2022 BOOK ROUNDUP
One of my goals to begin 2022 was to read more. Although a vague and almost unhelpful goal, I did read quite a bit more than I used to. So here are some of my top books of 2022:
The Winter of Our Discontent
By John Steinbeck
Published 1961
“Now is the winter of our discontent/ Made glorious summer by this sun of York” (Richard III)
This is Steinbeck’s last novel. Set in Baytown, New York, follows Ethan Hawley, a fallen-from-grace grocery clerk. The plot focus on Ethan as he struggles with moral questions to regain his family’s lost wealth.
I really enjoyed this novel. It starts out as a but of a tough read, however by the end I really came to appreciate Steinbeck’s beautifully crafted characters. I also really enjoyed how Steinbeck addressed the moral questions Ethan faces. A super great read!
Macbeth
By Shakespeare
Published 1623
“It will have blood they say; blood must have blood.” (Macbeth)
Macbeth, a Scottish general, told by three witches that he will become king and pushed by his social climbing wife, Macbeth creates fulfills his prophesy. But he also creates his own downfall.
I really enjoyed this play. I have not read lots of Shakespeare, but Macbeth felt like a good place to start. All the characters were very well written, I especially liked Lady Macbeth. A true classic. (Also the Denzel Washington movie version is incredibly. A must watch.)
The Taming of the Shrew
By Shakespeare
Published 1623
“This is a way to kill a wife with kindness,
And thus I’ll curb her mad and headstrong humour.
He that knows better how to tame a shrew,
Now let him speak. ‘Tis charity to show.” (Taming of the Shrew)
The Taming of the Shrew framed by a farcical story of trickery, focuses on the story of Petruchio trying to marry Katharina for her dowry. This Shakespearean comedy has a very funny plot and cast.
The Taming of the Shrew was my first Shakespearean comedy and I thought that it was very interesting. I personal like the tragedies more. I wanted to read this play because I love the movie 10 Things I Hate About You, which is based on the Taming of the Shrew. Although the plot was similar in many ways, The Taming of the Shrew, I felt had more misogynistic undertones.
Anthem
By Ryan Rand
Published 1946
“This god, this one word:
I ” (Anthem)
Anthem follows Equality 7-2521 in his dystopia has he starts to discover freedom. Anthem strictly adheres to the “Randian” philosophy of objectivism.
To begin I really enjoyed this novella. I thought it was well written and had very sharp criticisms for our modern world. However the more I read, the less I liked the characters. Although the end left me upset, I really do recommend reading this story. (Read my full review )
Into the Wild
By Jon Krakauer
Published 1996
“I now walk into the wild.”
(Into the Wild, quote Christopher McCandless)
Krakauer reports on the life and death of Christopher McCandless, or Alexander Supertramp. McCandless, fresh out of college graduation, decides to quit society and live his own way. McCandless ends up in Alaska where he ultimately faces death.
I absolutely loved this book. McCandless’s story has inspired a whole generation of people who feel similar to him. Krakauer presents McCandless’s story beautifully by messing with the timeline, allowing readers to connect more with McCandless. McCandless was a beautiful man and this books does him justice. (The movie is also fantastic, with one of the best soundtracks ever.
Lab Girl
By Hope Jahren
Published 2016
“..insufficient and anonymous, but stronger than I look and part of something that is much bigger than I am.” (Lab Girl)
A memoir of Jahren, a renowned geobiologist and geochemist. Readers watch Jahren when she was young, through college, through teaching, through her discoveries, through becoming a mother and more.
I had to read this memoir for class, which for me is never a good sign. However, I LOVED this book. It is beautifully written with a perfect mix between science and Jahren’s personal story. Jahren–an award winning scientist– wrote one of the most sincere memoirs. I loved it.
An American Childhood
By Annie Dillard
Published 1987
“It is time pounding at you, time. Knowing you are alive is watching on every side your generation’s short time falling away as fast as rivers drop through air, and feeling it hit.” (An American Childhood)
Annie Dillard, the classic American author, looks back on her childhood. Dillard grew up in Pittsburg in the 1950s. Dillard blends child-like wonder and her adult voice to narrate herself getting older.
YES YES YES. If I could write like any author, I would have to pick Dillard. I loved the realism that blends with Dillard’s airy way of writing to create a true feel of childhood. Dillard truly understands the pains of getting older.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
By Mark Twain
Published 1884
“That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing when they don’t know nothing about it.” (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)
Following The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain continues the Hannibal story with a novel centering on Huck. Huck journeys down the Mississippi with Jim. Together they come across, Twains poignant criticisms of human nature.
I had to read this book for my AP lang. class. To begin, I was a bit skeptical, but I actually really enjoyed this novel. Twain truly is the embodiment of the American author. Although this novel is very controversial, I think that it is important way to view the sins of American history.
Anne of Green Gables (all the books)
By L. M. Montgomery
Published 1908- 1921
“Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it… Yet.” (Anne of Green Gables)
The series begins with the classic story of Anne Shirley, an orphan girl, getting adopted to Green Gables. The series then follows Anne’s adventures through young girlhood, to college, to getting married, and ends with stories about her children.
I really enjoyed this series. I think there is something very special about reading children books as I get older, I notice a lot that I didn’t before. The books are all very different, but I enjoyed them all. My favorite is Anne’s House of Dreams, this one has sadder undertones of death and loss.
Player One: What is to Become of Us?
By Douglas Coupland
Published 2010
“Our curse as humans is that we are trapped in time; our curse is that we are forced to interpret life as a sequence of events – a story – and when we can’t figure out what our particular story is, we feel lost somehow.” (Player One)
Coupland calls this book, “a novel in 5 hours”. Because the plot follows the five main characters throughout a time slot of five hours in “real time”. The five main character are stuck together in an airport as the world goes into crisis. (Read my full review.)
I love all that Coupland does, so this book is no exception. Intricately weaved together, Coupland uses all 5 different narrator’s voices to create a cohesive story. I really like the way that Coupland explores difficult topics throughout Player One.
Hey Nostradamus!
By Douglas Coupland
Published 2003
“We’re all born lost, aren’t we? We’re all born separated from God – over and over life makes sure to inform us of this – and yet we’re all real: we have names, we have lives. We mean something. We must.” (Hey Nostradamus!)
After a school shooting in near by Vancouver, four different narrators tell their story. Beginning with Cheryl, who is killed by the gunman; Jason , Cheryl’s secret husband; Heather, who is Jason’s girlfriend after the school shooting; and Reg, Jason’s father. Told with different voices, Coupland tells an inthralling story of loss, death and how to deal.
Maybe my favorite book of all time. Coupland is the voice of our modern age. Coupland is a prophet, that needs to be listened to more. And this book is perfect. A MUST READ!
The Death of Ivan Ilyich
By Leo Tolstoy
Published 1886
“It is as if I had been going downhill while I imagined I was going up. And that is really what it was. I was going up in public opinion, but to the same extent life was ebbing away from me. And now it is all done and there is only death.” (The Death of Ivan Illyich)
Tolstoy writes the death of Ivan Illyich, a member of the court of justice, who falls sick with pancreatic cancer. Illyich discovers the futility of his life and all of his relationships, all while wasting away. Through his pain of cancer, his terrible relationship with his wife and also coming terms with the end, Illyich becomes weak and discovers his own downfall.
I did really enjoy his novella, I have not read a lot of classic Russian lit. although I want to start. The way that Tolstoy wrote about death was quite haunting, and scary. It shined a lot on my own fear of death.
Some other books read this year:
- Kindred (Octavia E. Butler)
- Normal People (Sally Rooney)
- Mansfield Park (Jane Austen)
- Killing Yourself to Live (Chuck Klosterman)
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