Less delicious than the food recommendations, but more so for the soul. My recent 2022 reading and listenings — yes, I am a recent audiobook convert.
Two I would highly recommend: the biography of James A. Baker III, which reads like a podcast version of the West Wing; and, sticking to the theme, Ron Silver aka Bruno Gianelli narrating Philip Roth's masterpiece, The Plot Against America.
Other highlights: fanboying over Olga Tokarczuk. I have a tendency of reading multiple works by the same author — finally got to The Echo Maker after loving The Overstory; did not disappoint but did not surpass. And I've gone through five or so Philip Roth pieces, starting with the unforgettable Portnoy's Complaint. But Plot Against America was stunning.
October 2022 Update: My best friend recommended a few mangas. I've put my nose up long enough — dove into Solo Leveling, absolutely gripping. Some 200 chapters later, no regrets.
| Title | Author |
|---|---|
| The Echo Maker | Richard Powers |
| Klara and the Sun | Kazuo Ishiguro |
| The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III | Peter Baker & Susan Glasser |
| Churchill & Orwell: The Fight for Freedom | Thomas E. Ricks |
| Flights | Olga Tokarczuk |
| The Plot Against America | Philip Roth |
| Broken Earth Trilogy | N.K. Jemisin |
| Descartes' Bones | Russell Shorto |
| The City and the City | China Miéville |
| Dutch House (Tom Hanks narrated!) | Ann Patchett |
| Song of Achilles | Madeline Miller |
| Books of Jacob | Olga Tokarczuk |
| Giovanni's Room | James Baldwin |
| The Witcher: The Last Wish | Andrzej Sapkowski |
| The Power | Naomi Alderman |
| Civilizations: A Novel | Laurent Binet |
| Finding Me: A Memoir | Viola Davis |
| Black Cake | Charmaine Wilkerson |
| Three Body Problem | Liu Cixin |