In a recent podcast episode we discussed the books we read and enjoyed in 2022.

Angie got through 258 books last year (5 per week). I read/listened to a total of 59 (at least 1 book per week). Angie’s number dwarfs mine but seriously who reads 258 books?!

I usually have 10 books going at one time which reminds me of the quote, “My problem with reading books is that I get distracted by other books”.

In this post I share a list of Angie’s top picks from 2022 as well as my complete reading list. Enjoy fellow book nerd! 🤓

Favorite Books from 2022

Angie’s Book List

Angie read a total of 258 books in 2022 (126 fiction and 132 non-fiction). Here are her top picks with short descriptions:

Non-Fiction Favorites

• Where the Light Fell by Philip Yancy (the memoir of a popular Christian writer who grew up post-WW2 in the south in a system of racism and spiritual abuse)
• Arriving Today by Christopher Mims (This book unravels the online commerce system from supply chain, transportation, and delivery. He analyzes the technologies and management strategies necessary to fulfill consumer demand for items “arriving today.”)
• This is Your Mind on Plants by Michael Pollen (An interesting challenge to how we think about drugs, exploring the human attraction to psychoactive plants, specifically caffeine, opium, and mescaline. Pollen does a great job of weaving history, science, and participatory journalism together).
• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Vander Kolk (an interesting look at understanding and treating traumatic stress and how it impact society. He uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma reshapes both body and brain and explores innovative treatments that activate the brain’s natural neuroplasticity).
• The Power of Regret by Daniel H. Pink (a book about the transforming power of a misunderstood and valuable emotion—regret. Regret is universal and healthy and understanding how it works can help us make smarter decisions, perform better, and bring greater meaning to life).
• River Flow by David Whyte (collection of poetry by my favorite poet). She read a little every night before bed and finished this book four times.
• Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe (a thorough history of the Sackler family dynasty—3 doctor brothers who changed the way prescription drugs are marketed and manufactured. The template they used to co-opt doctors, influence the FDA, and downplaying drugs addictiveness would be used to launch OxyContin which has created a public health crisis.)
• Nelson Mandela– Long Walk to Freedom by Michael Boatman (autobiography of human rights icon Nelson Mandela is fascinating… from the humble beginnings to his activism, imprisonment, and release in 1990 after more than 25 years, he became one of the most influential leaders ever.
• Authenticity by David Posen MD (a book about listening to your body, understanding your mind, and making better choices to live a more authentic and harmonious life.)
• The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer (this book asks you to consider who you are; by tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness we can develop consciousness to dwell in the present moment and let go of pain that keeps us from achieving happiness and self-realization).
• What Happened to You? By Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey (our earliest experiences shape our lives but often we don’t realize that there are powerful scientific and emotional insights that help us understand behavioral patterns. Oprah and Dr. Perry focus on understanding people, behavior, and ourselves in their unique approach to understanding trauma.)
• The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read by Philippa Perry (a book about improving relationships with your children by understanding how your upbringing has shaped you, how to handle your child’s feelings, and being a more supportive parenting partner).
• The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate (an investigation into the causes of illness, a critique of how our society influences disease, and a pathway to health and healing. Dr. Mate has come to recognize that our understanding of “normal” is often false, neglecting the roles that trauma, stress, and the pressures of modern-day living exert on our bodies and minds).
• Next Level by Stacy Sims (by exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist- Your guide to kicking ass, feeling great, and crushing goals through menopause and beyond)
• Do Hard Things by Steve Magness (why we get resilience wrong and the surprising science of real toughness, what it means to achieve our ambitions in the face of hard things, specifically through the 4 Pillars—ditch the facade and embrace reality, listen to your body, respond instead of react, and transcend discomfort.)

Trevor’s Book List from 2022

I finished 59 books last year (while finishing a master’s degree, so take that Angie!)

Reading is one of my great loves in life and I tried to get through more classics this time around while still following my other interests. As Mark Twain said, “A ‘classic’ is a book which people praise and don’t read.” I’ve found that listening to the classics via the Libby app makes it easier.

Self Improvement
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
How to Lead in a World of Distraction by Clay Scroggins
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Jean Greaves and Travis Bradberry
Many Communicate Few Connect by John Maxwell
Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell
Permission to Feel by Mark Bracket
Grit by Angela Duckworth
Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Brandon
Zero Down by Roland Frasier
Have it All by Kris Krohn
80,000 Hours by Benjamin Todd
Do Hard Things by Steve Magness
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Think Again by Adam Grant
Born to Run 2 by Christopher McDougall and Eric Orton
The Power of Regret by Daniel Pink
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson
13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do by Amy Morin
The Road Less Traveled by Scott Peck
How Not To Write by Terence Denman

Philosophy and Theology
Five Views of Apologetics by Steven B. Cowan (editor)
Faith Has Its Reason by Kenneth Boa and Robert M. Bowman Jr.
Life’s Ultimate Questions by Ronald Nash
Prayer by Timothy Keller
Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Practice the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
Foucault A Graphic Guide by Chris Horrocks
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
How to Be Perfect by Michael Schur
Inspired Imperfection by Gregory Boyd
The Victory of Reason by Rodney Stark

Biography and History
Where the Light Fell by Philip Yancey
A Short History of Russia by Mark Galeotti
Adolf Hitler Volume 1 by John Toland
A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War by Joseph Loconte
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Rigged by Mollie Hemingway
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
First Friends by Gary Ginsberg

Science, Geography, and Language
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wollenben
Fractals a Graphic Guide by Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon, Ralph Edney, and Will Rood
The Power of Geography by Tim Marshall
Arriving Today by Christopher Mims
The Power of Babel by John McWorter

Fiction:
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Adventures of Huckleberry Fin by Mark Twain
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
The Sun Also Rises by Ernst Hemingway
Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Dracula by Bram Stoker

A room without books is like a body without a soul.” ― Marcus Tullius Cicero