Slow reading in 2022

Last year, I read a lot and posted quarterly book lists. This year, we're in the third quarter of 2022, and I have not read a lot or shared my reading list. I guess that's what happens when the main theme of three of the first five books you read is suicide. And those were followed by Plunder, which was interesting, but slooooow. 

Until recently, I really didn't feel like I had read anything worth sharing, except for Harlem Shuffle. It's brilliant, but as I've said before: Read Colson Whitehead. Period. He is amazing. And Harlem Shuffle has a real Elmore Leonard vibe, at least for me. 

Anyway, I recently finished The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, which was good and also makes the perfect book-club book -- it will foster great discussions & plenty of drinking. That made me revisit my 2022 reading list, and as I looked back on the books I finished, it doesn't suck as much as I thought. Yes, there were some tough topics, but the only book that I really didn't like was Bewilderment by Richard Powers. The others have made up for it. 

Below you'll find the list of what I've read so far in 2022. Any of them (except Bewilderment) are worth a go. Harlem Shuffle and The Midnight Library are definitely the top two, but A Single Thread, The Liar's Dictionary and The Paris Hours are also excellent (the former being a little predictable, but interesting nonetheless). The buzziest on the list is probably All That She Carried, and it is a fascinating story that will make you think about history and family and much more. 

My current list still has about 20 books on it. I don't know if I'll get to them all between now and the end of the year, but I'll definitely share what I get through.

2022 Reading list (through Sept. 9)

The Dutch House/Patchett 

Apples Never Fall / Moriarty 

The Matrix / Groff 

I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye / Maisel (nonfiction)

Bewilderment / Powers 

Plunder: Napoleon's Theft of Veronese's Feast / Saltzman (nonfiction)

Harlem Shuffle / Whitehead 

The Turnout / Abbot 

The Paris Hours / George 

All That She Carried / Miles 

Olive, Again/ Strout 

A Single Thread / Chevalier 

The Liar's Dictionary / Williams 

The Other Black Girl / Harris 

Of Women and Salt / Garcia 

Crying in H Mart / Zauner (nonfiction)

The Midnight Library / Haig 

The Maidens / Michaelides 

A Man Called Ove / Backman