Welcome to the Cup of Tea’s Best Books of the Year, where I list the best of the best books I read this year.
Unfortunately, I did not get to read as much nonfiction I wanted to this year. Hopefully that will be my goal for 2023! However, I did luck out to pick great nonfiction books that were engrossing and opened my mind, something that only the best nonfiction have the power to do. So if you are trying to read more nonfiction books like myself and you don’t know where to start, you can’t go wrong with the following! So without further ado, here are my best nonfiction of 2022:
Manifesto: On Never Giving Up by Bernardine EvaristoÂ
MANIFESTOÂ is Bernardine Evaristo’s intimate and inspirational, no-holds-barred account of how she did it, refusing to let any barriers stand in her way. She charts her creative rebellion against the mainstream and her life-long commitment to the imaginative exploration of ‘untold’ stories. And drawing deeply on her own experiences, she offers a vital contribution to current conversations around social issues such as race, class, feminism, sexuality and aging. (Credit: Grove Press)
Positively Introverted: Finding Your Way in a World Full of People by Maureen Marzi Wilson
An informative and humorous book that is perfect for Introverts like me to read! You begin to have a clear understanding of what makes you tick and it’s okay for the reason we are who we are. It not only gives explanations but solutions on how to be comfortable in your own skin.Â
These Are The Words: Fearless Verse To Find Your Voice by Nikita Gill
Nikita Gill has done it again by bringing readers another poetry collection that not only makes readers emotional but empowers readers with her inspirational thoughts and words. Really wished I had a collection like this during my teenage years.Â
Fix The System, Not The Women by Laura Bates
You will get angry, but you will feel empowered. The founder of the Everyday Sexism project has once brought readers a powerful manifesto that is full of the arguments that Bates can only bring in her writing. Full of passion and optimism, Bates brings a wonderful book that everyone, man and woman, boy and girl, should definitely read.
Daughters of the North: Jean Gordon and Mary, Queen of Scots by Jennifer Morag HendersonÂ
Mary, Queen of Scots’ marriage to the Earl of Bothwell is notorious. Less known is Bothwell’s first wife, Jean Gordon, who extricated herself from their marriage and survived the intrigue of the Queen’s court. Daughters of the North reframes this turbulent period in history by focusing on Jean, who became Countess of Sutherland, following her from her birth as the daughter of the ‘King of the North’ to her disastrous union with the notorious Earl of Bothwell – and her lasting legacy to the Earldom of Sutherland. (Credit: Sandstone Press)
The Waiting Place: When Home Is Lost and a New One Not Yet Found by Dina Nayeri and illustrated by Anna Bosch MiralpeixÂ
The Waiting Place is an unflinching look at ten young lives suspended outside of time–and bravely proceeding anyway. Each lyrical passage leads the reader from one story to the next, revealing the dreams, ambitions, and personalities of each displaced child. The stories are punctuated by intimate photographs, followed by the author’s reflections on life in a refugee camp. Locking the global refugee crisis sharply in focus, The Waiting Place is an urgent call to change what we teach young people about the nature of home and safety. (Credit: Candlewick Press)
You Don’t Know What War Is: The Diary of a Young Girl from Ukraine by Yeva Skalietska
The Diary of Anne Frank for the contemporary age, this gives the heartbreaking and first hand account of the war conflict in Ukraine. Yeva’s writing and experiences puts the reader in the heart of the tragedy and makes you feel like you are there. You’ll have a hard time believing any of it’s true but unfortunately it is.
There Is (Still) Love Here by Dean Atta
I love Atta’s writing and I was excited to get my hands on his latest poetry collection and I’m so happy that it does not disappoint. As he does with his powerful poems, he provides both consolation and affirmations to readers that are going through various experiences in their lives. You will find no trouble connecting with Atta’s words and if you are not already, you will immediately become a fan of Atta’s poetry.
