2022 book list

#43 - Dec.2022

Is time for sharing the books I read during 2022! This is an updated list from the mid-2022 post, and I'm including a quick highlight for each book.

Usually, I mix topics around the year; in 2022 I ended up choosing more books in Spanish as I wanted to get more in touch with my native language.  

1. The New One Minute Manager (K. H. Blanchard,  S. Johnson) - This is a classic and was recommended to me some time ago. I like the simplicity of the ideas, wrapped within a story narrative on how to become a better manager.
2. Pequeno Manual Antirracista (Djamila Ribeiro) - Djamila is a Brazilian activist and, in this book, she covers topics of structural racism in society and some handy tips on being more conscious about our daily biases.
3. Being You: A New Science of Consciousness (Anil Seth) - This book was dense - in a good sense. Consciousness is one of the most complex and fascinating topics in science and Anil makes a great job navigating through what he believes is the origin of perceptions, emotions, and the self.
4. En Tierra de Todos (José María Rodríguez Olaizola) - A loved how this Jesuit priest brings topics that most of the time we consider taboo within our Catholic-Religious debates, but they are so important to be addressed for us to evolve both socially and spiritually.
5. 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos (Jordan B. Peterson) - Through a mix of philosophical ideas and personal anecdotes Jordan's book tries to summarize key rules for a more fulfilling/happy life. Great insights for re-assessing your personal behavior and mental models.
6. Homo Sidera - Nascimento (Diego de Oliveira) - This is in fact my first book of science fiction and was recommended by a friend (who is the author!). I need to admit that I was engaged in this interesting story - which combines physics, technology, time travel, and more - about an AI system and its journey to save its creators from a scary future due to climate change.
7. Silent Spring (Rachel Carson) - Published in 1962, this book is considered a pioneer in creating awareness of how humans impact the environment. Framed through the dangers of pesticides, Rachel goes very deep into data points on how these chemicals ended with entire ecosystems.
8. El baile tras la tormenta (José Miguel Cejas) - I believe this is the most impactful book I read this year. Through small anecdotes from people in Baltic countries during the challenging times of Russian Communism and German Nazism, they share their stories of how they kept their faith in such hard times.  
9. La señorita Cora (Julio Cortázar) - I had never read short stories before ("Cuentos"). This one from Cortázar was a great introduction. In a self-contained story, the narrative is addictive and pushes you to continue reading until the end.  
10. Clases de Literatura: Berkeley 1980 (Julio Cortázar) - Keeping the Cortázar's theme, this book is a transcript of a series of lectures he gave in Berkeley. You feel like you're part of the class; very instructive on different literary genres, through examples from his books.
11. Lo uno y lo diverso: la riqueza del idioma español (Instituto Cervantes) - This book captures different authors talking about the nuances and (funny) stories about the Spanish language; spoken across many countries, Spanish has evolved in each region, generating new words and expressions.
12. El infinito en un junco (Irene Vallejo) - Recommended! Irene takes you through the journey of how books were created, and the stories behind such a simple/powerful technology that changed the world.

Happy reading!