Walking **
by Rebecca Solnit
I always finish books, but couldn’t finish this one. And it was a Rebecca Solnit book?!?
Acronym AFGO, “another fucking growth opportunity”
We Cast a Shadow **
by Maurice Carlos Ruffin
When you don’t like or respect the protagonist, it’s a challenging read. In a dystopian future, he sells out for the “good” of his son, who doesn’t want to have anything to do with it (or him).
The Red Zone: A Love Story **
by Chloe Caldwell
It’s staggering that women survive the hormonal swings we endure on a monthly basis. We suffer in silence and wonder if we’re the only one. The author lets us know that we are NOT alone and we don’t have to suffer in silence. Her partner has saint-like patience to navigate it with her.
Your period is like an outdoor cat — you know it’s gonna come back at some point but you’re never positive when, and you have no idea what it’s gonna have in its mouth.”
Jerks at Work: Toxic Coworkers and What to Do About Them **
by Tessa West
Perhaps it’s the realization that we’re all the jerks she’s describing. Or that (most) people don’t intend to be a jerk. Or that all of the anecdotes seem very very made up. Act as if people have the best intentions. Talk to your coworkers like adults. Take care of yourself. Work is hard.
Don’t expect your boss to figure out how miserable you are. Instead, come to them with a plan — including how you will help execute that plan — that will make it easy for them to re-engage with you.
No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model **
by Richard C. Schwartz
After determining multiple personality disorder isn’t a thing, IFS basically says that we have multiple parts (personalities). Maybe it’s just that my brain doesn’t work this way that frustrates me, but I didn’t like the book.
The big book of perfume. For an olfactory culture **
by Jeanne Dore
It should be called “The Big Book of the Business of Perfume” as (it felt like) the focus is on the machine behind making perfume and less about perfume itself. Interesting, but not perfume focused.
ONE STAR
Good Morning, Monster: A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery *
by Catherine Gildiner
This book made me very uncomfortable. Not in how she described each patient’s incredibly complex challenges, but in her questionable tactics in getting them to talk, gaining their trust and manipulating them to “do therapy” with her.
Her interactions with Peter and Danny were especially painful because of her lack of cultural sensitivity. And her diagnosis of multiple personality disorder (which doesn’t even exist) for Alana seems unethical.
Madam *
by Phoebe Wynne
More suspense and less pearl clutching please!
