2022 was an interesting year from a reader’s perspective. Due to moving to a new office three hundred meters from my home, I no longer needed to commute, meaning I read far fewer books.
Still, I made time for reading when I could, as I always will, though I read fewer books than I did in previous years. Finding the next big “a-ha!” book becomes harder the more you read, but that’s only another reason to reread the classics.
Anyhow, that’s enough about me: onto the 2022 reading list.
The 10 Best Books I Read in 2022
- Maid by Stephanie Land
- Hero on a Mission by Donald Miller
- The Power of Regret by Dan Pink
- Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama by Bob Odenkirk
- Making It All Work by David Allen
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
- Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
- Winning Through Intimidation by Robert Ringer
- Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke
- No B.S. Anthology by Dan Kennedy
Maid by Stephanie Land
Rating: 4/5
I listened to the audio version of Maid after watching the eponymous Netflix adaptation—and I was not disappointed. A personal highlight was Land’s haunting narration of the book. You can hear her in specific chapters reliving the trauma of living in the type of poverty she experienced. Her vivid recollection of her friends’ judgment opened my eyes to the challenges many working-class Americans experience daily and reminded me of my struggles from not that long ago. A highly enjoyable listen and one of the better author-narrated audiobooks I’ve heard.
Hero on a Mission by Donald Miller
Rating: 3/5
Donald Miller has a unique perspective on navigating life. He explains that every story has four characters: A victim, a villain, a hero, and a guide. He adds that these four characters live inside us. If we play the victim, we’re doomed to fail. If we play the villain, we can’t create genuine bonds. But if we play the hero or guide, our lives will flourish. The hard part, explains Miller, is being self-aware enough to know which character we are playing. A fun read, especially for anyone feeling adrift in life.
The Power of Regret by Dan Pink
Rating: 4/5
I’m a big fan of Dan Pink and was looking forward to his new book after his slightly disappointing last book. The Power of Regret explains how we can enlist our regrets to make smarter decisions, perform better and deepen our sense of meaning and purpose. I felt so inspired after reading one chapter that I dedicated an entire blog post about it (which you can read here). I also summarized one of my favorite takeaways in a tweet:
Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama by Bob Odenkirk
Rating: 4/5
Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama is one of the few memoirs I read that left a lasting impression on me. Maybe it’s my love for Odenkir’s work on Better Call Saul or my admiration for how hard he had to work to get to where he is today, but his story is deeply inspiring. His ability to constantly reinvent himself—from comedian to writer to comic actor to serious actor—is something few actors dare to pull off. Again, this a memoir much better listened to than reading, as Odenkirk narrates himself (and with comic effect).
Making It All Work by David Allen
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Rating: 3/5
I read Making It All Work before I rebuilt my course Getting Things Done with Notion to ensure I covered all my bases. The book is good, but it’s better suited for people already familiar with the GTD methodology. (As an aside, it was the first book I read and listened to simultaneously, which made for a unique reading experience.) If you’re new to GTD, start with David’s other book, The Getting Things Done Workbook, as it’s quicker and easier to read.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
Rating: 4/5
Wow. What an incredible read from beginning to end. I loved Lori’s book so much that I bought a copy for my wife as she’s studying to become a psychologist. If I had to choose the best book I read this year, Gottlieb’s book might be up there. Gottlieb’s memoir is one of the books I’ve read that strikes a balance between heavy and humorous subject matter while informing the reader about the finer details of a profession. A book I plan to read again when it becomes available on Audible in my country.
Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Rating: 4/5
I’ve been following Tiago’s work for nearly a decade, and his first traditionally published book was good. The book describes a Second Brain as “a trusted and organized digital repository of your most valued ideas, notes, and creative work.” If you’re a longtime reader, you know I’m a big fan of managing knowledge which led me to build my Notion Commonplace Book. I wrote a few resources sharing my learnings from the book, but the best place to start is in my summary.
Winning Through Intimidation by Robert Ringer
Rating: 4/5
I had Winning Through Intimidation on my reading list for years, as the great Dan Kennedy would often refer to and recommend it in his seminars. Contrary to popular belief, the book is not about intimidating people but rather learning how people can and will scare you—and what you need to do to safeguard yourself against such attacks. While I didn’t agree with everything Ringer wrote, I did enjoy the chapter on the three types of people you’ll encounter in business and his retelling of cashing a cheque to ensure a sneaky broker didn’t double-cross him. A fun read but not for everyone.
Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke
Rating: 3/5
Dopamine Nation is about our addiction to fleeting pleasures—shopping, gaming, texting—as told by renowned psychiatrist Dr. Anna Lembke. In a similar vein to Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Lembke describes past patients to demonstrate her most significant findings about addiction. Furthermore, she attempts to help the reader find a balance between pain and pleasure in the high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli world we’re living in today. The book gave me pause and invited me to reflect on my relationship with technology and how it might be using me rather than the other way around.
The Best of No B.S. by Dan Kennedy
Rating: 4/5
The Best of No B.S. is a collection of the best chapters from the great Dan Kennedy’s No B.S. book series. Having read many of Dan’s books, I’m glad he was able to put together a monster of a book, especially since he almost passed away in 2020. Dan’s abrasive style isn’t for everyone, but if you’re new to marketing, Dan’s teachings will give you a solid foundation upon which to build, whether you’re a business owner or beginning your career in tech, as I was back in 2017.
Conclusion
2022 was another year for reading new books and rereading old classics—a pastime I am partaking in more as I get older. I’ve learned that great books deserve multiple revisits with fresh perspectives depending on where we are in life.
I reread a few of my favorite titles in 2022, including:
- A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
- Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
- Sing Backward and Weep by Mark Lanegan
- The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
And that’s it!
If you enjoy my book recommendation, you might like previous years’ entries:
- 2021 Best Books
- 2020 Best Books
- 2019 Best Books
- 2018 Best Books
- 2017 Best Books
- 2016 Best Books
- 2015 Best Books
Lastly, if you’re looking for more good book recommendations, you can never go wrong with any I list on my book summaries page.