Books I Read in 2022 with Recommendations

(My wife and I will be vacationing in the Texas cities of San Antonio, Austin, and Galveston over the next three weeks. If you live in or near any of these cities (Houston?) and would like to join us for a meet up, contact me, we’d love to meet you. Don’t miss the special book offer discussed below.)

I am frequently asked for book recommendations. Since a friend’s book recommendation is often more rewarding to read than an unknown book, each January I publish the list of books I have read during the previous year. Some are great and some are not. This year about half the books I read were non-fiction books and the other half were fiction books, which are just for fun. 

Many of the books I read are out of the several boxes of books we picked up at garage sales for almost nothing. (One dollar for a box of paperback books.) Therefore, I am constantly reading authors I haven’t read before and have stumbled onto many new favorites. When I finish a book, I give it away or put it in our neighborhood little red library box. If it is especially good, I keep it on my bookshelf to read again.

In 2022 I read 29 non-fiction books, to expand my knowledge, and 31 books purely for entertainment. It came out to just over one book per week. Because my wife and I were hiking around Lake Michigan last summer, we heard several of books in audio form. I have a set of blue tooth ear buds and while we hiked we each wore one so we could listen to a book together.

In honor of all the books I read last year, I am offering a special deal for those who wish to read my books or give them as a gift. Until the end of January, or until I run out of books in my garage, you can get an autographed set of my six book collection for only $50, including shipping and handling (this retails for $150 + S&H). To take advantage of this deal, contact me with your name and mailing address and I will contact you with payment details. This is only available for shipments to the continental United States.

So without further ado, here is last year’s book reading list, in the order I read them. The nine books I especially enjoyed and recommend are linked and start with an * so you can conveniently find them. Just click on the title and you will be taken to the book at Amazon so you can easily get a copy. 

Blueprint-Build a Bulletproof Body by Ross Edgley: Great info on getting in shape for adventures.

Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals by Thomas C. Corley: Good look at the habits we need to become successful.

Captured by Michael Serrian: Murder story with too much sexual content.

Tomorrow Never Dies by Raymond Benson: Good James Bond Story.

Lone Eagle by Danielle Steel: Romance story involving a famous pilot.

Breach of Confidence by Eben Paul Perison: Good attorney mystery in John Grisham style.

*Trojan Odyssey by Clive Cussler: Another great book by Cussler about the Trojan War connected to current world domination.

N is for Noose by Sue Grafton: Great, I love all her books.

Sole Survivor by Dean Koonz: Good story, slow to start, not his best work but worth the time.

The Judges List by John Grisham: Great story, as always from Grisham about a Judge who is a killer.

A Guide to Loving Your Timeshare by Dr. Cory S. Fawcett: Learning how to use them makes timeshares a great way to vacation for a bargain price. 

The Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives That Make You Feel Alive by Brendon Burchard: Great book about human drive that I teach in my high performance coaching program.

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel: Great book on why we do what we do with our money.

The Pardon by James Grippando: Good story of a judge being blackmailed.

*Cues by Vanessa Van Edwards: Great book about how your body language speaks for you.

High Conflict: Why we get Trapped and how we get out by Amanda Ripley: Ways we can avoid conflict that gets out of hand. Some good points, but too long.

Embracing Hope After Traumatic Brain Injury: Finding Eden by Michael S. Arthur: A friend of mine wrote this great book for people recovering from brain injury and those around them. Michael’s own story of recovering from a brain injury after a car accident is woven throughout the book.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield: Very slow and boring book about procrastination.

*Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly: Great Book, reads like a thriller even though you know the ending.

The Negotiator by Frederick Forsyth: Great story of kidnapping the president’s son.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson: Good story about a haunted house.

The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett: Story of light skinned black twins, one lives as if she is white, one lives as if she is black. The differences are alarming.

Wealth for Women by Bonnie Koo: The mindset of wealthy women.

The Guardians by John Grisham: Great story of helping the wrongly accused.

Never Home Alone by Rob Dunn: Interesting tale of the creatures that live in your house and help to keep you healthy.

*The 4 Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss: Great book on remote working and living. I’ve read this before and revisited it this year.

Potluck on Gaia by Joanne Nordling: Good story of life in Vanport, Oregon, before it was washed away by a flood on the Columbia River.

The Mayan Secrets by Clive Cussler: Another great novel. Cussler never disappoints.

*The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris: Great book showing the life in Nazi Concentration camps during WWII.

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough: Good book on the history of the discovery of flight.

A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World by William J Bernstein: Very long book. Only read it if the history of world trade is very interesting to you. Some interesting facts.

*The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch: Great book about living your dreams. This is written by a man who knows he only has a few months to live. I have read it before and circled back again this year.

A Moment of Silence by Aubrey Jones: Story of a Christian teacher standing up for the right to pray in school. Good story, weak writing.

Deep River by Karl Marlantes: Good historical fiction about life in the logging/fishing industry in Oregon/Washington around 1900.

It’s Never Too Late by Kathy Lee Gifford: Good book following some of Kathy Lee’s Dreams.

Throw out Fifty Things by Gail Blanke: Good book on dumping the things that are dragging you down.

The Eye of Heaven by Clive Cussler: Another winner by Cussler, Central American thriller.

Die with Zero: Getting all you can from your money and your life by Bill Perkins: Great book on living life to its fullest. The money you have left when you die is considered wasted opportunity.

The Delta Factor by Thomas Locke: Novel about the discovery of a new drug.

*The Return by Nicholas Sparks: Great book. Story of an injured man returning from war in Afghanistan. Sparks always delivers and is one of my favorite authors.

A Witness Above by Andy Straka: Good detective mystery. The main character hunts with falcons.

F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton: Good mystery as always. I have enjoyed all of her books and I’ve read several.

*The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo:Great book on eliminating clutter. We took her words to heart and are applying them to our home. This book could be life changing.

Guide to Asset Protection by James M. Dahle MD: Summary of what you need to know about a topic you will likely never need to use. 

The Doctors Guide to Real Estate Investing for Busy Professionals by Dr. Cory S. Fawcett: Great book on investing in small apartments for busy professionals. I read it again this year to prep for a lecture.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King: Good tips on how to write, but too much on his life story.

Gracie, A Love Story by George Burns: If you are a fan it is good, but a little slow.

Wild, From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed: Great adventure and self-discovery book, includes some foul language.

The 21st Century Man, Advice from 50 Top Doctors and Experts by Judson Brandeis, MD: Fair. Some health advice is on the fringe.

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich: Great detective story, I’ll continue the series. This book is one from a series I got from my grandmother.

The Snapping of the American Mind by David Kupeliam: A very polarized look at the stupid stuff America is doing now. Some points are good, and some are off the deep end.

Under the Cajun Moon by Mindy Starns Clark: Great novel, murder mystery in New Orleans.

The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis: Great book looking at the sneakiness of poor decisions and what they cost us. Told from the prospective of the Devil (Screwtape) teaching his minions how to keep people from Heaven.

The First Time by Cher: If you are a super Cher fan you might like these stories, otherwise pass.

Sanctuary by Faye Kellerman: Good mystery. Lots of information about Jewish customs and the diamond business.

*The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy: Great book on finding happiness. If you are a high achiever struggling with feeling like you are always behind, or never good enough, this book will be a life changer.

There you have it, my reading list and recommendations from 2022. Remember, reading good books will improve your knowledge and give you great enjoyment when relaxing from your busy day. I encourage you to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and pleasure reading brings. If you find a particularly good book, let me know, I’d love to read it too.  If you are looking for something financial to read, try one of my books in the Doctors Guide series. Remember, an autographed set of my six book collection for only $50 can be yours while supplies last. So, send me an email and collect the complete set.