There’s still over a week of 2022 to go – time for at least one or two more books – but I’m taking a moment today to look back at my reading diary and share a few of my favourites.
I do this every year, and it’s always great fun to remember some of the good (and not so good!) books that have passed through my hands.
Overall, this has been a great year for books!
Discovering some wonderful secondhand booksellers on Instagram has been a real game changer for me. New books are expensive in Australia, and while I still love to support my local Hobart bookshops when I can, I’m much less likely to take a chance on a new writer when it’s $35 or $40 for a paperback. When it’s $8 or $10 through an account like Sage Cottage Books, Bin Chicken Books, Birch Books or Stoker Books, I’m far more willing to give a book a go and see how I get on with it.
I’ve also started my own secondhand books account – ruthsellsbooks – and if I recoup a few dollars on books that I’m ready to pass on, that’s a real bonus.
Anyway, onto the juicy stuff.
I read 113 books in 2022.
65 of those were fiction.
7 were poetry.
41 were nonfiction, including three graphic novels.
There were an additional four books that I started but didn’t finish. I don’t usually shout about those, because it feels unnecessary, but if you’re desperate to know what they are then send me a message and I’ll whisper it…
Many of the books I read in 2022 were by authors that were new to me, but three of them really stood out because they’re huge names and I can’t believe I’ve come to them all so late! Helen Garner, Ann Patchett and Anne Tyler – welcome to my bookshelves at last!
Of the fiction books I read this year, these were my favourites:
- Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
- The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding by Holly Ringland
- You be Mother by Meg Mason
- The Offing by Benjamin Myers
- Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters
- Open City by Teju Cole
- Metal Fish, Falling Snow by Cath Moore
- The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan
- The Signal Line by Brendan Colley
- Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami
- Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes
- Still Life by Sarah Winman
And of the non-fiction books I read, these were my favourites:
- Islands of Abandonment by Cal Flynn
- The Erratics by Vicki Laveau-Harvie
- City of Trees by Sophie Cunningham
- The Instant by Amy Liptrot
- The Stubborn Light of Things by Melissa Harrison
- In Love by Amy Bloom
- A Still Life by Josie George
- Muddy People by Sara El Sayed
- This Boy We Made by Taylor Harris
As ever, I already have a VERY LONG list of books I want to try and read next year – so long I know I’ll never get to them all! I think it’s currently close to 300 titles, so even if none of my favourite writers released anything new in the next three years, it would still be a challenge to get through. Ahh well, it’s a nice problem to have.
I’d love to know what your favourite reads of 2022 have been. Leave me a wee comment below, or let me know on social media. If this post has sparked your interest, you can follow me on Instagram @ruthreadsbooks where I share photos of books throughout the year as I read them.
Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and happy reading to you all.
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Photo by Olia 💙💛 Gozha on Unsplash
Ruth Dawkins Freelance Writer 