2022 was the year I bought my first Kindle, and, not coincidentally, it was the year I read more books than ever before.
This year I read books that have changed my life, and I’ve read books that I should have put down sooner — fortunately, I’m only including the former here.
One of my goals this year was to leave the productivity bubble I usually reside in and broaden my horizons. I’ll let you judge whether or not I’ve achieved this.
Nevertheless, all five books in this list are worth reading if they sound remotely interesting. The top three have genuinely changed my life.
So without further ado, here are the best non-fiction books of 2022 (in my opinion of course!), with some honourable mentions at the end — I hope you enjoy them.
The Best Non-Fiction Books of 2022
5. The Forgotten Highlander by Alistair Urquhart
The first book on my list is The Forgotten Highlander. A somewhat unexpected read amongst my usual self-improvement and business books, The Forgotten Highlander tells the (true) story of Alistair Urquhart.
Conscripted into the British Army at the young age of 19, Urquhart was captured by the Japanese and sent to work on the infamous Burmese ‘death railway’.
During his time as a captive, he experienced the worst humanity has to offer, from malnutrition to torture and even cannibalism — and yet he survived.
This book is a story of grit, endurance and survival in the face of severe adversity and reminds us how lucky we are by comparison.
Who this book is for: Anyone interested in survival/war stories or history.
Why you should read this book: Perspective. Sometimes we forget the atrocities faced by those before us, but this book serves as a reminder. A reminder of how bad things can get and how lucky we are.
Favourite quote: “Life is worth living and no matter what it throws at you it is important to keep your eyes on the prize of the happiness that will come. Even when the Death Railway reduced us to little more than animals, humanity in the shape of our saintly medical officers triumphed over barbarism.”
4. Make it Stick by Peter C Brown, Mark A. McDaniel and Henry L. Roediger
Man, did I discover this book a little too late.
Make it Stick is the book I wish I had before I started university, the book that should be handed out to classrooms worldwide and the book that is almost guaranteed to improve your grades.
Though many of us focus primarily on the outcome (grades), we often neglect what will get us there (knowledge).
However, the former is simply a measure and, as Goodhart’s law states:
“When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure”.
Like a carrot dangling on a stick, high grades are often used as a target, and we focus on what we think will get us there. What will get us to the target.
Never considering whether we will retain the knowledge past our exam.
But what use is knowledge if it is forgotten mere days after learning it?
Make it Stick focuses on evidence-based strategies for learning, such as spaced repetition, interleaving and active recall.
Strategies I can safely say have improved my grades and knowledge.
In fact, since learning about these strategies in 2020 and then reading this book in 2022, all ten grades I have received since then have improved to varying degrees.
If you’re a student and have (like myself) never been taught how to study, learn and remember information, do yourself a favour and buy this book as soon as possible.
Yes, it may be relatively expensive, but <£20 off your student loan is unlikely to break the bank and has the potential to improve your grades until your graduate and knowledge indefinitely.
Who this book is for: Students at any stage of their education, though the earlier, the better.
Why you should read this book: This book is one of the few evidence-based tools to understand how to learn. As such, it is essential to read, not only to improve your grades but to improve your knowledge.
Favourite quote: “The hours immersed in rereading can seem like due diligence, but the amount of study time is no measure of mastery.”
3. Four Thousand Weeks: Time and How to Use It by Oliver Burkeman
It seems as though everyone in 2022 is talking about this book, and rightly so.
Among the repetitive field of time management books, Four Thousand Weeks is a unique take from a more philosophical perspective.
This book was the first I read to completion in 2022. It covers the problems with to-do lists, how we misuse our time and why it is important to accept our finitude.
This book is full of practical time management tips, but from a surprisingly wholesome perspective, given the book’s premise.
One insight I gained from this book is how relentless self-improvement can lead to regret, as we risk putting friends and family aside to pursue marginal improvements.
As somewhat of a perfectionist, I have spent much of my life pursuing these marginal improvements.
I have experienced the consequences of doing so at the expense of loved ones.
“One can waste years this way, systematically postponing precisely the things one cares about the most.” — Oliver Burkeman
Of all the books on this list, this is the only one that I recommend everyone reads; it is that good.
Who this book is for: Honestly? Everyone, but particularly those prone to being sucked into work at the expense of what truly matters to them.
Why you should read this book: If you’re tired of the same unrealistic time management books. Books that unrealistically suggest we can do 25 hours of work in a 24-hour day.
Favourite quote: “By trying too hard to make the most of his time, he misses his life.”
2. Unscripted by MJ DeMarco
In the same vein as Four Thousand Weeks, Unscripted is a fresh take on entrepreneurship and, in my opinion, one that couldn’t come soon enough.
Before I started reading Unscripted, I was sceptical. Reviews for this book were overwhelmingly positive, and I thought — what more can be said about entrepreneurship that hasn’t already been said?
As it turns out, a lot more.
Among the ridiculously saturated and relatively dry entrepreneurship book market, Unscripted is educational and entertaining, offering unique and potentially game-changing insights for wannabe entrepreneurs.
If you’re looking for a book to blow smoke up your ass, this isn’t it — and at first, I wasn’t a huge fan of MJ’s somewhat brash attitude…
But the more I read, the more I agreed with his point of view — because this book isn’t like the 90% of business books that tell you what you want to hear.
It tells you what you need to hear.
This book doesn’t tell you that you can be successful by simply hoping for the best; it tells you why you’re likely to fail but does so in a way that you can address your shortcomings and increase your likelihood of success.
This book is a breath of fresh air in the participation medal culture we live in.
It is a reality check and a much-needed one at that. A book that goes against the grain and is all the better for it.
The more I read this book, the more I learned. This book does not tail off like many others — books that offer the central insight in the opening chapters then have little to contribute towards the end.
From cognitive biases and responsibility to value creation and problems with marketing, Unscripted covers a range of topics important to building a business — issues that are not discussed often in the business sphere.
This book is phenomenal.
Who this book is for: Primarily, aspiring entrepreneurs, although anyone who hates their 9–5 would benefit from reading this book.
Why you should read this book: If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, or even if you simply want to improve and grow, this book has a lot to offer.
Favourite quote: “Difficulty is the opportunity.”
1. The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
And so we arrive at my favourite book of 2022 — The Courage to be Disliked.
A conversation between a philosopher and his student, The Courage to be Disliked, covers the work of 19th-century psychologist Alfred Adler in a holistic and engaging way.
In their back and forth, we learn that our happiness can rely on our ability to be disliked by others.
To be truly happy, we must set aside our desire for recognition as it keeps us trapped.
“Does one choose recognition from others, or does one choose a path of freedom without recognition?” - Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
In a world of social media likes and follows, I believe this book has a powerful message and is something we should consider…
If living to satisfy the expectations of others is the path to unhappiness, what happens when our goals are extrinsically motivated, and we rely on others?
Goals like increasing our Twitter followers or YouTube subscribers.
What happens when our lifelong happiness is not only tied to the response we get from those around us but the response we get from millions of people around the world?
For me, the Courage to be Disliked is the best type of book. It is interesting, engaging, easy to read and full of (potentially life-changing) insights — and it’s well worth picking up.
Who this book is for: Anyone interested in philosophy, the work of Alfred Adler or those wanting to ditch the shackles of expectation and live a life true to themselves.
Why you should read this book: It is an accessible way to learn Adlerian psychology while also learning how we are motivated by the expectations of others.
Favourite quote: “The fact that there are people who do not think well of you is proof that you are living in freedom.”
Summary
I hope you’ve enjoyed my list, and I’d love to know if you’ve read any of the above books — if so, let me know in the comments below. If not, what were your favourite books this year, and what are the biggest insights you’ve discovered? I look forward to hearing from you.
I’ve also included a short list of honourable mentions below; I hope you enjoy.
Honourable Mentions
The One Thing by Gary Keller — a book about making progress by focusing on one thing and one thing only. Great if you’ve discovered that multitasking doesn’t work.
The Motivation Myth by Jeff Haden — a book about finding motivation by doing, not watching YouTube videos. Great if you’re looking to find ways to be consistently motivated.
Super Thinking by Gabriel Weinberg and Lauren McCann — a book covering /a lot/ of mental models. Great if you’re new to mental models and want to read about the vast range that have been developed.
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson — a book about happiness, wealth creation and essential life lessons. Great if you’re looking for honest, practical life advice, although I wasn’t a huge fan of the Audible version.
Habit Stacking by S.J. Scott — a book about, well… habit stacking. Great if you’re looking to squeeze extra productivity into your day (but be careful not to live for your to-do list!).
Thank You
If you made it this far thank you — I appreciate you taking the time to read my work and sincerely hope you enjoyed it. If you would like to continue reading, I’ve included a few of my most popular articles below.
Thanks again,
Rob