My 2022 reads that impacted me the most.

Reading is such a powerful part of my life — it helps me grow, broaden’s my thinking and inspires my behaviour. It has been a good reading year for me with a number of books making a huge impact. Remembering what I’ve read by making this list has already inspired to read more in 2023!

Best non-fiction of 2022

So here’s my list of the five books that had most impact on me during 2022.

Die with Zero by Bill Perkins — this is such an insightful book and changed how I think about money and retirement. Packed full of practical tools to help you think about money and the ageing process. I’ve already written about how it has already changed how I live. It is a great book to inspire you to live life to the full now (not what just when you retire). Bill says things that I have never heard before, yet seem so obvious and true. You must read this!

The Gap & the Gain by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy. This is one of those books you read and think ‘if I can just master this everything will be amazing’. I’ve written a full summary of the main idea which is about how we tend measure ourselves against our goals/plans/ideals and so always have a gap (which leads to a whole bundle of negative thoughts/emotions) — the solution is to measure ourselves against where we started from (our gain). Simple, brilliant idea fully explored in this book. Buy this book and read it regularly!

The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die by John Izzo. The second book with die in the title (can you tell I am approaching 50?). John Izzo interviews people that others have nominated as ‘someone they knew who had found happiness and meaning’. His aim is to draw out their life lessons, which he does and then summarises them as the 5 secrets. The genius of this book is that the stories and insights are from ordinary people you can easily relate to. Full of nuggets. Stuff you probably already know but is worth reading so it can inspire us to live it.

The Price of Money by Rob Dix. In the UK we had a period of austerity under David Cameron and George Osbourne and were told they was no magic money tree. During Covid in 2020 we apparently found one and spent £445bn to keep the country going. This led Rob Dix to wonder where all the money come from and this book is the result of his research. Rob Dix is a great, accessible writer but this book is still a bit of a challenge to read because the subject matter is so complicated. Covers the printing of money and the impact it has on inflation. Stuff that you really do need to know about.

The Go-Giver. Bob Burg & David Mann I’ve just finished reading this and it has already gone straight into this list as being one of my best books of 2022. It is written as a business fable and is really short and easy to read. It is story of a hot shot business guy who meets a mentor who gives him some valuable life lessons he needs to learn. Although the setting is business I think the lessons it contains are about all of life and apply to everyone. I am already rereading it and will no doubt spend the next few weeks pondering its lessons. Don’t be surprised if it reappears in one of my newsletters next year!

My favourite novels of 2022

I generally read novels last thing at night to help me fall asleep. So my only criteria for a novel is that it is easy to read and keeps my attention. Hence you won’t find anything too high brow here!

This year I discovered Brandon Sanderson’s amazing fantasy novels. I read the first three in the Mistborn series and they blew me away. So imaginative, engaging, full of great characters. If you like fantasy novels — Check out book one here. (be warned though they are very long!).

How to kill your family by Bella Mackie. This is a great dark comedic thriller. If that sounds like your thing — then you’ll enjoy reading this.

The Stranding by Kate Sawyer This is an apocalyptic drama. Combining real characters and their stories with an end of the world type context. I enjoyed the atmospheric feel to it, although it took a couple of chapters for me to work out what was going on!

Worst idea ever by Jane Fallon. A story of friendship, a little white lie and what this leads to. Compelling reading.

I want to read a bit more so if you’ve got any recommendations then please let me know!