2022 was a wonderful year for non-fiction reading and I read so many amazing books. From autobiographies to historical books about women lost to time and a life led following the loss of a soul mate. It was hard to narrow it down to a top ten, but after much thought, this is the list of those that just, and only just, stood above the others. They are in no particular order!
This Much Is True by Miriam Margolyes
Miriam Margolyes is an actress and personality that divides people between those who love her and those that find her unbearable. I love her, she is outspoken, honest and unapologetic. For that I admire her. The book is very much a reflection of who you see on screen, so if you like her, you will love it, if you don’t, then probably best you avoid adding it to your to be read pile of books!
The Boy With the Top Knot by Sathnam Sanghera
Without out a doubt this was one of the most moving books I read in 2022. Sathnam Sanghera talks about a life lived amongst secrets and how it shaped his own quest to live his own life freely. It’s honesty is compelling and the writing is wonderful.
The Librarian – A Memoir by Allie Morgan.
Having spent a lot of time in the library as a child, I picked this book up and added it to my book pile. It was funny, very moving and totally not what I expected, which I found delightful. Rather than a simple story of the everyday running of a library, it is a deeply moving story of the battle to save what are for many places of sanctuary.
Dog Days by Andrew Cotter
You would think this was a simple book about a man and his dogs. The story of a sports commentator who bored during the Covid lockdowns, started to make videos about his much loved Labradors Olive and Mabel. It is much more than this, it is a story of resilience through one of the darkest periods in modern history and how the love between one man and his dogs, helped him find a route through to better times.
The Grand Tour – Travels With My Elders by Ben Aitken
This delighful book has sat on my book shelf since before the Covid lockdowns and I finely got around to reading it in 2022. Witty and funny, it is a memorable social commentary of the joy to be found in the company of our elders.
The Five by Hallie Rubenhold
This was a stunning retelling of the women killed by Jack The Ripper. It takes them from the shadows of history and tells their stories, speaking up for women that history has simply treated as the victims of the man that killed them. It is haunting and very moving and should be read alongside any book about the man who for too long has been the only focus of historians.
The Madness of Grief by The Reverend Richard Coles
The Madness of Grief is a very honest story of how the loss of a loved one can not only be an all consuming tragedy, but a force by which our lives are redefined. Richard Coles talks about how all consuming loss is, about not just the heartbreak, but about the anger and how we descend into a period of madness from which escape can feel impossible. A truly beautiful read.
Around The World In 80 Trains by Monisha Rajesm
I love books about travel and this is one of the best. It celebrates the train journeys that can take us to some of the worlds most amazing places to live, from cities, to cultures surviving on the edge of mountains. Truly an example of how books can take you to places that some of us will never visit.
The Bookseller’s Tale by Martin Lantham
I am a sucker for a book about books, booksellers or bookshops and so dived into this and loved it. It is an astounding book about the history of books, bookseller’s and about our favorite places to snuggle up and read.
Women and Power – A Manifesto by Mary Beard
This stunning pocket-sized book sat on my bookshelf for many years! Which is a shame as I was inspired by her words, felt angry at the how women have been written out of history, excluded just for being female. I want better for my niece and my godchildren, and this book inspires change.
I already have some wonderful sounding non-fiction books lined up to read in 2023 and I will continue to read those books that have patiently been waiting to be read, some for months, others for years.
booksaremycwtches 