I read a lot of books in various genres throughout the year, but there are only a few that really stand out to me and have had a meaningful impact on my personal growth or pure entertainment. It was difficult to narrow it down to just five, but I hope these recommendations will inspire you to start the new year with some fresh reads that you may not have encountered before. The top genres that I read this year are mostly economy, marketing, self-help, politics and historical fiction. So, you would see that in my recommendation that I lean towards those. At the moment writing this, I am trying to finish a book from Dean Koontz titled The Forbidden Door. I have also been trying to write a review but I always like taking time for it. So, that’s why, it’s been awhile since I am writing one. To fill the gap, I am showing you some of my best books I read in 2022.Anyhow, without further adieu, here are my top five best book I read in 2022:

Edge by Laura Huang

Business Motivation & Self-Improvement

I found this book by accident or can I say, the book found me.As someone who believes in merit above all, this book provides an answer to some of my disappointments in life.

This book is a thought-provoking read that explores the idea that success is not just about the skills we have but there are biases that people build based on our race, stereotypes, prejudice and other things that could impact our career. This book shows how we can turn our disadvantage into an advantage and thus, gaining something called an “edge”. I even brought this book when I was traveling just because it was really a thought-provoking read and challenged some of my personal conceptions about merits and stereotypes.

Zero To One By Peter Thiel With Blake Masters

Entrepreneurship

As someone who adores Thiel, I have my biases when picking this book to be my best book. But if I were being honest, this book is really helpful in making me understand some business concepts that I otherwise wouldn’t. It also provides a lot of insight into scaling a business and how to assess its potential.

Thiel presents a number of criteria that can be used to evaluate a business or any other venture you might be considering. Overall, it was a valuable read for me and I actually read this book more than once in an attempt to fully understand the concept he was teaching in this book.

Filthy Rich The Billionaire's Sex Scandal by James Patterson

True Crime Thriller

It’s not my top book if it doesn’t involve borderline conspiracy, true crime, and politics. So this is why, this year it goes to this famous scandal. If you think that the elites are saints, you’re in for some rude awakening. In this book, we are given a look into the life of elites who have peculiar taste. They like underage children and these young women were taken advantage of by someone in power. It’s sickening and filthy like its title but that’s what truth can be sometimes.

The Evening And The Morning by Ken Follet

Historical fiction

I was skeptical at first when I started reading this but I eventually love it. I was smitten with the story of Edgar, a smart young boy whose life changed when vikings invaded his village. It’s a slice-of-life historical fiction set in 997. One of the things I took away from reading this book is that even when bad things happen, you have to keep going and make the most of what you have. But there are more lessons that this book offers.

This book has the power to transport you into Edgar's world and make you feel like an observer of his life, from his youth to adulthood. It's a truly immersive reading experience and makes you feel like you’re also growing alongside Edgar.

Rich Dad Poor Dad By Robert Kiyosaki

Personal Finance

I know that this book is so overrated. It has been recommended by many and I mean, it is a great read. I read this about a few times until I decided to get a copy. Unfortunately, my copy is in Indonesian language. I actually think that his lessons are also overused and people talk about it all over again. Even to the point that I do think the book has the potential to make a 20-year-old feel like an expert on personal finance. When I watch those with large online followings, they keep parroting Kiyosaki.

You might think they are smart but only after you read this book, you’ll know that this book is where they get the information from.However, despite its popularity and overuse, I still found it to be a helpful resource in revamping my approach to money and personal finance this year. Overall, I would still recommend it all over again.

While I do keep up with the latest book trends, I also enjoy reading books that are not as well-known but are still interesting. Sometimes, popular books can be disappointing and I find that I don't get much out of them. On the other hand, I've had great experiences with reading lesser-known books. The books above are an example of what I normally read and normally drawn to. Anyway, to close this, What are your best books that you read in 2022?