How to Read 22 Books in 2022

Every year for the past few years I have made it a goal to read and listen to 100 books. I know, it sounds a little crazy, but I firmly believe that anyone can read more books, whether you read 10 or 20 or even 100 books in a single year. In fact, if you stick around to the end of this piece and I will share my tips for reading 22 books in 2022. In the meantime, here are my Top Ten favorite books for 2021, presented in alphabetical order:

All About Me: My Remarkable Life in Show Business?by Mel Brooks?(Ballentine Books, 2021)

I listened to this delightful memoir, narrated by one of the true legends of show business, and loved every minute. Mel Brooks has achieved great success as a television writer, film director, and Broadway show producer, and he tells it all with an abundance of charm and his trademark wit. Brooks is 95 years old and still in full voice. Amazing.

The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World?by Patrik Svensson?(Ecco, 2021)

I bought this book to give to my cousin, who studied marine biology before becoming a dentist. I read the first few pages and was hooked by this beautifully written book that is part memoir and part scientific detective story. Svensson is a brilliant nature writer who, like Annie Dillard, weaves observations about faith into the fabric of his story. (I did give the book to my cousin, who enjoyed it as much as I did.)

The Four Winds?by Kristin Hannah?(St. Martin’s Press, 2021)

Historical fiction in the hands of a skilled writer is immensely rewarding. You learn about a piece of history while enjoying a compelling story. Kristin Hannah’s meticulous research and three-dimensional characters shine a light on the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl in a way that contemporizes this difficult time in American history.?

Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers?by Dane Ortlund?(Crossway, 2020)

Books that are contemplative and spiritually deep usually don’t make the bestsellers list, but Dane Ortlund’s lovely book about the words Jesus used to describe himself has found a wide audience. The writing is deep without being complex, and the topic is like a cool salve for our troubled times.?

Jack?by Marilynne Robinson?(Picador, 2021)

Jack?is the fourth novel in Robinson’s acclaimed Gilead series, all set in the fictional town of Gilead, Iowa. The characters are so enthralling that you feel a bit voyeuristic as you listen to their conversations and reflections on faith and relationships and romance, in this case one involving an interracial couple. I did not want this book to end. Such is the beauty of a story in the hands of a writer with Robinson’s literary genius.

Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation?by Kristen Kobes DuMez?(Liveright Books, 2021)

This is not a book for the (evangelical) faint of heart. DuMez, a professor of history at Calvin College, delivers a meticulously researched and often troubling story of American evangelicalism’s preference for strong, masculine, politically conservative leaders. This book isn’t prescriptive, but it will prompt serious reflection, even if you don’t agree its premise.

No Cure for Being Human (And Other Truths I Need to Hear)?by Kate Bowler?(Random House, 2021)

Full disclosure: I am a huge fan of Kate Bowler. Not just for her writing (which is fabulous), but also for the creative and compelling way she explores the themes that people of faith usually take for granted, even if they don’t understand them. That Bowler had cancer at the age of 35 only adds credibility to her view that too many Christians have bought into a kind of “toxic positivity.”

Project Hail Mary: A Novel?by Andy Weir?(Ballantine, 2021)

I have enjoyed science fiction literature since I was a kid, when I devoured every book written by H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, and Harlan Ellison. Several years ago, I read and loved?The Martian,?Andy Weir’s debut novel.?Project Hail Mary?is even better. The hero, Ryland Grace, is sent into space to save humanity and ends up partnering with an alien. Such an inventive story!

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music?by Dave Grohl?(Dey Street Books, 2021)

Speaking of story, one of my favorite books of the year is by a musician I had only heard about but never heard. Seriously, the Foo Fighters are not in my playlist, but after listening to front man Dave Grohl narrate his marvelous memoir,?I became a fan. If there’s one word to characterize the life of this living legend, it’s?joy.?Grohl loves life and tells his story, including the rough spots (and there have been plenty), with infectious enthusiasm.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know?by Adam Grant?(Viking, 2021)

We all have opinions, but we shouldn’t let them define us. Rather than being confrontational, we need to be curious. And if we want to learn, we need to rethink what we think we know and learn from those who disagree with us. Those are just a few of the many helpful principles contained in this stirring book by Wharton professor and bestselling author Adam Grant.

How to Read 22 Books in 2022

I’m not going to tell you how to read 100 books a year, but I am going to suggest ways to increase the number of books you do read annually. First, start with a modest goal, such as reading a book a month. I got into this habit years ago when I subscribed to the Book-of-the-Month Club. I long ago cancelled my membership, but the habit stuck.?

May I suggest that you can read a book a month. In fact, if you do, you will be in line with the average American reader. That’s not to say that all Americans read 12 books a year. The actual number is closer to four, which is the median. That means half of all Americans have read more than four, and half have read less than four.?

I was happy with my 12 books a until I read an article stating that Bill Gates reads 50 books a year. Here’s one of the richest (and I presume busiest) people in the world, and he’s reading four books a month. I was both inspired and challenged, so I decided to accelerate my pace, figuring that if Bill Gates could do it, so could I.

(By the way, since my Gates epiphany, I have discovered that leaders are readers. Big readers. One estimate says the average CEO reads as many books each year as Bill Gates, so he’s not that special after all. If you are in a position of leadership, that alone should be incentive enough to up your reading game.)

Now, what about you? How many books should you aspire to read in 2022? A book a month would be a worthy goal, but let’s get a bit more ambitious. Let’s set a goal of 22 books (with 11 months remaining, that’s two books a month). With these tips, I guarantee you will not only meet but exceed this goal:

1.?????Make a list of the books you want to read.?Start with 10 titles and add as you discover ones you want to add.

2.?????Choose from a variety of genres. Here are the top five book categories I read in 2021: Christian Living/Discipleship, Biography/Memoir, Fiction, Leadership/Business, and Culture. Variety in your reading will keep you moving.

3.?????Read more than one book at a time. I usually have two to three books going at one time, making my reading more interesting and enjoyable.

4.?????Increase the speed of your reading. You probably won’t have to work at this one. The more you read, the faster you read. It’s just how your brain works.?

5.?????Include audio books. This continues to be the fastest growing book format, and it’s easy to see (or hear) why. You can access books on your phone and take it wherever you go. I can easily listen to three audio books each month as I drive, walk, and work out.

Let me know what you think, and how you are doing with your goal.?