2022 is the 7th year we're approaching experts and asking them to recommend the best books published in their field, whether it's history or historical fiction, science or science fiction, math or memoir, politics or philosophy.
Below you’ll find all our interviews on the best books of 2022 as they are published on Five Books. (Our best books of 2021, 2020, and 2019 are also still available: those books are still well worth reading!).
Almost all the book recommendations are based on an individual expert's choices. In some lists, one of our editors makes a selection, based on the vast quantities of books we read every week. We'll be adding to these throughout the year to find you the very best books:
Over the course of the year, we also interview the judges of distinguished prizes, as they have systematically gone through all the books published that year to choose the very best. It's another way of finding books that are not only well-researched but also enjoyable to read.
Either way, we can guarantee one thing: all the books below are very, very good books.
Editor’s Choice: Our Novels of the Year, 2022, recommended by Cal Flyn
Author and Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn highlights her favourite novels of 2022—from Jennifer Egan’s highly anticipated follow-up to the multi-award-winning A Visit From the Goon Squad, to a debut novel by a twenty-something writer who gave voice to cancer, literally.
The Best Fiction of 2022: The Booker Prize Shortlist, recommended by Neil MacGregor
The Booker Prize is awarded each year to the best original novel written in the English language. We asked the art historian Neil MacGregor, chair of this year’s judging panel, to talk us through the six novels that made the 2022 shortlist—and why fiction can be a most effective means of engaging us emotionally in social and political crisis elsewhere.
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1
Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne
by Katherine Rundell -
2
Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688
by Clare Jackson -
3
A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Chapters
by Henry Gee -
4
Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate
by M E Sarotte -
5
My Fourth Time, We Drowned
by Sally Hayden -
6
Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology
by Chris Miller
Award Winning Nonfiction Books of 2022, recommended by Sophie Roell
Award Winning Nonfiction Books of 2022, recommended by Sophie Roell
It’s that time of year when there are dozens of the best-of-the-year lists. Which books are worth reading? One way of narrowing it down is by looking at the various awards that celebrate books across a range of nonfiction categories. Five Books editor Sophie Roell does a roundup of nonfiction books that won prizes in 2022.
Award-Winning Novels of 2022, recommended by Cal Flyn
Any end-of-year list is necessarily partial; no one person could hope to read every novel published in the English language in any given year. That’s why prize lists are so useful for guiding the casual reader’s literary diet. Here, our deputy editor Cal Flyn offers a brief round-up of the books that ruled victorious during the 2022 awards season.
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1
All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: The True Story of the Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler
by Rebecca Donner -
2
The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III
by Andrew Roberts -
3
Burning Boy: The Life and Work of Stephen Crane
by Paul Auster -
4
The Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World
by Jonathan Freedland -
5
Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne
by Katherine Rundell -
6
Chasing Me to My Grave: An Artist's Memoir of the Jim Crow South
by Winfred Rembert
Award Winning Biographies of 2022, recommended by Sophie Roell
Award Winning Biographies of 2022, recommended by Sophie Roell
In telling stories of lives that are often very different from our own and yet connected to us by our common humanity, biographies are some of the most compelling nonfiction books around. Five Books editor Sophie Roell rounds up some of the biographies that have won or been shortlisted for prizes in 2022.
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1
The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars and Caliphs
by Marc David Baer -
2
The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World
by Malcolm Gaskill -
3
Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688
by Clare Jackson -
4
Going to Church in Medieval England
by Nicholas Orme -
5
God: An Anatomy
by Francesca Stavrakopoulou -
6
Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History
by Alex von Tunzelmann
The Best History Books: the 2022 Wolfson Prize Shortlist, recommended by Carole Hillenbrand
The Best History Books: the 2022 Wolfson Prize Shortlist, recommended by Carole Hillenbrand
Every year the Wolfson History Prize celebrates books that combine meticulous and original research with great writing, accessible to the general reader. Here, one of the 2022 judges, the eminent Islamic scholar Carole Hillenbrand, guides us through the shortlist to explain why each book is a must-read.
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1
How to Say No: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Cynicism
by Diogenes and the Cynics, translated by Mark Usher -
2
Looking for Theophrastus: Travels in Search of a Lost Philosopher
by Laura Beatty -
3
Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy
by David Chalmers -
4
The Life Inside: A Memoir of Prison, Family and Philosophy
by Andy West -
5
Thinking to Some Purpose
by Susan Stebbing
The Best Philosophy Books of 2022, recommended by Nigel Warburton
The Best Philosophy Books of 2022, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Every year we ask our philosophy editor Nigel Warburton to recommend the best new books in the field. In 2022, his philosophy book recommendations include David Chalmers’ latest examination of consciousness, a memoir of teaching philosophy in prison, and a biography of the ancient provocateur and original cynic Diogenes.
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1
Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire
by Caroline Elkins -
2
The Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World
by Jonathan Freedland -
3
My Fourth Time, We Drowned
by Sally Hayden -
4
The Restless Republic: Britain Without a Crown
by Anna Keay -
5
A Fortunate Woman: A Country Doctor’s Story
by Polly Morland -
6
Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne
by Katherine Rundell
The Best Nonfiction Books: The 2022 Baillie Gifford Prize Shortlist, recommended by Caroline Sanderson
The Best Nonfiction Books: The 2022 Baillie Gifford Prize Shortlist, recommended by Caroline Sanderson
Every year the judges of the Baillie Gifford Prize pick out the best nonfiction books published in the United Kingdom over the previous 12 months. Author and books journalist Caroline Sanderson, chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the books that made the 2022 shortlist, books that are important, readable and will hopefully surprise you.
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1
The Marriage Portrait: A Novel
by Maggie O'Farrell & narrated by Genevieve Gaunt -
2
The Maid
by Nita Prose & narrated by Lauren Ambrose -
3
You Don't Know Us Negroes and Other Essays
by Zora Neale Hurston and narrated by Robin Miles -
4
Inside Voice: My Obsession with How We Sound
by Lake Bell -
5
In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss
by Amy Bloom
The Best Audiobooks of 2022, recommended by Robin Whitten
The Best Audiobooks of 2022, recommended by Robin Whitten
Every year AudioFile magazine reviews thousands of new audiobooks and in its annual best-of-the-year lists its editors include only books that make exceptional listening. Here Robin Whitten, AudioFile’s founder and editor, picks out five outstanding audiobooks in a range of genres and explains what it is that makes them special.
The Best Historical Fiction: The 2022 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist, recommended by Elizabeth Laird
Every year, the Walter Scott Prize highlights the best new historical novels. In 2022, the shortlist comprises four fantastic works of historical fiction that immerse the reader in the past—from 16th-century Scotland to 1920s Trinidad—while confronting universal human dramas we still struggle with today. Elizabeth Laird, one of the judges, talks us through their choices this year.
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1
The Journey of Humanity: The Origins of Wealth and Inequality
by Oded Galor -
2
Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century
by Brad DeLong -
3
Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success
by Leah Boustan & Ran Abramitzky -
4
Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It
by Richard V Reeves -
5
Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology
by Chris Miller
The Best Economics Books of 2022, recommended by Jason Furman
The Best Economics Books of 2022, recommended by Jason Furman
As we study the causes of economic prosperity over the millennia and particularly the last century-and-a-half, it’s worth remembering that humans are always the most important driver of economic growth. Jason Furman, a Harvard economics professor and former adviser to Barack Obama, picks out five of the best economics books of 2022, as well as topics he’d like to see books about in 2023.
The Best Science Fiction of 2022: The Arthur C. Clarke Award Shortlist, recommended by Andrew M. Butler
Every year, the judges for the Arthur C. Clarke Award select the best of the latest batch of new scifi books. In 2022, the science fiction award’s shortlist includes new work from Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro, a novel-in-verse from the Scottish writer Harry Josephine Giles, and a new title in Arkady Martine’s beloved Teixcalaan series. Andrew M. Butler, academic and chair of the judges, talks us through the finalists.
The Best Romance Books of 2022, recommended by Katherine D. Morgan
If you like your novels to end happily ever after, then do we have reading recommendations for you. Guest editor Katherine D. Morgan selects five of the best romance books of 2022, and offers a quick round-up of the love stories you should be looking forward to over the next few months.
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1
Dead in the Water: Murder and Fraud in the World’s Most Secretive Industry
by Kit Chellel & Matthew Campbell -
2
Influence Empire: The Story of Tencent and China’s Tech Ambition
by Lulu Chen -
3
The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era
by Gary Gerstle -
4
The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Art of Disruption
by Sebastian Mallaby -
5
Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology
by Chris Miller -
6
Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century
by Helen Thompson
The Best Business Books of 2022: the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award, recommended by Andrew Hill
The Best Business Books of 2022: the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award, recommended by Andrew Hill
For its annual book award, the Financial Times looks beyond books that might be filed under business in a bookshop, picking out books that are compelling and enjoyable, explains Andrew Hill, the newspaper’s senior business writer. He talks us through the 2022 shortlist: books that shine a light on obscure but immensely important companies or industries, or address some of the bigger challenges facing our capitalist economies.
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1
The Greywacke: How a Priest, a Soldier and a School Teacher Uncovered 300 Million Years of History
by Nick Davidson -
2
Different: What Apes Can Teach Us About Gender
by Frans de Waal -
3
Spike: The Virus vs. The People - the Inside Story
by Jeremy Farrar & with Anjana Ahuja -
4
A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Chapters
by Henry Gee -
5
Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life
by Rose Anne Kenny -
6
Hot Air: The Inside Story of the Battle Against Climate Change Denial
by Peter Stott
The Best Popular Science Books of 2022: The Royal Society Book Prize, recommended by Maria Fitzgerald
The Best Popular Science Books of 2022: The Royal Society Book Prize, recommended by Maria Fitzgerald
The renowned UCL neuroscientist Professor Maria Fitzgerald, chair of the 2022 Royal Society Book Prize, talks us through the judges’ selection of the best popular science books of the year—including a whistle-stop tour of the history of the Earth, a self-help book offering evidence-based advice on how to live a longer life, and a primatologist’s study of gender among apes.
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1
Great Women Painters
introduced by Alison M Gingeras -
2
Point Break: Surfers and Waves
by Raymond Pettibon -
3
Making Videogames: The Art of Creating Digital Worlds
by Alex Wiltshire & Duncan Harris -
4
Building for Change: The Architecture of Creative Reuse
by Ruth Lang -
5
Judith Joy Ross: Photographs 1978–2015
edited by Joshua Chuang
The Best Art & Design Books of 2022, recommended by Romas Viesulas
The Best Art & Design Books of 2022, recommended by Romas Viesulas
Art shows were back in full force this year after several years of discontinuous viewing. Publishing kept pace, with many a new beautiful volume and rafts of revisionist art history to delve into. Here, Five Books art editor Romas Viesulas offers an overview of the best art and design books of 2022.
The Best Thrillers of 2022, recommended by Tosca Lee
Every year, the International Thriller Writers—an honorary organisation of authors—showcases the best new books in the genre at their annual awards. Here, bestselling author and the organisation’s vice-president Tosca Lee talks us through the six-strong shortlist of books, and explains why ‘Southern noir’ writer S.A. Cosby won the title for the best thriller of 2022—only a year on from his last triumph.
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1
Fragile Cargo: The World War II Race to Save the Treasures of China's Forbidden City
by Adam Brookes -
2
Agents of Subversion: The Fate of John T. Downey and the CIA's Covert War in China
by John Delury -
3
Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden: Two Sisters Separated by China's Civil War
by Zhuqing Li -
4
Indelible City: Dispossession and Defiance in Hong Kong
by Louisa Lim -
5
Accidental Holy Land: The Communist Revolution in Northwest China
by Joseph W. Esherick
The Best China Books of 2022, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom
The Best China Books of 2022, recommended by Jeffrey Wasserstrom
From a true story that reads like a spy novel to a detailed study of the mythic origins of the Chinese Communist Party in Northwest China, there were lots of interesting books published about China this year. Jeffrey Wasserstrom, a professor at UC Irvine and specialist in modern Chinese history, recommends some of his 2022 favourites.
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1
Flour Power: The Practice and Pursuit of Baking Sourdough Bread
by Tara Jenson -
2
Watermelon and Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations
by Nicole A. Taylor -
3
Good Enough: Embracing the Joys of Imperfection and Practicing Self-Care in the Kitchen
by Leanne Brown -
4
The Complete Chinese Takeout Cookbook: Over 200 Takeout Favorites to Make at Home
by Kwoklyn Wan -
5
That Noodle Life: Soulful, Savory, Spicy, Slurpy
by Mike Le & Stephanie Le
The Best Cookbooks of 2022, recommended by Becky Krystal
The Best Cookbooks of 2022, recommended by Becky Krystal
Do you enjoy cooking up a storm in the kitchen? If so, you’ll love food writer Becky Krystal’s selection of the five best cookbooks of 2022—including a guide to sourdough bread, a fun exploration of all things noodle, and a collection of Juneteenth celebration foods.
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1
A Little Devil in America: Notes In Praise Of Black Performance
by Hanif Abdurraqib -
2
Gay Bar: Why We Went Out
by Jeremy Atherton Lin -
3
A Farewell to Gabo and Mercedes: A Son's Memoir of Gabriel García Márquez and Mercedes Barcha
by Rodrigo Garcia -
4
A Ghost in the Throat
by Doireann Ní Ghríofa -
5
Concepcion: An Immigrant Family’s Fortunes
by Albert Samaha
The Best Memoirs: The 2022 NBCC Autobiography Shortlist, recommended by Marion Winik
The Best Memoirs: The 2022 NBCC Autobiography Shortlist, recommended by Marion Winik
Autobiography is evolving; increasingly we find the field dominated by ‘genre-fluid’ books that plait memoir together with strands of cultural criticism, history, journalism or even poetry. Here, Marion Winik, the memoirist and critic, talks us through the five books that have been shortlisted in the National Book Critic’s Circle autobiography category—and describes the face of memoir in 2022.
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1
Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century
by Brad DeLong -
2
How the World Became Rich: The Historical Origins of Economic Growth
by Jared Rubin & Mark Koyama -
3
The World the Plague Made: The Black Death and the Rise of Europe
by James Belich -
4
Pioneers of Capitalism: The Netherlands 1000–1800
by Jan Luiten van Zanden & Maarten Prak -
5
The Cambridge Economic History of China
by by Debin Ma and Richard von Glahn (editors)
The Best Economic History Books of 2022, recommended by Davis Kedrosky
The Best Economic History Books of 2022, recommended by Davis Kedrosky
From a sweeping history of China covering three millennia to what econometrics papers can tell us about what made the world rich, it’s been a fantastic year for economic history books. Davis Kedrosky, a student at Berkeley and publisher of Great Transformations, an economic history newsletter, picks some of his favourite economic history books of 2022.
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1
The Invention of Miracles: Language, Power, and Alexander Graham Bell's Quest to End Deafness
by Katie Booth -
2
Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich, 1945-1955
by Harald Jähner & Shaun Whiteside (translator) -
3
Osebol: Voices from a Swedish Village
by Marit Kapla & Peter Graves (translator) -
4
Horizons: The Global Origins of Modern Science
by James Poskett -
5
When Women Kill: Four Crimes Retold
by Alia Trabucco Zerán & Sophie Hughes (translator) -
6
Kingdom of Characters: A Tale of Language, Obsession, and Genius in Modern China
by Jing Tsu
The British Academy Book Prize: 2022 Shortlist, recommended by Philippe Sands
The British Academy Book Prize: 2022 Shortlist, recommended by Philippe Sands
The annual British Academy book prize rewards “works of nonfiction that have contributed to public understanding of world cultures and their interaction.” Human rights lawyer Philippe Sands, one of the prize’s judges, talks us through the books that made the 2022 shortlist and explains what makes them so compelling.
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1
The Story of Russia
by Orlando Figes -
2
Existential Physics: A Scientist’s Guide to Life’s Biggest Questions
by Sabine Hossenfelder -
3
Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle
by Jody Rosen -
4
Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century
by Brad DeLong -
5
The Facemaker: A Visionary Surgeon's Battle to Mend the Disfigured Soldiers of World War I
by Lindsey Fitzharris
Nonfiction of 2022: Fall Roundup, recommended by Sophie Roell
Nonfiction of 2022: Fall Roundup, recommended by Sophie Roell
Reading nonfiction books is an excellent way of getting a grip on the realities of the world around us, whether it’s how to live, how to run a country, or understanding how the universe works. Five Books editor Sophie Roell looks at some notable new nonfiction books published since June.
The Best Audiobooks: the 2022 Audie Awards, recommended by Michele Cobb
The movie industry has the Oscars to celebrate its achievements, but if you love audiobooks, you’ll be more interested in the Audies. Here Michele Cobb, Executive Director of the Audio Publishers Association, talks us through the 2022 shortlist for ‘audiobook of the year,’ as well as one of her favourite books from the fiction category.
Notable New Novels of Fall 2022, recommended by Cal Flyn
Fall is a busy time in publishing, as the biggest names in fiction prepare to release new books in the months leading up to Christmas. Here, Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn rounds up some of the most notable novels of Fall 2022—including two new books from the great American novelist Cormac McCarthy and a sumptuous work of historical fiction from Maggie O’Farrell.
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1
Tomb of Sand
by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Daisy Rockwell -
2
Cursed Bunny
by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur -
3
A New Name: Septology VI-VII
by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls -
4
Heaven
by Mieko Kawakami, translated by Sam Bett and David Boyd -
5
The Books of Jacob: A Novel
by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Jennifer Croft -
6
Elena Knows
by Claudia Piñeiro, translated by Frances Riddle
The Best of World Literature: The 2022 International Booker Prize Shortlist, recommended by Frank Wynne
The Best of World Literature: The 2022 International Booker Prize Shortlist, recommended by Frank Wynne
The International Booker Prize celebrates the best fiction in translation published over the previous year. Frank Wynne, acclaimed translator and chair of the 2022 judging panel, tells Five Books about the six novels that made the shortlist, and reminds readers that world literature need not be tough, consumed only in the interests of self-improvement—but is often joyful, surprising and full of feeling.
The Notable Novels of Summer 2022, recommended by Cal Flyn
If you’re looking for a new book to keep you entertained or intellectually excited over the summer break, we’ve got you covered. Five Books’ deputy editor Cal Flyn offers a round-up of the notable new novels of summer 2022, from snappy debuts and fantasy epics to the latest book from the most recent recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Notable Nonfiction of Spring 2022, recommended by Sophie Roell
In the past few months, lots of history books about the past as well as excellent insights into the present have hit the shelves. Some are gripping reads offering a few hours of escapism, others contributions to our human quest to make the world a better place. Some manage both. Five Books editor Sophie Roell offers a roundup of the most notable new books of nonfiction published in March, April and May 2022.
Notable Novels of Spring 2022, recommended by Cal Flyn
If you’re nervous of what 2022 has in store for us, you’re not alone. But at least there will be plenty of excellent new books to read. Here, Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn offers a round-up of the notable novels of spring 2022, including exciting new work from Sheila Heti, Ali Smith and Marlon James.
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1
How Was That Built? The Stories Behind Awesome Structures
Roma Agrawal, Katie Hickey (illustrator) -
2
Microbe Wars: Humanity's Biggest Battles with the World's Smallest Life-Forms
by Gill Arbuthnott & Marianna Madriz (illustrator) -
3
Fourteen Wolves: A Rewilding Story
by Catherine Barr & Jenni Desmond (illustrator) -
4
Fantastically Great Women Scientists and their Stories
by Kate Pankhurst -
5
If the World Were 100 People
Jackie McCann, Aaron Cushley (illustrator) -
6
Beetles for Breakfast and Other Weird and Wonderful Ways to Save the Planet
Madeleine Finlay, Jisu Choi (illustrator)
Best Science Books for Children: the 2022 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Alan Wilson
Best Science Books for Children: the 2022 Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recommended by Alan Wilson
The Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize celebrates books that stimulate children’s curiosity and enthusiasm to explore, innovate and debate. Alan Wilson, Chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the six outstanding science books for kids that made the 2022 shortlist.
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1
A Is for Oboe: The Orchestra's Alphabet
by Lera Auerbach, Marilyn Nelson, Paul Hoppe (illustrator) & Thomas Quasthoff (narrator) -
2
A Different Pond
by Bao Phi & Thi Bui (illustrator) -
3
The Last Mapmaker
by Christina Soontornvat & Sura Siu (narrator) -
4
What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix
Tasha Suri, narrated by Becca Hirani and Alex Williams -
5
All My Rage
Sabaa Tahir, narrated by Deepti Gupta, Kamran R. Khan and Kausar Mohammed
The Best Audiobooks for Kids of 2022, recommended by Emily Connelly
The Best Audiobooks for Kids of 2022, recommended by Emily Connelly
As audiobooks for kids continue to grow in popularity, AudioFile’s Emily Connelly explains some of the reasons why, and talks us through her pick of the five best audiobooks for kids and teens of 2022.
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1
The Last Emperor of Mexico
by Edward Shawcross -
2
Stalin's Library: A Dictator and his Books
by Geoffrey Roberts -
3
Atomic Steppe: How Kazakhstan Gave Up the Bomb
by Togzhan Kassenova -
4
This Mortal Coil: A History of Death
by Andrew Doig -
5
The Nowhere Office: Reinventing Work and the Workplace of the Future
by Julia Hobsbawm
Notable Nonfiction of Early 2022, recommended by Sophie Roell
Notable Nonfiction of Early 2022, recommended by Sophie Roell
Even though we’re still in the first couple of months of 2022, there are already lots of really interesting nonfiction books either out or just about to be published. Five Books editor Sophie Roell surveys the flood of books that cover everything from Neolithic archaeology to the latest insights of neuroscience and genetics, as well as books that explore where we work, what we feel, and how we die.