Two thousand twenty two was such a stellar year of reading that I had a hard time choosing my favorite books. After mulling it over for a few days here are my list(s). What was the best book you read last year?
THE BEST OF THE BEST: FICTION, NONFICTION, AND COFFEE-TABLE BOOKS
The Unfolding by A.M. Homes – Stunning, timely, relevant, devastating. A marriage and a nation unfolding. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/11/01/the-unfolding/
Matrix by Lauren Groff – A triumph of a story that you would not expect to be interested in. Nuns in the 1100s? Yes! https://bookthrasher.com/2022/12/29/matrix/
Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor – A sci-fi fairy tale set in Ghana. I loved this sad but wonderful novella. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/12/31/remote-control/
People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn – The disturbing rise of antisemitism in 2022 makes this even more of a must-read. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/01/31/people-love-dead-jews/
The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright – Pulitzer Prize winning account of the buildup to 9-11. A masterpiece of research and storytelling. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/08/17/the-looming-tower-al-qaeda-and-the-road-to-9-11/
Our National Monuments: America’s Hidden Gems by QT Luong – The photographs and text go together beautifully. I loved this book and mapped out the road trip of my dreams in my review. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/04/24/coffee-table-books/
The Ultimate Art Museum by Ferren Gipson – This children’s book isn’t just for kids. Ultimate is right, this art book has it all and is ultra engaging and enriching. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/06/19/the-ultimate-art-museum/
May I Come In? by Wendy Goodman – Let Wendy take you on a tour of the fabulous and the horrendous – depending on your tastes. It’s fun to peek inside over-the-top homes and to marvel at the way people live. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/07/29/other-peoples-houses/
THE VERY, VERY GOOD – FICTION
Dream Girl by Laura Lippman – A twisted literary tale. I want to read more of her. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/01/11/dream-girl-nightmare/
False Witness by Karin Slaughter – Oof, Slaughter is at her best here, but it’s a rough, sad story. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/02/09/false-witness/
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett – Thought-provoking and unsettling. A best-seller for a reason. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/04/12/the-vanishing-half/
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz – Another twisted literary tale. Korelitz is a master of pacing and plotting; this novel is relentless. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/04/08/well-plotted/
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas – Solid YA gold. Thomas creates characters you won’t forget. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/05/26/3-books-2-authors-1-series-0-complaints/
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead – The double-Pulitzer Prize winner’s crime caper with so much heart and soul. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/10/01/harlem-shuffle/
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – Another best seller for a reason. Beautiful nature writing takes this mystery to soaring heights. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/09/20/where-the-crawdads-sing/
THE COFFEE-TABLE BOOKS
Birds by Tim Flach – Stunning photography and fascinating birds! https://bookthrasher.com/2022/04/24/coffee-table-books/
Paper to Petal: 75 Whimsical Paper Flowers to Craft by Hand by Rebecca Thuss and Patrick Farrell – Gorgeous to look at and exclaim over, but any thoughts I had of crafting some flowers myself got quashed pretty quickly. Even the easiest ones would take more time and effort than I’m ready for now. But it’s gorgeous to page through.
Marimekko: The Art of Printmaking by Laird Borrelli-Persson – Another gorgeous book with lots of color and pattern. These are iconic prints and designs made famous in the 1960s and 1970s. Think bright pink flowers and Jackie Kennedy.
Jungalow: Decorate Wild by Justina Blakeney – Blakeney’s the design star of the moment, with an Architectural Digest cover in 2022. A beautiful and useful design book if you’re into loads of plants, natural colors, mixing inspirations.
BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS
Bibliophile: Diverse Spines by Jamise Harper and Jane Mount – Charming and chock-full of book recommendations for every interest. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/02/15/bibliophile-diverse-spines/
Novel Interiors by Lisa Borgnes Giramonti – If you want to ‘live in an ‘enchanted room inspired by literature’ then this book is for you. It’s beautiful and bookish.
Bookshelf by Alex Johnson – A small book of bookshelves of all types. Modern, architectural, off-kilter, and fun. https://bookthrasher.com/2022/12/15/bookshelf/
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