My Favorite Books of 2022 — Addiction, Time Travel, and Writing From A Deathbed

The last time I wrote a “best of” post was at the end of 2020 which, for various reasons, feels distant, uncanny, and alien. I think personal growth aside, the last two years has been a strange existence for us all. It continues to get weirder but at least we have our stories to keep us grounded, invested, and they are constantly a reminder of “a thing” worth looking forward to.

Working in a bookstore, you see titles come and go and I’m usually shocked by what is passed over and what continues to hold the attention of the public. Books have cemented themselves as commercial entertainment (which is not a bad thing) rather than a highbrow sport. The cluster of highbrow sportsmen exist but it’s no longer the main narrative. I don’t have an argument for one side of the other — I think books should exist to be what we need them to be. But, I do think that worthwhile stories, for me, are floating more towards the outer rim of publishing. With that said, there are a couple of AAA-titles in my list — I contain multitudes.

In 2022, I found myself catching up on books I’ve wanted to read (or reread) and ignoring the books I “should” read. At this point in my career, I never want to feel like I have to read a book — there is too much for me to choose from.

So, I present my list for 2022 which actually doesn’t contain only books published this year. This list consists of books I read this year regardless of publication date.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

As a longtime reader of Mandel, Sea of Tranquility feels like a reward for one’s devotion. While it stands alone as a light-time travel book about humanity’s necessary pursuit of art and its meaning, it ties into the bigger world of Mandel. Readers of The Glass Hotel and Station Eleven will revisit characters and instances/events. Mandel’s brevity as a novelist is admirable and on par with someone like Simon Van Booy.

Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong

My introduction to Ocean was his novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, which is a powerhouse of a novel, if you’ve not read it. After feeling catatonic and abandoned by that book, I sought out his poetry and reading Night Sky With Exit Wounds. I’m not at all familiar with enough poetry outside of my selected favorites but his collection resonated with me.

Time Is A Mother is a wonderful and moving companion to his first collection revisiting similar themes with even more thoughtfulness.

The Presence of Absence by Simon Van Booy

I’ve declared The Presence of Absence my favorite book of the year. I think objectively the book is beautifully written, playful with structure, and ultimately has a emotional payoff for the reader in its short page count. Simon is known for his brevity in writing and why I admire him — there isn’t any space wasted. If there is anyone who I wish I could write like, it would be Simon.

But outside of its objective “goodness,” I was floored by the emotional punches Simon hits the reader with and found parts of myself hidden in the text. Not everyone will react as I did but I was overwhelmed in the best way by this little book.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

Oh, the Bronte sisters — how I love thee.

This last year I reread Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights and loved them more than ever. But I never tackled Anne’s work because of how her sisters overshadow her. Boy, that was mistake on my part.

Anne’s Tenant of Wildfell Hall reads like a Jane Austen novel with the strangeness we normally associate with the Brontë's. It’s a page turner with secrets and it’s all tied up in a nice bow of early feminist writing.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

I didn’t think I would like TTT at all. Customers and friends told me I needed to read this book and wasn’t convinced I should. Even though I enjoy video games and especially game culture of the late 90s, I figured it would be more of a schtick and not a genuine backdrop. I was wrong.

Zevin carefully recreates the late 90s’ game development era with references and nods that don’t seem cheap but are either close to her or just well researched. On top of that, Zevin paints these realistic lovable and equally frustrating characters.

Of all the popular titles out there this year, I found this one to have incredible value.

Heavy by Kiese Laymon

I studied creative nonfiction and memoir writing in grad school, so once this book was published in 2018, my former colleagues raved about it and pressed me to read it. It only took me 4 years.

Heavy is an addiction memoir but not about alcohol and drugs (we will get there). Kiese explores not only being black in America but also how weight shapes his identity and how he perceives himself.

It’s a poetic and (sorry) heavy book that slapped me around in the best way possible.

The Urge: Our History of Addiction by Carl Erik Fisher

The Urge is both an addiction memoir and an illuminating look at our (society’s) relationship with addiction through the ages. Fisher is both a clinical psychiatrist and in recovery, so his attention to detail and his empathy are top tier.

As a person in recovery for over the last 2 years myself, I gravitated to Fisher’s story. The latter part of the book looks at how our government and treatment centers have failed those with dependency issues. Mental health in America is not prioritized and we find there are mostly “band-aid” solutions.

If you’re interested in addiction memoirs or a history book, you’ll find both here and both balanced well.

Chorus by Rebecca Kauffman

I was enamored by Kauffman in 2018 with her novel, The Gunners. Since then, I’ve awaited every new book of hers with enthusiasm.

A fairly straightforward novel about a family’s farm over the course of 20 years or so. Focusing on the siblings and their dynamic with each other, the book, like all of Kauffman’s other titles, sees how time disrupts or heals those ties.

Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson

I don’t think people loved this book as much as I did but I’m a sucker for a mystery set in a sci-fi framework. Murdered colonists? A missing AI pilot? Only awake person has no memory of what happened? A detective and an AI unit sent to investigate?

Incredibly fun, a little pulpy and I enjoyed the world building even if I wanted more of it.

Kaiju №8 by Naoya Matsumoto

I don’t fancy myself an educated or enthusiastic manga reader. I prefer to watch the anime(s) when they come out if I’m interested in a series than spend time reading volume after volume of something. But, every so often, I’ll pick a new series up I’ve heard good buzz about like Kaiju №8.

The premise is excellent — a failed trainee for monster-killing can only get a job cleaning up dead kaijus (monsters) after they have decimated by kaiju hunters.

Between a refreshing new take on the kaiju genre and badass aesthetics, I loved the first 4 volumes of this series. The series just started so it’s a good time to get in, if you’re interested, and the anime starts in 2024.

Fin.