Today I came across NPR’s Books We Love, a helpful and fun-to-use interactive list of recommended books. They’ve been doing this every year going back to 2013, so there is a lot to look at. Want more information? Here’s an explanation of how they select books.
There’s never a shortage of books to read these days and this list helps you sort things out according to your reading tastes. I’m often frustrated by book recommendations because they aren’t always in line with what I want to read. I haven’t gone through the whole list for 2022 (there are more than 3200 books!), but I was pleased to see that I’ve already read and enjoyed several of these. That’s a good sign to me.
Books I thought were great:
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Books I want to read:
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel
Scenes from My Life by Michael K. Williams
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
I don’t like to make a long list of books to read for the new year because I find that overwhelming, so I like that I can go back to this and look when I’m ready for something new.
Do you know what your next read will be? Do you like referring to lists like these? Have you read any of the books I picked? Leave a comment!
Thanks for visiting—come back soon!
Book Club Mom 
Sea of Tranquility is also on my TBR list. 😀
I like St. John Mandel’s books! Thanks for stopping by, Donna! 🙂
Hi B
A list of 3200 books sure is a lot but it sounds like NPR came up with a good idea in 2013
And from your list here – which is great – the one I want to read is “I am glad my mother died”
Yes, it’s a shocking title, but McCurdy is very honest about her relationship. She loved her mom but it was a toxic relationship.
Thx
My reading life is tied up in a bunch of new legislation that I have plough through for work. Ugh. I did start a Nelson DeMille book while I was on holidays, but probably won’t finish it until summer. But I’m retiring at the end of October and planning to do lots of reading then. 🙂
PS Great list. Thanks for posting about the 3200!
Hi Lynette – although I only read 1 book a month for my job, I do understand that feeling of not being able to read anything else during that time. I’m excited that you’re retiring in the fall and that you’ll have more time to read what you want!
Last year I read 46 books, most of which I had no idea I’d end up reading. Like you, I did enjoy French Braid. Anne Tyler never disappoints. And, yes, I like lists!
So you’re a bit of a rogue reader like me! Thank you for stopping by, Marian 🙂
I like Monica Ali, but I haven’t read that one. When I’ve finished Balzac’s Droll Tales I may start on Dostoevsky’s Raw Youth
I always love hearing about your classic reads, Derrick! Thank you for stopping by 🙂
It’s always feels rewarding when books you’ve read appear on lists like this – although over 3,000 is rather too long a list! 😃 I keep seeing a lesson in chemistry around and one I’ve now added to my list!
Yes, many of my friends have recommended it. I don’t even know what it’s about – I’m going in blind but I am looking forward to finding out. Thank you, Annika, for the visit and comment 🙂
Read lessons and violin asap. Both so good
Oh good – I should be getting Lessons soon and the Violin Conspiracy is one of our mystery book club selections at work. Thanks for the visit!
Reading lists are daunting and often do not have the books I enjoy reading. I read to entertain myself and to learn. I am writing a fantasy historical fiction, “Poseidon’s Atlantis Adventure, The Human Hybrid Experiment” based on Plato’s Atlantis. My research needed DNA science. I discovered the new book by Walter Isaacson, “Code Breaker”. A biography of the woman Jennifer Doudna who discovered gene editing. At the same time, I just finished a science fiction novel,
“Bloodline” by James Rollins. The story of how to make people live forever through genetic engineering. I will use some of what I learned in these two books and find a way to make my story believable. I did the same kind of research when I authored my novel, “Einstein’s Compass a YA Time Traveler Adventure”. I used twenty years of Walter Isaacson’s biography of Einstein to draft my novel using his early childhood story. Then added a sci-fi fantasy twist.
Hi Grace – yes, you’re right. I also find that some reading lists have an agenda. That’s why IMO blogger reviews can be a lot more reliable. Still, I was heartened to see that books I’d already read and thought were excellent were on the list. Of course, reading for research is completely different, although Code Breakers is a staff pick at the library where I work. Thank you for visiting and commenting!
Thanks for sharing, Barbara.
And thanks for the visit, John!
Thanks for the list, Barbara! New recommendations are always good.
Thank you Lauren!
Interesting, Barbara. I hadn’t heard of NPR’s Books We Love. Thanks for sharing.
Hi TIm – I hadn’t heard of it either, but I was glad to find it. Even though there are 3200 books on the list, you can sort them out to match your tastes. I like that! Thank you for stopping by and commenting 🙂
Of the ones you shared, I’ve only read Jennette McCurdy’s book. I do have Black Cake coming up as a book group read this spring, and I’ve heard so much about Lessons in Chemistry that I feel like I need to check it out! Thanks for sharing the list!
Hi Lisa – I hope you like Black Cake – I thought it was excellent! Thanks for the visit 🙂
Lessons in Chemistry is next up for our book club. Horse is what I am reading now.
Definitely want to read Lessons in Chemistry – I just read the synopsis of Horse – that looks really good. Such an original idea for a book. Are you enjoying it? Thanks for stopping by!
Well, I’m way behind in reading it but so far it’s really interesting.
I’ve read nothing you show here, not that they all don’t look intriguing. I have mixed feelings about news sources telling me what books to read. Maybe good, maybe a way to make me feel guilty. I dunno, but I will go peek at the suggestions.
Yes, I get that – honestly sometimes I feel like there’s too much content to consume out there!
Same here.
HI Barbara, I haven’t read a single one of these. I did, however, read Catch 22 and Lord Edgeware Dies. I am busy reading The Circle by Dave Eggers. Have you heard of it? A very interesting and unusual look at the future. Are you still doing your reviews by other people posts. I will do one for you, if you are.