Yes, it’s that time of year. Everyone is publishing lists of the best books of 2022. The lists include the top ten (or more), the best in various genres, best books for women, best for men, best for children, and even celebrity favorites.
To me, lists like these are subjective. Everyone has different tastes. To claim, definitively, that ten specific books are the best is like saying a specific joke is the funniest ever. It all comes down to taste and preference. I’ll even say it comes down to mood. I know that sometimes I’m in the mood to read something scary, or something funny, or something mindless or silly.
The other thing I find interesting about these compilations is the fact most of them list different books. I expect to see different favorites when the lists come from different countries and cultures. Again, it’s subjective. What’s popular in Spain isn’t going to be the same as what’s popular in Japan. But even when I see lists from different media outlets in the U.S., they often spotlight different titles.
However, I’ll admit that I read these lists (and not out of spite). There have been many occasions when I’ve discovered a new author or a book that otherwise would have slipped under my reading radar. There are so many writers and so many books that it’s easy to miss a great story. It’s sort of like finding a diamond on a sandy beach.
Personally, I prefer to review books rather than rate them. It would be difficult for me to give you a top ten of favorite books I’ve read. The list would be constantly in flux. There are books I’ve loved that I’ve read several times, but others I’ve loved that I’ve never picked up again. There are books I thought were fantastic, but then when I reread them years later I find them to be mediocre. Perspective changes things.
So, yes, I’ll be reading the listings of the best books of the past year as they pop up in my feed over the next few weeks. Sort of like mining for literature, sifting through all the reviews and write-ups in search of something new, something different, something that will inspire me both as a reader and a writer.
When I find a few, I’ll be sure to post reviews and note where I discovered them. Hopefully, I’ll be able to turn you on to a few new discoveries, as well.
RB