Books I Devoured in 2022

In 2022 I managed to read 39 books which is a pretty impressive feat considering I was finishing my doctorate, studying for (and passing) my licensing exams, and starting a business. Whew!

Here are some of my favorite books that I read in 2022. This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission, no additional cost to you, when you make a purchase from Bookshop.org using my affiliate links.

• Building a Second Brain – Tiago Forte – A quick and actionable read to help you get the most of out all the information you consume and make it findable (and useable) again. A big goal of mine for 2023 is to better catalogue all the information that I’ve come across and earmarked for later – this structure is a great baseline to start from.
• Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World – Tyson Yunkaporta – So good I bought a copy and immediately shared it with friends. I appreciate the clarity of voice and perspective that Tyson writes with. We could all stand to spend some time considering the human frameworks that indigenous cultures have been cultivating for millennia, it may be our only hope for a sustainable future.
• Border: A Journey to the Edge of Europe – Kapka Kassabova – Having no real knowledge of the Balkans region and the history and cultures that continually clash and exist in those spaces, this beautifully written book (and others by Kapka, I went on a binge) speaks to the beauty and reality of modern living in the Balkans and the constant struggle to exist.
• God is a Black Woman – Christena Cleveland – So good that after listening to the audiobook from the library, I walked to the bookstore and bought a copy of the hardcover AND told the bookstore clerk he should buy a copy too. I have so much to say but honestly, just read a copy and then let’s talk.
• The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self – Martha Beck – I’ve always loved a good Martha Beck book. This one speaks to growth and integrity using Dante’s Inferno as an allegory for finding one’s way to integrity. A stern but gentle reminder that you can’t be your best self until you are your authentic self.
• You Feel it Just Below the Ribs – Jeffrey Cranor & Janina Matthewson – [Fiction] a post-apocalyptic alternate past with mind control and unsustainable world peace. A great audiobook for commuting.
• Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness – Steve Magness – While the authors experience is primarily in working with elite athletes, there is a lot of great research referenced in the book which helps to speak to and outline what really builds resilience. Turns out it’s not just pushing through until you puke.
• The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain – Annie Murphy Paul – An interesting read focused on how we think, decide, and act beyond our brains. We give our brains a lot of credit when in actuality our bodies are receiving a lot of the information inputs that inform our decisions.
• Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention — And How to Think Deeply Again – Johann Hari – Radically necessary in the “post-COVID” era of being “on” all the time whether it’s work, play, research, or connecting. I found this book timely as I was recovering from information overload after finishing school, taking boards, and trying to figure out how to start a business. A good reminder that our shrinking attention spans are not entirely our fault and we can do something about it.
• Missing Witches: Recovering True Histories of Feminist Magic – Risa Dickens & Amy Torok – I’m a nerd for feminist magic resources and this book does not disappoint. The stories of feminist elders, personal stories of the authors and suggested rituals for various Wheel of the Year events is enough to make this worth reading. AND, the references and resources at the back of the book are a treasure trove of further exploration.

I’m so excited to continue my voracious reading habit in 2023 and hope to read at least 50 books this year.