2022 Reading List | What I’m Reading This Year
Happy New Year! I’ve made a habit of putting together a reading list each year to guide my book selections, and I’m continuing that for 2022.
I’ll admit that I actually didn’t get to each book on my 2021 reading list… but in my defense, I did read MOST of them and will be reading what’s left this year.
All items on my 2022 reading list can be found at the links provided, but supporting your local library and borrowing your books is always a great idea! I’ve loved the Libby app that is provided by my local library, because it allows me to rent digital copies of books to read on my phone or ipad, and they have audiobooks available too!
Here is my 2022 reading list in no particular order:
I read this about 3 years ago and it’s been my go-to book recommendation ever since. I absolutely tell EVERYBODY to read this. Since it’s been so long since I’ve read it myself, I’m circling back. Dr. Jay is a clinical psychologist, who wrote this book as a guide for twenty-somethings to take advantage of this growth period, and let go of what they *think* life is supposed to be at this stage. The Defining Decade includes advice for success in the workplace and personal relationships, which lays the groundwork for our thirties and beyond.
- The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
I’m adding fiction books back into my rotation this year, and I’ve been meaning to read this since last year. The Water Dancer tells the story of Hiram, who is born into slavery and possesses a mysterious power. In the journey to understand this power and reunite with his mother, Hiram is more determined than ever to find freedom. This is the first fiction novel Ta-Nehisi Coates has written, and I’m looking forward to reading another piece of his work.
- Love in Color: Mythical Tales From Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalola
Love stories aren’t necessarily my thing, but when I spotted the cover, I decided to pick it up. When I read that it is a set of mythological love stories from West Africa and beyond, I took it home with me. Very often, we hear tales of Greek mythology, which often is the standard of historical love tales. But as a Cameroonian, I know that West Africa has so many folktales and mythological tales to share with the world. I’m very excited for this one!
- A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and it’s Assault on the American Mind by Harriet A. Washington
African Americans are harmed by environmental hazards in disproportionate numbers due to racism and positioning near harmful industrial sites- this is environmental racism. Harriet A. Washington shares the realities of what lead poisoning, pollution, waste, etc. does to communities that are majority Black in the United States. As a result, the IQ of people living in these areas is lower than their Causacian counterparts, which is why IQ testing is a flawed metric. A Terrible Thing to Waste documents environmental issues in Black communities, while outling exactly what needs to be changed to help these communities.
- While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams
My 2021 reading list included 2 titles from Stacey Abrams, and I’ve grown into such a fan of her writing. I’m a fan of hers in general, but we’ll talk more about that later.
While Justice Sleeps is a political thriller that tells the story of Avery Keene, a brilliant law clerk, who plunges into an even higher role of responsibility when her boss (who happens to be a supreme court judge) slips into a coma. She is now responsible for their life and the details of a high profile case that will put her in harm’s way to find the truth.
- All About Love by bell hooks
bell hooks was a writer that I was late to discover, but I’m so glad I finally found her work. All About Love is the first book in the “Love Song to the Nation” trilogy. I was hooked when I saw that “The word ‘love’ is most often defined as a noun, yet we would all love better if we used it as a verb” is a quote from this book, and I borrowed it from my library immediately. Exploring the question “What is love?” leads to deep reflection from bell herself, as well as anybody else who reads it.
- How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue
Ever since I read Behold the Dreamers, I’ve been waiting for Imbolo Mbue to release another title. How Beautiful We Were is set in a fictional African village that is struggling with the negative environmental outcomes after an American oil company moves in. The people of the village endure oil spills, tainted water, and heartbreak due to realization that this company is killing their people and stripping their village to nothing. The villagers are tired of empty promises, a girl decides that they have suffered enough, and the result is a story of what happens when capitalism takes over.
- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
I distinctly remember a day where I saw this book in about 8 IG stories within the span of 20 minutes…I felt like I HAD to pick this up because so many people read it in 2021. Colleen Hoover is known for romance novels, and when I read the description, I was interested. This book details two love stories in protagonist Lily Bloom’s life. One in the past, and one set in the present day. I’m excited to see which one of the two relationships I’ll be rooting for.
- Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong and the New Research That’s Rewriting the Story by Angela Saini
I was introduced to this book through the AWIS Baltimore Fall 2021 book club. I only got the chance to skim it last year, but I’m committed to finishing it this year. Angela Saini is a science journalist, who exposes sexism in scientific disciplines and the false idea that women are not suited for science. She discusses science’s failure to understand women, and the long list of stereotypes that plague women in scientific spaces.
What’s on your 2022 reading list? I’d love to know!
