The Washington Post’s 10 Best Books of 2022

We're in top ten list season and I 👏 love 👏 it 👏. The Washington Post just released its list of the ten best books of 2022 (five fiction and five nonfiction), so let's take a look at what made it, what was snubbed, and what looks good. Expand for more information. 👇

Links 💻

Further Viewing 🎥

Titles Mentioned 📚
Afterlives, Abdulrazak Gurnah
Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver
Mecca, Susan Straight
Trust, Hernan Diaz
Young Mungo, Douglas Stuart
Constructing a Nervous System, Margo Jefferson
G-Man: J Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century, Beverly Gage
The Petroleum Papers: Inside the Far-Right Conspiracy to Cover Up Climate Change, Geoff Dembicki
Stay True: A Memoir, Hua Hsu
Weapons of Mass Delusion: When the Republican Party Lost Its Mind, Robert Draper

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[benreadsgood]

Trust is an imperfect but absolutely fascinating book. It wasn’t a 5-star read for me, but it has stuck with me - such a clever, layered novel that makes you rethink its events again and again.

[joangavrilik]

I love Best Books lists & am always happy to hear your reactions to them. I just finished Trust and loved it, although I did not love it while I was reading it — I found it exasperating. When I finished, I listened to an Author Talk (available through many public libraries) with Diaz about Trust, which was great. Thanks for what you do and enriching my reading life!

[muddywatersbookshelf]

This is superb video! Very thoughtful. I really enjoyed this so thank you. I subscribed as well!!!

[lisaedwards]

I saw Abdulrazak Gurnah speak here in Seattle in October and received a copy of his book at that time. I haven't read it yet but this serves as a good reminder to do so. He was quite an engaging speaker. As always, great video Greg! I too love the "best of" lists. 😊

[hayleystenger]

I loved Trust. I felt it was so timely as we deal with truth, who gets to tell it, and how it is told. It will be in my top 10.

[kiranreader]

i appreciate when a list has books on it that i haven't heard of it and i'm happy there were a few i didn't know of on this list!!

[l.georgealexander]

I use the different awards lists to find new authors although my personal interests plays a part in what book I decide to read. For example, I am reading 'The Song of Achilles "by Madeline Miller because I have a strong interest in Greek history and mythology. I love your ideas and ideas about books. I hope your dog, Jamie, is doing well.

[IsaacFortuna]

Good video, thanks. I read Trust, it’s interesting to hear people find it convoluted. I did not find convoluted at all. I like it, didn’t love it (it could be a case of high expectations) I think, because I found the story gets towards the end much simpler (I was thinking of “simplistic” but that could be too harsh of a word and I am still processing the book) than I expected it to be from the beginning. But definitely beautiful writing and very clever structure and idea of creating four voices showing four different narratives around the same story (that idea alone made the book very worthy). I hope you read it and we can hear what your impression is. Hernan Diaz is definitely an author to follow. Can’t wait to read Demon Copperhead..

[sweeteliz]

Ah I am eager to get to Demon Copperhead.. so glad to hear you are enjoying it so much!

[thetheatrezoo]

I'm a bit surprised that Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger isn't talked about more. Perhaps because it came out in October, but his last book The Road was the Pulitzer winner for that year, and this has been long-awaited. I bought it on the day it came out, and the B&N was already short on copies. They were completely out when I went last week. I know sales don't equal value, but it is an amazing book.

[ygftiui]

Thanks for your hard work and putting work another video. I just picked up Gurnah’s Paradise so I think I’ll read that then Afterlives. I’ve been meaning to read Susan Straights memoir In the Country of Women which sounds Interesting and I think I’ll add Mecca to look for. I thought Trust was Ok and glad I read it. But if you haven’t read In The Distance by Diaz you’re missing something special. I’m with you on the non fiction

[myreadinglife]

I was surprised that An Immense World by Ed Yong was not on the nonfiction list. I also gave up on Facebook during the 2016 election. Best decision ever.

[kimswhims]

I'm going to have to read Trust and probably Demon Copperhead and now maybe Afterlives next year.

[mradcaqbdb]

LOL. There was an ad for Hobby Lobby at the end of your video. Wildly misplaced ad.

I saved Mecca and The Petroleum Papers to my list on Scribd. Both sound excellent. Weapons of Mass Delusion definitely sounds like something I’d want to read. I’m not familiar with the author, but his other titles all sound interesting. Unfortunately, this one isn’t on Scribd or at my library e-site, so I won’t be getting to it anytime soon.

You’re coming closer to convincing me to read Demon Copperhead. 😂 I’ll wait to hear your final thoughts on it, but even with the length, it sounds interesting. I would definitely listen to it though.

Also, I have to get back to Night of the Living Rez. I really stalled out after not loving the first three stories. I mean, they were fine, just not anything that grabbed me. So, I will have to press on if the stories get more compelling.

Totally agree about Don’t Cry For Me. It looks like it has been forgotten. That’s very sad because it’s so brilliant.

[Europa]

I ordered Demon Copperhead yesterday, can't wait to read it.

[barbarahelgaker]

I loved Trust! You should try it, really.

[jacquelinemcmenamin]

I loved Young Mungo. Did you hear that Shuggie Bain is being adapted for tv/film?

[joniheisenberg]

I am reading G-MAN now. It is excellent.

[readandre-read]

I haven't read any of these! Demon Copperhead is on my Christmas list; I can't wait to read it. Mecca sounds really good and Kirkus seldom does me wrong so that's going on my TBR.

[haysleigh]

My favourites so far this year are:

Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman
True Biz by Sarah Novic
Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnett
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins Valdez
Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou