My (Favorite) Reads of 2022
“Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they’ll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back.”
-Looking for Alaska (by John Green)
Of course, I’m beginning this with a quote from a John Green book, his work (and Hank’s) will always have a special place in my heart.
I didn’t read as much as I planned to this year as adulting for me took another massive turn in both expected and unexpected ways but consistency is a must and I will strive to read more books going forward. This will be more of a fun or light piece with good titles.
Let’s begin…
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race
Like the other books by Walter Isaacson I’ve read, this book presents itself as more than a biography but also a crash course in genetic engineering/ biochemistry.
Asides from covering the remarkable work of Jennifer Doudna, he also talks about the works of other important scientists within the field. There’s an intriguing story at the end of the book, if you’ve read it you’ll probably know what I’m talking about.
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
My favorite part of this book was where Yuval addressed parents who think they know everything. Please read to understand what I’m talking about as I will not be delivering any spoilers today. Great book, I highly recommend!
Why Is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality (Science Masters)
This was a fun read about sex and human sexuality. Don’t worry it’s very scientific. Again, the end where the author talks about the worry that men have that women don’t even care about is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.
Love on the Brain
I was able to listen to this book while doing my chores on boxing day and my oh my was it a delight! Of course, it held the typical good girl, bad boy trope but as a Marie Curie fan and scientist, this was fun to read.
I’m looking forward to reading more from this author as I remember enjoying The Love Hypothesis.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built
People We Meet on Vacation
by Emily Henry
Books I didn’t finish for some weird reason, but they're really good
How Will You Measure Your Life?
Think and Grow Rich for Women: Using Your Power to Create Success and Significance
Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies
by Nick Bostrom
Happy Sexy Millionaire: Unexpected Truths about Fulfilment, Love and Success
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
Books I should’ve read:
AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future
by Kai-Fu Lee
In a groundbreaking blend of science and imagination, the former president of Google China and a leading writer of speculative fiction join forces to answer an urgent question: How will artificial intelligence change our world over the next twenty years?
Biofabrication
by Ritu Raman
How engineered materials and machines powered by living biological cells can tackle technological challenges in medicine, agriculture, and global security.
Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions
by Brian Christian & Tom Griffiths
A fascinating exploration of how insights from computer algorithms can be applied to our everyday lives, helping to solve common decision-making problems and illuminate the workings of the human mind
Immune: How Your Body Defends and Protects You
A thrilling, fact-packed journey of discovery through the body’s immune system.
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents
If you grew up with an emotionally immature, unavailable, or selfish parent, you may have lingering feelings of anger, loneliness, betrayal, or abandonment. You may recall your childhood as a time when your emotional needs were not met, when your feelings were dismissed, or when you took on adult levels of responsibility in an effort to compensate for your parent’s behavior. These wounds can be healed, and you can move forward in your life.
Bullshit Jobs: A Theory
From bestselling writer David Graeber, a powerful argument against the rise of meaningless, unfulfilling jobs and their consequences.
The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred
From a star theoretical physicist, a journey into the world of particle physics and the cosmos — and a call for a more just practice of science.
The mixed reviews for this book have me really intrigued I must say, some say it’s more political than scientific. Only one way to find out.
As you can tell, I easily stole these descriptions from Goodreads because I wasn’t about to explain to you why they’re worth reading.
Conclusion
I’m currently reading Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman and so far so good! I look forward to finishing it and more books and of course, sharing what I learn with you next year!
📚Edit: I started a book club, you can learn more about it here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CmxrdkPIZMy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
🎊 Have a wonderful 2023! 🍾
