One sentence on the rest of the books I read in 2022

Or well, a bit more than a sentence actually. In total, I read 45 books in 2022. The first part of my round up from Summer 2022 is here.

Now, onto the books..

Unscratch by Rebecca Watson

The last book I read on my old couch while nursing a dodgy tummy. I sped through it in a few hours though it lingered in my mind long beyond that. Definitely get this one in hard copy. It wouldn’t have been the same on kindle.

This is not a pity memoir by Abi Morgan 

A friend recommended this funny, moving book that has a great title and lots of heart. The author is a screenwriter and it definitely reads like it, but in the best way possible. Lots of rich scenes loosely knitted together. I loved it. 

Leave The World Behind by Ruhman Alam 

Historically, I’ve been a little hesitant to rely on library books. I love books as tactile objects. I want to sleep next to them and store them on my colour coded shelves. But I moved to a village with a great library and changed my mind. I read this book while working on my own and loved its mystery and texture. Can’t wait to see the TV adaptation. 

Baggage by Alan Cumming

Bought at this charming bookshop in Wicklow town, this follow up to ‘Not My Father’s Son’ was funny, moving and very queer. 

Both/And by Huma Abedin 

Another library book that I wouldn’t have bought myself, but really enjoyed spending a few hours immersed in. It’s one of those books that’s rich because of the subject matter more than the words, but I was glad to add to my pile of books about Hillary Clinton and her orbit. 

Refuse To Be Done by Matt Bell 

As previously mentioned, I bought this to support my book edits. It’s a quick read and has some good suggestions but I found it quite frustrating at times. Partly, I suspect that’s because it gave me a long list of things to do to improve my novel but mostly I think it’s because my taste in books differs radically from the author’s.

White Feminism by Koa Beck

I read this slowly, an essay at a time. It’s an important book that expanded my mind and challenged many tenets of the feminism I grew up with. Recommended for all white feminists. 

Busy Being Free by Emma Forrest 

Emma Forrest’s first memoir ‘Your Voice in my Head’ was such an important book for me. I discovered it on the radio driving home after working late one evening and subsequently bought both the audio book and the kindle edition. When I feel homesick or need comfort, the audiobook is what I return to. Her second memoir, Busy Being Free, is about celibacy and solitude in mid-life. I suspect many readers are drawn to Forrest for her tangential links to Hollwood but that’s a mistake. Her prose is dense and complex, rich with the complexity of real life. I loved it. 

Easy Beauty by Chloe Cooper Jones 

I bought this after hearing this thought-provoking conversation and wasn’t disappointed. Cooper Jones’s skill with language is admirable and she has such an important story to share. One of my best books of the year. (This conversation with Dr Tressie MacMillan-Cottom is also great.)

Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir by Hannah Gadsby

A friend recommended this. It’s a weirdly shaped book, but Gadsby’s voice is so strong that I couldn’t help but turn the (digital) page. It ends at the moment of Nanette’s Netflix recording which is a great climax. Recommended for anyone who creates things. 

Aftermath by Preti Taneja

I picked this up during a slow meander around Foyles in London, and later saw it on the New Yorker’s list of best books of the year. The author led a creative writing program in a London prison. One of her students, who was previously convicted of terrorism-related offenses, went on to murder two people during an event to mark the 5-year anniversary of the program. It’s a wrenching, lyrical read about violence, incarceration and unlikely hope. 

In by Will McPhail

I try to include some graphic novels in my reading list. This was a moving story that was beautifully illustrated but ultimately somewhat forgettable. 

Oranges are not the only fruit by Jeanette Winterson

A queer classic which I read for my book club. 

Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong

Read this in one day between Christmas and New Year’s. As always with Vuong, a towering achievement.