Top 3 Books of 2022
My favorite books I read last year, and one honorable mention.
Here are the best books I read last year:
- Saving Leonardo, by Nancy Pearcey
In my favorite book of the year, Pearcey explains the concept and cultural repercussions of the fact/value split, defined as “the idea that humans can have genuine knowledge only in the realm of empirical facts,” (i.e., only what is seen, felt, heard, tasted, or smelled). This split meant that morality was no longer explained logically or even considered to be an objective fact, but was merely whatever gave one a good feeling. Pearcey walks through both popular worldviews and the art that resulted from this dichotomy throughout history, supporting her thesis that secularism is destroying our culture. She also points out that the church’s acceptance of the fact/value split has led to a focus on politics, rather than art and other pop culture.
Pearcey quotes Todd Gitlin’s view on the matter:
“The Left began ‘marching on the English Department while the Right took the White House.’ Today we must ask ourselves: Which was the more effective strategy?”
2. The Secret Life of Groceries, by Benjamin Lorr
In this explanation of the oddly complicated process of how our groceries actually get to the shelves, Lorr manages to be both thorough and entertaining. At times, the book leaves you wondering if there is anything we as consumers can do to make this process more ethical, however, Lorr does give us one hopeful note:
“Retail is one of the oldest, most important forms of human connection, one circle outside of family, and just as important in current society to meeting our vital needs. Its uniquely material focus makes it a bridge between these two forms of self-expression: between the possessions we flaunt and how we treat the people who make them.”
You can read more of my thoughts on The Secret Life of Groceries here.
3. Romanov, by Nadine Brandes
This YA historical fiction about the Romanov family was a quick read, and incorporates magical realism into the story of the last weeks of the royal Russians. Obviously adding magic to the plot was a liberty, but it seems that Brandes realistically portrayed the personalities of each of the Romanovs, as well as the fact that some of the guards ultimately changed their opinions about the family and even began to care for them.
Brandes shows the Romanovs’ kindness by a letter the family writes to those whom they believe are coming to rescue them:
“We do not want to, nor can we, escape. We can only be carried off by force, just as it was force that was used to carry us from Tobolsk. We have no wish for the commandant or the guards — who have been so kind to us — to suffer in any way as a result of our escape. We are too closely watched. If you still plan to perform a rescue, then, in the name of Iisus, avoid bloodshed above all.”
Honorable Mention: The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The reason this is only an honorable mention is because I didn’t finish it until a couple days into January. This is a commentary on human nature, the existence of God, and a murder mystery, and will probably have its own review later. Here are a couple of my favorite quotes:
“A true realist, if he is not a believer, will always find in himself the strength and ability not to believe in miracles as well, and if a miracle stands before him as an irrefutable fact, he will sooner doubt his own senses than admit the fact.”
“I like stirring up fools in all strata of society.”
