2022 was a great year for nonfiction. Fiction, not so much: Best books of the year

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks with Traci Thomas, creator and host of “The Stacks” podcast about her picks for the best books of 2022, which were largely nonfiction titles.

Best books of 2022

Nonfiction

“South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation” by Imani Perry

“The Man Who Could Move Clouds: A Memoir” by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

“Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop” by Danyel Smith

“His Name Is George Floyd: One Man’s Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice” by Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa

“The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide” by Steven W. Thrasher

“Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution” by Elie Mystal

“The Movement Made Us: A Father, A Son, and the Legacy of a Freedom Ride” by David J. Dennis Jr. and David J. Dennis Sr.

“Brown and Gay in LA: The Lives of Immigrant Sons” by Anthony Christian Ocampo

Fiction

“The Swimmers” by Julie Otsuka“Nightcrawling” by Leila Mottley“The School for Good Mothers” by Jessamine Chan

Poetry

“Alive at the End of the World” by Saeed Jones

Young adult and graphic novels

“Ain’t Burned All the Bright” by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin

“Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice” by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes

This article was originally published on WBUR.org. [Copyright 2022 NPR]