Top 6 Books/Stories of 2022
Taking a moment to reflect on the books I read last year. Maybe you’ll find a gem to curl up with….
Instead of rating them by number, I’ll just list them here:
Sonny's Blues
James Baldwin
This short story knocked me off my feet. Baldwin continues to amaze me and I’m mad at myself for not reading this story before now. A beautiful description of a jazz concert stands out here and breaks your heart.
Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks
Patrick Radden Keefe
This author/journalist really gets into some dark and fascinating places. He uses a style of writing where he presents one scene that grabs your attention, then goes back in time to a seemingly unrelated scene that leads you back to the first scene. How he gets close to some of these famous criminals and people is a wonder in itself.
Luster
Raven Leilani
I love this author’s voice! I can’t say it enough. It’s fresh, it’s raw, it’s so insightful and unapologetic. So much intensity in this book and such a fresh perspective. I had to prepare myself to read this one, it’s not for the faint hearted. This might be my #1 of the year.
Dancer from the Dance
Andrew Holleran, Jan Fasteneau (Translator )
A gay classic recommended by a friend, I was pulled in by the writing style and the characters. Written in the 70s it still resonates as if it were written yesterday, which is a little disheartening considering it is about freedom, identity, and loneliness in the gay community.
Trust
Hernan Diaz
The author tells the same story from three different perspectives. You read it and put it together, noticing what one person has left out, what another has focused on, and then you start to wonder about the nature of truth and memory. I learned a lot about financial markets reading this book as well.
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
Erik Larson
Another well-researched book, tying in history with the characters that made them, especially Winston Churchill. My favorite part was the description of some of the parties Churchill would have at his home, where he would dress in a frilly robe and throw random quotes at his audience as he danced around the room. I may or may not have done that myself. I also learned a lot about WW2.