2022 was a productive year in terms of the reading material I consumed. I read across many genres and covered books both well-known and obscure. Here are five of my top picks.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari
An ambitious project, the book attempts to capture the main developments and events of all of human history. And what’s more, it succeeds in doing so in the span of just over five hundred pages. Given the length of the book, it might feel that some subjects were not covered in a comprehensive manner. But all things considered, I think the author did a wonderful job.
Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress, by Steven Pinker
This book has been misrepresented as an attempt to shield readers from the harsh realities of the modern world and to dull their minds into a state of blind optimism. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Using data from a wide range of studies, Pinker demonstrates that the world has improved in many respects, including health, prosperity, education, and peace. He attributes the progress to the ideals of the Enlightenment movement, namely reason and science. Far from suggesting a lax attitude to the affairs of the world, as some critics of the book claim, the author argues that we must continue to uphold Enlightenment values and the institutions that safeguard them to keep moving in the right direction.
Losing Ourselves: Learning to Live Without a Self, by Jay L. Garfield
Those familiar with Buddhism or Sufism might be aware of the concept of non-self or non-duality. On its surface, it doesn’t seem much more than a poetic idea, bearing little relevance to reality or practical life. In this concise but important book, the author draws on both Western and Eastern philosophy as well as science to argue that the feeling of being a self is in fact an illusion. He further shows how this realization can lead to psychological relief and a more moral life. Complement the book with Sam Harris’ talk on free will. I see both the self-illusion and the free will-illusion as two sides of the same coin. It’s surprising that Garfield didn’t tackle the subject in his book.
A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller Jr.
A beautiful work of post-apocalyptic science fiction, effused with religious imagery. Made me think a lot about the cycles of history and how flesh-and-blood figures pass into the realm of myth.
This one is a masterpiece. Set in the seemingly mundane town of Middlemarch, the novel explores the complex and interwoven lives of its residents. Through her beautiful and evocative writing style, the author shows that even in what might appear to be simple lives, there is a rich inner world of thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Ms. Elliot translated the works of the 17th century philosopher Baruch Spinoza, who I deeply admire, and I can see his influence all over the book, such as in the themes of the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of self-reflection.