Trying to Read (2022 Edition)
What would an end of the year be without me sharing the books I read this year? (P.S., welcome back to the blog, me.) In 2022 I told myself and you all I was going to read one self-help/psychological book a month and then tell you about the things I learned for that month. But in the end (are you ready?) not only did I not do that, I took a long blogging break altogether.
But I’m doing better now and ending the radio silence. I’m in therapy, which always helps me get my priorities straight. And the truth is, while it was a fun idea, blogging every week is exhausting and I don’t like the process and usually, the result. So I just happily took a break from it to read more and, oh my god, rediscover my joy in writing. More on that in 2023.
I set a goal on my Goodreads account to read 25 books this year, and I read 26. A relatively small number when I compare to my “reading” friends (a book a week, good for you, I get distracted too easily), but it’s 25 more than my “non-reading” friends. All about perspective. I’ve broken them down into categories, just to give you a quick play-by-play, a quick “Yay!” or “Neigh”, tell you about any hidden gems or confirm that, yes, that one is worth the hype.
Fantasy
I don’t delve too much into fantasy novels, despite the Dragon Age video game series being my all-time favorite. In the past I’ve found I get bogged down in trying to figure out the world lore, or trying to keep all the characters’ names straight (looking at you, George R.R. Martin). But this year I found some lovely gems. One of the first things I read was a twitter suggestion from a musician I follow: Magic’s Pawn, the first in a trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. It’s a gay young adult fantasy book set in an old fantasy world that is large but doesn’t overwhelm. I can’t believe I went the whole year without reading the sequels, but it’s on my list for 2023. I also reread Brute by Kim Fielding, which is another gay fantasy book with a bit more smut in it, if you’re into that sort of thing. The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix isn’t really a fantasy, more like a comedy horror thing, but work with me a little. This was recommended to me by my friend Jodi and it was a very good time, darkly funny but with moments of horrifying imagery. Hendrix seems to be a pretty prolific writer of this stuff, with more coming out soon, and I’d give his stuff a try if that title alone sounded fun to you.
Non-fiction, psychology and self-help
Hoo boy, here it is, my busted blog project of last year. Still, some good reading came out of it. I’ve covered my affection for Talking to Strangers (Malcolm Gladwell, before I lost respect for his stupid opinions on working from home) and Humankind (Rutger Bregman) in the posts I did make (as well as my disdain for Bill Eddy’s 5 Types of People Who Can Ruin Your Life). [Whoopsie turns out I deleted those previous blog posts, so my bad (I LOVE starting over!). I don’t feel like diving into them again so here; the first two were good reads, the latter not so much. There, my reviews.]
So here are some more “helping” books that I didn’t try to dissect into four blog posts a month (what was I thinking? I have a life. It’s not much, but it keeps me busy). Be Water, My Friend by Shannon Lee explores her father, Bruce Lee’s, philosophies on life. The concept of “being water” fits a lot of metaphors: water is calm, water changes with the flow, water can break down a stronger object, water is life. Would recommend this one if you’re in a mental place where you could benefit from a new philosophy. Thanks to an Instagram suggestion from author Nicole Peeler, I read Cultish by Amanda Montell, which explores the language of “cults” and breaks down what qualifies as a cult in the first place (spoiler alert: the term is overused to the point where it doesn’t mean much anymore). She explores how language is used to manipulate hordes of people, whether it’s in a religious context, a political one, or just belonging to an intense gym. Quite an interesting read.
Hooked by Michael Moss explores people’s relationships with food, specifically why it is so easy to become addicted to it. I picked this one out as someone with a long and somewhat unhealthy relationship with food and boy did it open my eyes to some stuff. While salt, sugar, and fat are all addictive, we really get addicted to the joy of eating. That sweet/salty stuff sends “happy” to our brains, and we just want to get more of that happy in us whenever we can. Would definitely recommend a read if you’re interest in how we relate to food.
Finally, a quick dip into the genuine “self-help” genre. After having some mental issues with comparing my life to everyone else’s (I blame social media), I googled books on the subject and went with Comparisonitis by Melissa Ambrosini. She’s a popular self-help author and speaker (and dare I say, Influencer), and some of the language in her book reflects that (I personally don’t need to be reminded that I’m a beautiful person that often, but I get it, that’s the Brand). In her defense, she acknowledges up front her book may not be for everyone and encourages the reader to take whatever they can away from her advice. Keeping that in mind, I took advice on how to ignore the comparison part of my brain, took steps in limiting my social media use, and casually flipped through the pages of affirmations.
Nonfiction- Memoir
I only read two memoirs this year, a far cry from when “celebrity autobiographies” were my favorite kind of book (ah, college). I started the year with a Christmas present, I Want to be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom. Bloom was the creator/writer/star of one of my favorite and most underrated shows, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Based on those excellent episodes of TV I knew that I would enjoy reading her book, and I was not disappointed. Her writing is sharp and funny, and she expectedly explores her struggles with mental illness. Would recommend if you were also that annoying theater kid in high school, or just want a good laugh.
The other memoir was one of the most talked about memoirs of 2022, I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. McCurdy was a star on the popular Nickelodeon show iCarly, but essentially left show business after it ended. In her gripping new memoir she details how her mother, the ultimate “stage mom”, pushed her into the business, as well as abused her in every way imaginable. McCurdy’s memoir isn’t just a behind-the-scenes reveal, it’s a very adult way of wrestling with the fact that your parent doesn’t have to be put on a pedestal just for being your parent. It made a lot of lists this year, but this one is worth all the hype.
Books on Poker
Yes, feel free to gloss over this most of you. I’ve taken an interest in poker that started during the pandemic, and this year I’m Trying to play more for money and do a bit of studying. I read Phil Gordon’s Little Green Book, a good stable start on the math and psychology of poker, if a little outdated. Zen and the Art of Poker (Larry Phillips) was more of a funny little find I grabbed at a used book store, and mostly just reaffirms how it’s good to keep your cool when the cards don’t go your way.
The most interesting poker book I read this year can appeal to people that don’t even play. The Biggest Bluff follows writer Maria Konnikova as she details her time spent studying poker and training under Erik Seidel, one of the greats of the game. Konnikova doesn’t try to give tips on how to win or game theory, rather she explores why the game is so popular and fun, and the many metaphors for life that can be made. Are we all just settling for the minimum cash when we should be playing to win the tournament? Check out her book if you want to know the answer.
Fiction
Ah Fiction, the biggest category at the bookstore/library if your work doesn’t fall under a genre like “sci-fi” or “romance”. My sister lent me her copy of We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, the one considered her masterpiece, and it was a delightful read. A bit of mystery, a bit of horror, a pretty Gothic feel to it. I’ve added her to my list of people to check out. I also read The Evening Hour by Carter Sickels, which isn’t that old or that recent (2012). It’s set in the version of West Virginia that unfortunately shows up in a lot of fiction: a town being overtaken by the coal giants, filled with citizens who are riddled with drug addiction and what not. Sickels for the most part manages to filter this view through the struggles of his main character, but still if you’ve grown tired of the “West Virginia is a barren wasteland” motif, this may put you off of it.
What won’t put you off is Hungry Town by Jason Kapcla, a new book that just came out last year (2022!). It’s set in a small Ohio town, and starts with two police officers that get involved in the accidental death of a minor (this is like chapter one, not a spoiler). Things escalate from there, the perspective changes to a cast of well-written and fully-formed characters, and it’s a very gripping read. Support local! Or, support national and read Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen (another 2022 publication) about a woman who quickly gets herself caught up in a handbag scamming ring. It was also a very fun read, I don’t like saying “good Beach read”, but I’ll call a spade a spade here.
Mysteries
Ok so with the rise of the Knives Out film series and Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot movies, the goofy “whodunit” genre is having a pretty good time right now. I forgot how much I love reading those whodunits, so I starting reaching for more of them this year. You can’t go wrong with a classic, so I turned to Agatha Christie and read The Mysterious Affair at Styes and Third Girl, Poirot cases that I enjoyed quite a lot. I also read a double feature (two books in one binding), Bimbos & Zombies by Sharyn McCrumb. A bookstore find that I picked for the captivating title, McCrumb has a lot of Appalachian writing on her resume with a brief exception for these somewhat comical mysteries. Unfortunately there wasn’t much “mystery” to them for my liking, and they sort of felt all over the place tonally. But I’m interested to read some of her work in her preferred genre.
Misc.
Wrapping it up quickly, here are the things that didn’t fall into any other genres. The great poet/writer bell hooks died this last year, so I waited patiently for a copy of Appalachian Elegy to free up at the library (it was very good, would recommend). I read The Long Weeping, a book of essays by Jessie Van Eerden. I don’t recall much about reading them, but I do remember not being in a “mood” to read them, I think I shelved this under “try reading this again when you’re ready”. I read the quick writing manual Unfuck Your Writing by Joe Biel and Faith Harpe, got a few little writing tips out of it. And I reread (again) Threepenny Opera, one of my favorite pieces of theatre by Bertolt Brecht.
So there we go: 25 book goal met! And, because if it ain’t broke and 2023 should still be busy, 25 book goal for this year too! I hope y’all are getting out and reading more, here’s to new books to read in the new year (wink wink).
