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My Favorite Reads of 2022

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Of the eighteen books I read in 2022, these three are my favorite of the year. These books are not books that have been released in 2022, but books that I read and enjoyed in 2022.

Between the World and Me

BetweenTheWorld By: Ta-Nehisi Coates

Between the World and Me is an essay written in the form of a letter from Coates to his son, in which he reflects on what it means to be an African American male in 2015. Instead of trying to make sense of it, Coates' story is about finding one's place in an irrational context. He argues that racial conflict is a fabricated construct that is part of the "Dream" that enables one group to maintain power over another and does not believe that there's a solution to the problem of race relations.

This is such an important read, especially in the world we live in today. We all tend to gravitate toward books that reflect our own experience, toward characters who look and act the way we do. Most people have the privilege of not thinking about race until some violence flares up on the news, and then we think of the issue as momentary, not a sign of some endemic problem. African Americans don't have the luxury of thinking about race only when it suits them. Coates illustrates that it is an omnipresent fact of life and death. It makes the experience of American society fundamentally different and exponentially more complicated. That is exactly why I'd recommend this book to all readers. It is important to break away from this bubble that most of society lives in and understand a perspective that is brutally different from ours. It is the first step in creating an equitable society based on empathy and understanding.

Suggested Further Reading:

  • Caste - The Origins of our Discontent
  • The Souls of Black Folk - W.E.B. Du Bois

Being Mortal

BeingMortal

By: Atul Gawande

Although life takes us all through an individual journey, unique in most ways, we all converge at the same end; the quality of those last few miles is something we should all be concerned about. Motivated by his father's diagnosis of brain cancer, Gawande delves into the history of care for the elderly, current options, and theories on how to approach end-of-life care. Being Mortal offers a fascinating look at the subject matter and practical advice. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the topic and allows for the development of empathy toward the elderly population. I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list if you or anyone you know is growing old.

Suggested Further Reading:

  • Atul Gawande's articles for The New Yorker
  • When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi

The Joy Luck Club

JoyLuckClub

By: Amy Tan

The Joy Luck Club explores the experiences of immigrants, as well as the self-discovery journey of both the older and younger generation. The author, Tan, employs a vignette style to alternate the perspectives of both the older and younger women, with the character of Jing-Mei acting as a link between the two. The book provides an insight into life in pre-revolutionary, rural China and some of the hardships and struggles of Chinese immigration to the US. As the novel explores the generational divide, we see that the characters in the book struggle to maintain their cultural heritage and language while living in America. As the children grow older, they become more interested in their parents' heritage, which bridges the gap created when they reject their culture to assimilate into American society.

This book was meaningful as I could draw many parallels to my life as a first-generation American with immigrant parents. I was able to appreciate many of the sacrifices my parents made through the detailed accounts of the older generation's lives and perspectives. Furthermore, the book inspired a period of introspection of my cultural identity, which was a driving factor of why I started diving into my heritage. Regardless of identity, this book revolves around the complexity of parental/child relationships, allowing it to be relatable for a broad audience. I highly recommend the read if you get the chance.

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