The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some ’22 books to put on your list
Varied interests reflected in literary lineup for new year.
Whatever else happened in 2021, there were undeniable bright spots — in the form of cherished books that distracted, entertained and moved us. Expect more like them in 2022. If you want to really replicate the reading experience, here are some titles to consider based on recent favorites.
■ If you enjoyed “Afterparties,” by Anthony Veasna, read “Fiona and Jane,” by Jean Chen Ho(jan.4)
Ho’s buzzy novel is a tender portrait of female friendship. It’s about two Taiwanese American women, Fiona and Jane — longtime best friends whose relationship is strained when life scatters them to opposite coasts. The story spans decades as they grow together and apart, navigating love, death, complicated families and heartbreak.
■ If you enjoyed “No Gods, No Monsters,” by Cadwell Turnbull, read “Moon Witch, Spider King,” by Marlon James (Feb. 15)
The highly anticipated second installment of James’s Dark Star trilogy revisits the events that happened in “Black Leopard, Red Wolf ” — but from Sogolon the Moon Witch’s perspective. It also dives into the century-long feud between Sogolon and Aesi, the powerful chancellor to the king. Expect another epic fantasy adventure.
■ If you enjoyed “It’s Better to Be Feared: The New England Patriots Dynasty and the Pursuit of Greatness,” by Seth Wickersham, read “Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski,” by Ian O’connor (Feb. 22)
Basketball fans might feel as though they already know Coach K — or Mike Krzyzewski, the decades-long coach of the Duke Blue Devils who’s set to retire after this season. In this insightful biography, sportswriter O’connor captures the formative experiences and inner drive that catapulted the coach to icon status. Even the most die-hard fans will learn something.
■ If you enjoyed “The Last Thing He Told Me,” by Laura Dave, read “The Love of My Life,” by Rosie Walsh (March 1)
In her follow-up to 2018’s “Ghosted,” Walsh introduces readers to Emma, a marine biologist, wife and mother. When she becomes sick, her husband, an obituary writer, copes with his anxiety by researching and writing about her - which isn’t as soothing as expected, given that her entire life turns out to be a lie. To regain his trust, Emma has to reveal a past she’d rather have kept hidden.
■ If you Enjoyed “The Road Trip,” by Beth O’leary, read “In a New York Minute,” by Kate Spencer (March 15)
Spencer — co-host of the popular podcast “Forever35’ — delivers a romantic romp through the Big Apple. When Franny’s dress gets caught in the subway doors, a stranger named Hayes offers her his (Gucci) jacket so she doesn’t flash half the city. The pair doesn’t realize a fellow commuter has posted the incident online until it goes viral. Their Internet fame is surely fleeting, but their attraction to each other just might have staying power.
■ If you enjoyed “Broken,” by Jenny Lawson, read “Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives,” by Mary Laura Philpott (April 12)
Early one morning, Philpott — most recently the author of “I Miss You When I Blink” — woke to the sound of her teenage son having a seizure. The incident rocked her world, dismantling any sense of safety and security. In this collection of essays, she reckons with how we manage to exist when there’s always some unknown threat lurking nearby. It’s the literary equivalent of a therapy session.
■ If you enjoyed “Fake Accounts,” by Lauren Oyler, read “Happy for You,” by Claire Stanford (April 19)
Here’s a snappy addition to the office novel canon: In “Happy for You,” a young woman starts working at a major tech company, where she has to build an app that helps users quantify and augment their happiness. It’s a somewhat ironic task given her less-than-happy feelings about her own life, which the experience will crystallize.
■ If you enjoyed “Will,” by Will Smith, read “Finding Me,” by Viola Davis (April 26)
The Oscar-winning actress — whose résumé includes roles in “The Help” and “The Suicide Squad” — opens up about her poverty-stricken childhood in Rhode Island, and how she overcame the odds to make it in Hollywood. Davis also reflects on the risks and struggle that can surround a Black woman following her dreams.
■ If you enjoyed “Welcome to Dunder Mifflin,” by Brian Baumgartner and Ben Silverman, read “The Office BFFS,” by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey (May 17)
Nearly a decade after “The Office” ended, its stars help us fill the void by dishing out their own memories of the show. Fischer and Kinsey — who portrayed Pam and Angela, respectively — are real-life best friends whose “Office Ladies” podcast is revealing and entertaining. Now they’re collaborating on a behind-the-scenes book.