Salt Lake City Public Library Patrons’ Favorite Reads of 2022
The new year is now underway! 2023 is sure to bring new reading adventures, but first, let’s take one more look back at 2022. The City Library asked our patrons to share their favorite books that they read last year (regardless of release date), and over 100 of you responded. Click here to find all the books recommended by community members, and we’ll share some of the selections below.
A few titles had multiple recommendations. First among those is Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead, with six. Raquel C. calls it “One of Kingsolver’s best in years. I enjoyed the story and the region she writes about with love, the similarities to David Copperfield, and the perspective on the opioid crisis.” Other blurbs:
“A very human book with engaging and believable characters.“ — Vee K.
“I enjoyed the first person narrative developed in the character of Demon. I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him. He persisted despite the many obstacles in his path. It was funny and tragic at the same time.” — Marilyn D.
“[The Audiobook performance] was fantastic! It was though I was in his mind while he talked himself through the most challenging events a child could undergo.” — Sally A.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin was mentioned four times.
“A beautifully written book about love, friendship, and the highs and lows of life.” — Tina
“Just a beautiful, human, engrossing piece of fiction.” — McNeill S.
Lessons in Chemistry, a debut novel by Bonnie Garmus, has several fans as well.
“A whip smart, darkly humorous, thought-provoking book about early feminism, with writing so fresh it’s hard to believe it’s her first novel. Loved the audiobook!” — Kat J.
“Loved having the main character be a brilliant female scientist and reading how she navigated being in a male-dominated industry and didn’t take misogynistic crap from anyone. LOVED that Six Thirty, the dog, was a character in the story, and not in a schmaltzy way but in a completely believable way. Laughed out loud so many times, cried a few times too and overall was entertained throughout and didn’t want to come to the end of the story.” — Anonymous
We can’t share every recommendation right now, but here are some more randomly chosen blurbs. You can find more patron suggestions in our weekly e-newsletter throughout the year — sign up here!
Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva
“I like any book by Daniel Silva. The Gabriel Allon series is one I look forward to reading year over year as they come out in publication. The writing is crisp, the wit acerbic, the research fantastic. I find myself going to google to see on a map what is being described in the book, and the references to art history are a joy to behold that way too.” — Steve F.
The World in a Grain by Vince Beiser
“For a book about a substance so common that we give it virtually zero thought, I couldn’t believe how captivated I was from start to finish. A surprising amount of drama and intrigue, and I finished with a deeper understanding of an under appreciated yet critical resource.” — Tristan
French Braid by Anne Tyler
“Masterpiece of characters (per usual of Ann Tyler), but this one really resonated with me regarding time’s passage and family. The ending was chef’s kiss. This is probably my favorite of Anne Tyler’s.” — Sabrina V.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doer
“I woke up at 3 AM because I needed to know what happened. This book is a masterpiece that weaves together seamlessly. I read it (twice) and then bought five copies to give to friends so that we could talk about it.” — Susan
Don’t forget, you can always tell us what you’re reading by tagging @slcpl on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter!
