Books of 2022

1. Sorrow and bliss by Meg Mason: I'm not sure I can say I loved or even liked it. It was readable. I seem to read a lot of books lately that features something about mothers or motherhood or longing for it. Was there too much 'telling' and explaining towards the end? I think so. Was recommended by lots of people on my fave blog, but can't say it left me with a lot of much.

2. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart: not so unfamilar the whole povo and alcohol and/or abuse ridden coming of age tale. I enjoyed it i suppose.

3. Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout: she never disappoints. she writes so beautifully, about yearning, about loneliness, the secrets and pains we carry under our masks the internal worlds most aren't privy to.

4. Our country friends by Gary Shteyngart: how weird and refreshing to read a writer who is not korean, but seemingly so immersed/well versed in korean immigrant things? culture, language. that part is somewhat of a delight. it lost me a bit after the climactic act, and yes he tries to be too clever and writes too affectedly if you ask me - but. there is some joy in being seen, being known, as a foreigner, by another foreigner.

5. Mouth to mouth by Antoine Wilson: short, highly readable read (gripping might be a tad exaggeration) - it was a very economical and well written book.

6. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams: can’t not love a book about women, set in early 1900s, about words!

7. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett: i really enjoyed the book. i've been wondering about these ann(e)s - ann patchett, anne tyler - and well, i thoroughly enjoyed it. it was delicious, at times i had to stop and slow down, while wanting to devour and finish asap coz the story was so delicious and told well. she can write, damnit. 8. Cold enough for snow by Jessica Au: it is more of a novella. The atmosphere, the mood, it is precise, concise, specific. I felt immersed.

9. Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler: yet another of the ann(e)s i'm finally exploring this year. easily readable, sweet little book, a bit similar feel to elizabeth strout, of small town small people things.

10. The Maid by Nita Prose: well to be honest, i'm getting a bit tired of the sorta on-the-spectrum, oblivious and neuroatypical protagonist stories... it's getting old. it was a bit simple, not really high brow, barely a summer read, but readable.

11. All She Wants by Kelly Hawkins: sometimes, one just reads a low brow novel just because... now you must know how the book ends. sometimes i wonder, why do people who can't write masterpieces still write? but then, of course that's a stupid idea, plenty ordinary doctors, lawyers, retail workers exist - in any job there are people who are mediocre and others who are great at their jobs. people have to make a living somehow. i am surprised they get to publish, but perhaps it is what it is, again with other professions - maybe they pass a certain (editors? publishers?) test, deemed good enough writers. anyway, it's no literature, i would not recommend, but it is what it is.

12. Fahrenhit 451 by Ray Bradbury: how odd, after reading a low brow novel - how striking the difference is to then go to a literary novel, the brain was wrecked it was like whiplash - what are these phrases and fresh and unusual sentence structures? the non linear narrative, the long soliloquys, basically a writing that is not just 'this happened then she said this then he felt that' kind of simplicity? well it was quite something. it is a classic, the notion which may have been shockingly dystopian then well sounded just like humdrum normal day to day now.

13. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley: ... i don't think i can read these low brow type books anymore! i hunger for beautiful prose!!!!

14. Under the Banner of Heaven by John Krakauer: i'm not much for nonfiction but i was hooked via the new tv series... gripping read. very disturbing but really interesting.

15. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler: i'm reading an omnibus containing three of anne tyler's novels. it was a delight, at times painful.

16. The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler: she writes these people, especially men, who are uptight, sticklers for routine, micro-micro-micro types, it's interesting. the mothers are flighty and unreliable or uptight perfectionist types. her writing is delicious and you love to read her.

17. Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler: prob my least favourite of the three in this omnibus set. main characters were annoying af! urg. slight drag.

 

18. These Precious Days by Ann Patchett: i loved some of the stories in this book of essays. The one about her no shopping year. The snoopy story (amazing and delightful) and of course the one about her friend sookie who has pancreatic cancer. It inspires me to write.

19. The Remains of The Day by Kazuo Ishiguro: is it really a masterpiece that everyone goes on about? the writing is for sure skilled but oh how annoying i found the stiff, constipated, repressed, quintessentially ENGLISH englishman!

20. Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen: the fact that i finished this book in 14-15 days, this 800-page book, means it was readable. the constant mixing in of religion (good or bad idk), the rage inducing adultery and incredibly boring drug addiction plotline, and the very chaotic mental breakdown arc of marion... i can't say i really liked the book, despite how readable it was.

21. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro: maybe my favourite ishiguro? it reminded me of his older novel, never let me go. but somehow not as grim. his writing is concise and beautiful.

22. Best of Friends by Kamila Shamsie: this was not as impactful and great read as her last award winning novel home fire - much smaller, based on two friends, and simpler. still enjoyable.

23. Must I Go by Yiyun Li: how can someone of NESB (like myself) who only moved to US in their 20s write like any other person whose first language is that, just like a typical white writer? she writes like that, in prose the style and even substance. a little fancifully but also irritatingly like some white writers do.

24. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote: maybe if i'd read it when i was younger, or when it was actually first published, it may have been more impactful, more mind blowing or expanding. but here i am, a 40+yo person who's watched whole seasons of criminal procedurals principally criminal minds etc so, not much new info to be gained there with regards to the mind of killers and psychopathy etc. the writing was good, it's an engaging and easy read.

25. The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan: this may be the book i've enjoyed the most this year. it's well written, ie it's 'literary' but also a compulsive read, you must continue, know what happens, the emotional toll is just bearable, given where i was at the time, the pain i felt was real, i felt i was frida in my own way - she had her own daughter she was losing, and here i was not getting to have her at all, we were sharing the same loss in a way. i cried, it felt not totally dystopian, like it could be a reality, the horror the injustice the horrid judgements mothers are under constantly. i loved it.

26. Amsterdam by Ian McEwan: such brevity! only 200 odd pages. i appreciate a tight 200 page book. read in couple days. it was... well written? but largely... unmoved. how does this get him a booker idk.

27. French Braid by Anne Tyler: may have been my favourite Anne Tyler. More modern, less constipated, a little hopeful in some ways.