Best Books I Read in 2022

2022 was remarkable for me and delving into various worlds both imaginative and real gave the year a much needed boost. I explored Bengali writings although in translated form and continued my journey of fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, children's books and staple like Ruskin Bond. A year is incomplete without the company of good books. ?

1)?????????????‘The Dictionary of Lost Words’?by Pip Williams ?

If you pick just one book this year, let it be this one.?Set in 19th century England, with the backdrop of women's suffrage movement as well as World War I, Dr. Murray along with his team of lexicographers are diligently sifting, sorting and straightening words for the publication of the first edition of Oxford English Dictionary.

Esme, an epitome of the courageous, strong willed and brave women of that generation, grows up around the scriptorium with a penchant for words. She experiences love, loss, friendship and sisterhood.??

Pip Williams has done a fabulous job of enmeshing the deep, lost and overlooked contributions of the women and girls of the bygone era. What a brilliant debut.??

I had waited almost a year to read this and what a full filling experience it was. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that most of the characters have been drawn from real life and archives. Little slow at first. However, picks up pace by the middle, when you will not be able to put it down.??

"This novel is my attempt to understand how the way we define language, might define us."?

"The Dictionary, like the English language, is a work in progress."

2)?????????????‘Why We Sleep’ by Mathew Walker ?

I have always been intrigued by the inner workings of sleep and the time was right to get a better understanding since sleep has become so scarce. This is a superb book and I would recommend it to anyone fascinated with something that we spend almost one third of our lifetimes doing.?

Things to ponder:??

a.???Drowsy driving is responsible for more accidents than either of alcohol or drugs.?

b.??6 hours of sleep a night in the week before your flu shot means that you will produce less than half of the normal antibody response required.

c.???22 hours without sleep, human performance is impaired to the same level as that of someone legally drunk.

d.??REM sleep is what stands between rationality and insanity.

e.???Insomnia is almost twice as common in women than in men.

f.????The recycle rate of human being is around 16 hours. After 16 hours of being awake, the brain begins to fail.

g.??When it comes to information processing, think of wake state as reception, NREM as reflection and REM as integration.?

“The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep.”

“A problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it”- John Steinbeck?

3)?????????????‘Early Indians’ by Tony Joseph

What a fascinating read. Tony Joseph has written an epic; amalgamating archeology, genetics, linguistics, epigraphy, philology and history. It reads like an eclectic research report - and indeed his research is thorough, encompassing at least a hundred papers and books.?I am amazed by the fact that we have not yet deciphered the Harappan script and that mature Harappan civilization was 5 million strong!?

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the story of our ancestors and where we came from!

“We are a multi-source civilisation, not a single -source one.”

“Nations as we understand them today are no older than a few centuries, and we are all interconnected- genetically, culturally and historically.” - Tony Joseph?

4)?????????????‘My Life in Full’ by Indra Nooyi

?What an awe-inspiring life journey of one of the most celebrated C-suite executives of our times.?It has been an absolute pleasure reading this memoir.?The perfect read to get a sneak peek into the life and times of a world renowned, successful and exemplary CEO.?

5)?????????????‘Rafa My Story’ by Rafael Nadal

The best time to pick up ‘Rafa My Story’ was 2022. Bagging both Australian Open and French Open at the age of 35 years speaks volumes about the tenacity, courage and perseverance of the sports icon. The book showcases Rafa’s never say die attitude through the landmark 2008 Wimbledon final against Federer, which he won in a nerve wracking 5 setter.?One of the greatest athletes of all times, a true champion and a humble human being, his attitude inspires millions including me. Not only tennis he is one heck of a golfer and a footballer. ?

6)?????????????‘Why I Am an Atheist’ by Bhagat Singh

The legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh necessitates no introduction. A young, well-read, and meticulous socialist revolutionary, his name is etched in blood in the pages of Indian history as a hero. This piece should have been read a long time ago – better late than never.

“They can kill me, but they cannot kill my ideas.”

“They can crush my body, but they will not be able to crush my spirit. “

“The sword of revolution is sharpened on the whetting stone of ideas.”?

“Revolution is an inalienable right of mankind. Freedom is an imperishable birthright of all.”?

“Any man who stands for progress has to criticize, disbelieve and challenge every item of the old faith.”?

“My strength is the strength of oppressed; my courage is the courage of desperation.”?

“Lovers, lunatics and poets are made of the same stuff.” – Bhagat Singh

7)?????????????‘Originals’ by? Adam Grant

A brilliant read about what it takes to be an original! Through an extensive research of his own and fellow thinkers, Adam has showcased creative destruction, the art and science of recognizing original ideas, how procrastination might not be all bad, how to excel at coalitions, how a streak of rebellion is all it takes and much more. The stories of Lucy Stone and Jackie Robinson is my personal favourite. This is a great one! Shouldn’t have waited 8 years to pick up this book!?

8)?????????????'Collected Poetry' by Emily Dickenson

It was refreshing to explore the genre of poetry with the verses of the recluse poet who barely published her work while being alive, who wrote for her friends and not for a wider audience, the one who was touched by nature and moved beyond words by the departure of numerous loved ones.?Emily Dickinson has emphatically written about the beauty of life and the vagaries of death.

My favourites:?

The pedigree of honey

Does not concern the bee;

A clover, any time, to him

Is aristocracy.

———

I never saw a moor,

I never saw the sea;

Yet know I how the heather looks,

And what a wave must be.

?I never spoke with God,

Nor visited in heaven;

Yet certain am I of the spot

As if the chart were given.

—-

I reason, earth is short,

And anguish absolute,

And many hurt;

But what of that?

?I reason, we could die:

The best vitality

Cannot excel decay;

But what of that?

I reason that in heaven

Somehow, it will be even,

Some new equation given;

But what of that?

?——

Success is counted sweetest

By those who ne'er succeed.

?—-

To fight aloud is very brave,

But gallanter, I know,

Who charge within the bosom,

The cavalry of woe.

?Who win, and nations do not see,

Who fall, and none observe,

Whose dying eyes no country

Regards with patriot love.

?We trust, in plumed procession,?

For such the angels go,

Rank after rank, with even feet

And uniforms of snow.

9)?????????????‘The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency’ by Alexander McCall

?Set in the African heartland of Botswana, with Kalahari Desert as the backdrop and generously sprinkled with humour and Setswana culture, the book follows the adventures of a lady detective Mma Ramotswe. Mma is a gutsy, bold and precocious woman who leads an unorthodox life.

10)???????‘The Dilbert Principle’ by Scott Adams

Just what you need when you are looking for comedy. Hilarious lampooning, witty and just what one needs for a light read.

11)???????‘The Boy at the Back of the Class’ by Onjali Q. Rauf

A heartwarming children’s fiction, set in the bustling city of London and centered around the theme of refugee crisis. Four friends, one crisis and 'the world’s greatest idea', a timely children’s fiction ideal for kids of all ages.

12)???????‘The Girl Who Drank The Moon’ by Kelly Barnhill

A thought provoking , multilayered social satire guised as a children’s fantasy fiction. Kelly Barnhill has done a fabulous job of weaving a fast paced, magical tale around the teen protagonist and her family and friends.?Want to get enmagicked or visit the magical world of bogs, monsters and dragons? This 2017 Newbery Medal winner might be your portal to the enchanted lands.

13)???????‘Book of Life, Love and friendship’ by Ruskin Bond

A year is incomplete without reading Rusty’s musings. These short books are a compilation of quotes (not all by Rusty) that he lives by, comes back to and also shares with us to imbibe.

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything that you need.”

“A flower cannot blossom without sunshine and a person cannot live without love.”?

“One person’s weed is another person’s wildflower.”

“Some people go to priests; others to poetry; I to my friends” ?Virginia Woolf?

“Do not walk behind me, I may not lead; do not walk ahead of me, I may not follow; Just walk beside me and be my friend” - Albert Camus?

“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards” - Soren Kierkegaard

“How shall we hoodwink them? Tell them there’s plenty of time.”?

14)???????‘Collected Short Stories’ by Ashapurna Debi

On a reading spree of one of the greatest Bengali writers of all times. Discovered her short stories a few days back and what a ride it has been.?Ashapurna Debi is a prolific writer who has aptly captured the plight of women in urban and rural Bengal. Born way ahead of her time she has deftly narrated the societal double standards and the patriarchal flavours marring 20th century. I highly recommend her writing to everyone.

My favourites:

1. Noichoi

2. Nibaran Chandra’s Last Rites

3. The Georgette Saree

4. The Twilight Moment?

5. Opium??

15)???????‘Greatest Bengali Stories Ever Told’ by Arunava Sinha

A collection of Bengali short stories that touched the translator’s life, some known and some unknown jewels. This book is a slice of Bengal, panning over the last century and tugging at our heartstrings. Unfortunate to be reading this in English. However something is better than nothing.

My favourites:

1. The Kabuliwallah by Rabindranath Tagore

2. Mahesh by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay

3. Thunder and Lightning by Ashapurna Devi

4. Ras by Narendranath Mitra

5. Two magicians by Satyajit Ray

6. The Marble Table by Sanjib Chattopadhyay?

7. The Music Room by Tarashankar Bandhyopadhyay

8. The Discovery of Telenapota??by Premendra Mitra?

9. The Homecoming by Banaphool?

10. Raja by Ritwik Ghatak

16)???????‘Piranesi’ by Susana Clarke

Read a fantasy fiction after a long time and thoroughly enjoyed it. Like they say, you don’t choose a book, the book chooses you. A fast paced, ever changing, page turner in a world influenced by the great Italian artist, Giovanni Battista Piranesi.?Magic realism at its hilt, beautiful description of the worlds and realities, unraveling the mysteries at the core.

17)???????‘Desire’ by Haruki Murakami

Collection of five bizarre and bold short stories from the famous Japanese author about desire ranging from hunger, lust and love.?Would recommend this to anyone looking for stories with open interpretations.

18)???????‘Seven Brief Lessons’ on Physics by Carlo Rovelli

Carlo Rovelli, an Italian physicist explains concepts like relativity, black holes, probabilities and more. A slim book, under 100 pages about the wonders of modern physics easily transports one back to high school.?

“Science shows us how to better understand the world, but it also reveals to us just how vast is the extent of what is still not known.” - Carlo Rovelli?

19)???????‘Three Thousand Stitches’ by Sudha Murty

Compilation of 11 tales from Sudha Murty’s illustrious life of heading the Infosys Foundation.?Simple, lucid tales, anecdotes drawn from real life incidents. She does justice to bringing the various facets of our daily life to the fore. Compelling and thought provoking.

20)???????‘The Art of Thinking Clearly’ by Rolf Dobelli

Heavily influenced from Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Daniel Kahneman, Richard Thaler and others; the book is a compilation of various cognitive biases that we deal with in our daily lives.?

“We are blind to what does not exist. “

“The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance- It is illusion of knowledge - Daniel J. Boorstin.”

21)???????‘Grit’ by Angela Duckworth

A refresher course on Grit. Interest ---> Practice---> Purpose--->Hope?

"Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.

Necessity is the mother of adaptation."

22)???????‘How to Decide’ by Annie Duke?

Finished this one after much struggle and too many breaks. It takes one through the nuances of decision making - resulting, premortem, backcasting, decision exploration, category decisions, hedge and more.?

Looking forward to reading more inspiring books this year. Do share your recommendations. :-)