My Year in Books

Nancy Mugele
There are so many reasons why being a reader is a lifelong gift you can give yourself. The more you read, the more your vocabulary grows, along with your ability to effectively communicate, verbally and in writing. Reading improves your concentration and memory, enhances your knowledge, and increases your imagination and creativity.
Reading can improve sleep. Researchers in 2021 found that reading “activates the frontal lobe, the limbic system, and it creates a relaxing cascade in our body." It reduces stress and helps you relax. 

For me, however, the reason I read is because of the healing power of books. Let’s face it, the past few years have been difficult. We feel exhausted, disconnected from family and friends, worried, and anxious, but books feed our imagination and make us forget about our troubles for a few moments. Books transport us, make us laugh, make us feel empathy, and teach us about each other. 

In 2022, and for the first time, I recorded my reading. I read 33 books in total, both on my Kindle and in print. This does not include all of the wonderful children’s books I read aloud to Kent School students in Little School, Kindergarten and First Grade!  My list included 19 culturally diverse novels, many of which were historical fiction, 5 non-fiction books, 3 poetry collections, and 6 texts related to my work. What shall I read next?

2022 Year in Books

Fiction
The Postmistress of Paris, Meg Clayton
The Diamond Eye, Kate Quinn
My Year Abroad, Chang-rae Lee
French Braid, Anne Tyler
The Break, Katheren Vermetti
The Second Life of Mireille West, Amanda Skenadore
The Paris Apartment, Lucy Foley
Mercy Street, Jennifer Haigh
The Lioness, Chris Bojalian
Mad Honey, Jodi Picoult
A Particular Kind of Black Man, Tope Folarin (husband of Stephanie Folarin, Head of  Wye River Upper School)
The Magnificent Life of Marjorie Post, Allison Pateki
The Personal Librarian, Heather Terrell and Victoria Murray
Our Missing Hearts, Celeste Ng
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Reid
The Keeper of Happy Endings, Barbara Davis
The Winemaker’s Wife, Kristin Hamel
The Magnolia Palace, Fiona Davis
The Marriage Portrait, Maggie O’Farrell

Non Fiction
Finding Me, Viola Davis
See No Strangers, Valarie Kaur
Pluck, Donna Morrissey
A Woman of No Importance, Sonia Purnell
Eat Like a Human, Dr. Bill Schindler, Modern Stone Age Kitchen

Poetry Collections
Call Us What We Carry, Amanda Gorman
Everything Comes Next, Naomi Shihab Nye
Howdie Skelp, Paul Muldoon

Professional 
The Essential Conversation - What Parents and Teachers Can Learn From Each Other, Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot
Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown
Daring Greatly, Brené Brown
Community - The Structure of Belonging, Peter Block
Mastering Community - The Surprising Ways Coming Together Moves Us From Surviving to Thriving, Christine Porath
Hopes and Fears - Working with Today’s Independent School Parents, Robert Evans and Michael Thompson

Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with many titles and pages!
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