I contemplated not writing a yearly book recap for 2022 because compared to 2021 I read next to nothing! I read 14 books in 2021 and in 2022 I read a whopping four. I think it’s because I set a goal to read more books in 2021 and in 2022, I set no such goal and therefore didn’t make it a priority. However I still wanted to share because I enjoy sharing my yearly reads.
Three out of the four books I read were health/wellness/medical related, which is my favorite category of books to read. I’m always telling myself that that’s all fine and dandy, but branch out and read other genres as well! Noted for 2023.
Here are the four books I read in 2022, ranked:
Rating: 3/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “By now I hope that it’s clear; though we often blame other factors, there is no single variable more relevant to heart disease than insulin resistance.”
Quick Take: The number one takeaway from this book is that insulin resistance causes or contributes to every chronic condition and metabolic disease. In short, our blood sugar levels control our health. Dr. Bikman gives research-backed and actionable advice for how to improve insulin sensitivity and avoid insulin resistance.
3. Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande
Rating: 3/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “No matter what measures are taken, doctors will sometimes falter. And it isn’t reasonable to ask that we achieve perfection. What is reasonable is to ask that we never cease to aim for it.”
Quick Take: A very educational read regarding doctors, hospitals and our healthcare system, written by a surgeon. Topics include surgeon training, various medical conditions and their treatments, medical errors and malpractice and more. Gawande is a gifted writer and has a tremendous way of humanizing doctors and making difficult subject matter understandable to the lay person.
2. Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory by Deena Kastor
Rating: 4/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “But when we place blame outside ourselves, we give away our power. Only you can control you, so by taking ownership of your role in a situation or outcome, you put yourself in the driver’s seat.”
Quick Take: I have always admired Deena for her running talent, poise and class. This book is superbly written in that it’s a mix of her personal and running biography, guide for athletic performance (particularly the mental side) and valuable life lessons. A fantastic read for both runners and non-runners alike.
And my number one favorite book I read in 2022 was…
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1. How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman M.D.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “What we say to a physician and how we say it sculpts his or her thinking. That includes not only our answers but our questions.”
Quick Take: While it may sound dramatic, this is absolutely one of the best and most important books I have and will ever read. The author, a doctor and Professor of Medicine at Harvard, tells us what goes on in a doctor’s mind as he or she treats a patient. The book mostly focuses on the problem of incorrect diagnoses. The most common reason doctors misdiagnose patients is not due to incompetence or technical mistakes, but rather cognitive, or thinking, errors. The author interviewed several doctors who shared very honest stories about what their biggest failures were and their reflections on them. Here’s the most important and relevant part for readers: He offers helpful recommendations for patients on how to better communicate with their doctors to improve their chances of being correctly diagnosed. This is an absolute must-read for your own personal health and the health of your loved ones. I also imagine that doctors, nurses and health professionals would get a lot out of this book, as well, from hearing personal stories from their peers.
RELATED READING: Books I Read In 2021, Ranked
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