Books of 2022
This year was a wild ride through my book shelf! A little bit of everything, from nonfiction science to memoirs, with a little bit of fiction + mystery. It was also the first year that I really started to listen to audiobooks + fell in love. I especially love when the author personally reads the book, I feel as though they are reading it to me + I am hearing it from their own interpretation + tone of voice. I’d love to hear which books were at the top of your list this past year!
01 Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction
As a future physician, I found this read super interesting! On addiction, the way in which drugs act on the brain + the differences in the brains of addicts before they even start using – as told by a neuroscientist & recovering drug addict.
My first fiction + mystery book of the year. I loved this captivating tale of a woman searching for her missing husband + the reason behind his disappearance after he left her with a cryptic note.
I loved this book + highly recommend on audiobook as it is read by the authors: Oprah + Dr. Bruce Perry – it feels like you’re a fly on the wall in the middle of a conversation between the two! A deep dive into trauma + healing as told by these two with a lot of experience – both personal + professional. For me personally, it opened my eyes to the many ways that trauma affects our behavioral patterns + reactions – in my friends + family, those around me, my future patients, + more. Instead of asking: “What’s wrong with you?”, We should be asking: “What happened to you?”. It’s also a wonderful reminder that trauma is an incredibly broad + subjective experience. A great read for almost anyone!
Another book that the future-physician in me loved. A real-story as told by Abi Morgan (screenwriter + playwright), about her husband + his battle with NMDA encephalitis. Although, no background in science needed! It’s more a heart-wrenching story about family, the challenge of caring for a loved one that is sick, + facing the uphill battle of recovery.
I haven’t watched the Netflix Series Inventing Anna yet, but I was intrigued to listen to this book – as told by one of Anna’s friends in real life: Rachel DeLoache Williams – a former Vanity Fair photo editor. It gives an in-depth look at the ways in which Anna Delvey scammed many – including her those that thought they were friends – posing as a German heiress.
How to break the anxiety cycle – something that is likely familiar to many of us. The author breaks down his tried + tested method to identifying triggers + breaking habits, including those of anxiety + the addictive behaviors that we use to cope. I thought it was an easy read with some helpful tidbits!
I loved the story – possibly in part due to my love of Italy + dreaming of being in magical Positano myself – but I also loved the character development. A tale of a woman who loses her mom, her best friend, + travels to Positano to find herself again – with plot twists that will keep you guessing what is really going on. It was an easy read!
I was a little late to the party reading this book + I had to follow it up by watching the new movie when it came out. I wanted to love it since so many raved about it, but I finished it feeling slightly underwhelmed. Perhaps it would be better to read rather than listen on audiobook. I enjoyed the story, it held my attention – a coming of age story of a lonely marsh girl named Kya. I was surprised by some of the twists + turns in the story, like a possible murder! But overall – it left me wanting more from the story.
09 The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*
I came away from this book underwhelmed. A good, simple message on not taking life too seriously… but I didn’t think that it was especially ground breaking. Obviously I expected some cursing from the title but when I listened on audiobook, I felt as though it was probably overused + slightly unnecessary.
No explanation needed… A classic must-read filled with so many great lessons about life.
Loved the messages behind this book! I’m a big supporter of making small changes to form the big changes that we desire. The author lays out a multitude of ways in which we can change our habits – not by changing who we are – but changing what we do.
12 Elvis and Me
Before listening to this book, I really didn’t know much about Elvis + decided to listen on a whim. I enjoyed listening to this insider tale of his rise to fame + his marriage/divorce, as told by Priscilla.