The Great Eight

As we close the book on 2022, here are my top eight favorite reads.

FICTION

• “The Lincoln Highway”, by Amor Towles. When a friend recommended this book, the sheer volume of this volume left me feeling afraid! However, a few chapters in and I could hardly put it down. It is written from the perspective of several characters. With its light sprinkling of historical nonfiction, this was a fun read.

NONFICTION – HISTORY

• “The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz.” By, Erik Larson. If you enjoy historical fiction, you have stumbled upon Erik Larson. This is more than historical fiction. Nearly every word in this heavy book was first written in an archived document, secret intelligence report, or a diary. An entire group of citizens was assigned the work of keeping diaries during WWII. Although the story itself is compelling, but the work of assembling the story is remarkable.

NONFICTION – HEALTH/MEDICINE

• “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures.” By, Anne Fadiman. I found this book only because I was familiar with the author. This is a fascinating look at modern medicine through the eyes the Hmong, and a glimpse of the exhausting work of doctors and nurses treating people with different cultural norms. I have a renewed appreciation for the Hmong culture, a deep gratitude for how far practitioners have progressed, and a new view of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

NONFICTION – MEMOIR/ESSAYS

• “Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship.” By, Gregory Boyle. How did it take me this long to discover Father Gregory Boyle? Definitely listen to the audio, read by the author. This book is filled with levity and honesty. Boyle invites you to walk the dark streets of Los Angelos with him and despite the despair, offers Christ’s hope.
• “These Precious Days: Essays.” By, Ann Patchett. I discovered the book above when reading one of these essays. Patchett is one of the coolest book people alive. These pages allow a reader to get to know her in all her brilliance. Her work extends of a hand of grace to the reader.

NONFICTION – PARENTING/SELF-HELP

• “Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen: The Essential Conversations You Need to Have with Your Kids Before They Start High School.” By, Michelle Icard. So taken by this book, I dedicated an entire post back in September. Since then, I continue to use the B.R.I.E.F. acronym, particularly the begin peacefully part. It is so easy to let my kid know in the moment that I’m frustrated instead of maturely stepping back and respectfully beginning a conversation. This is my second favorite book of the year.

NONFICTION – FAMILY SYSTEMS/SELF-HELP

• “Extraordinary Relationships: A New Way of Thinking about Human Interactions.” By, Roberta M. Gilbert. This book is the basis of a series I blogged in November. Gilbert covers the basics of Bowen theory or family systems theory, a way of understanding yourself through the lens of the generations before you. She then invites you into deeper reflection with accessible questions. This is a very helpful book if you are willing to look at your own individual patterns and explore how they started.
• “Everything Isn’t Terrible: Conquering Your Insecurities, Interrupt Your Anxiety, and Finally Calm Down.” By, Dr. Kathleen Smith. Like Gilbert’s book, Smith’s book is based on Bowen theory. What makes this book unique is its humor. I subscribed to Smith’s blog earlier this year when my spiritual director sent me one of her articles. Smith is sharp-witted and presents Bowen theory in such a relatable way. Her sense of humor, honest anecdotes and reflection questions makes this my favorite book of 2022.

In order to boil the list down to these eight, I had to leave out two series. Karis’ 4th grade teacher introduced her to Kate DiCamillo and Patchett dedicated an entire essay to DiCamillo in “These Precious Days: Essays.” Louisiana, Beverly and Ramie became endeared characters in our lives, along with Inspector Gamache. Gamache, the impressive creation of Louise Penny, has filled my ears (via air pods) these last few months. I am currently enjoying #8.

Photo Credit: Tom Hermans on Unsplash