The most giftable literary fiction of 2022
Plus the best in translated fiction and my attempt to read more new releases
Hey, readers!
The holidays are approaching fast, leaving me wondering what I’m going to gift everyone on my list and how in the world we’re mere weeks away from 2023. Last week I shared some reading accessory gift suggestions and today I’m sharing what I consider to be the most giftable books I read in 2022. I hope between these two lists, you find something for the beloved readers in your life. And, if not, you can’t go wrong with a credit bundle from Libro.fm! Support your favorite indie and let your giftee choose their books: it’s a win-win-win.
This week in books.
This week I read…
Very Cold People by Sarah Manguso. This is a novel told in vignettes that explores the impacts of poverty and the hardships of girlhood. Ruthie grows up filled with shame about her family’s poverty and the distance that exists between herself and her parents. It’s also very much a book about a place, and Ruthie serves more as a guide into the town of Waitsfield than as an active character. Waitsfield, Massachusetts is a place where great wealth once resided, but is now rundown and awash with secrets. I loved the was Manguso brought Waitsfield to life—I felt like I was there in a way that made my skin crawl. This is a bleak book, but it really resonated with me and the writing and structure felt simultaneously original and easy to take in. This is a hard one to recommend to anyone other than readers who like dark, sad, literary fiction, but if that’s you—Manguso is an author to watch. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Checkout 19 by Claire-Louise Bennet. I hadn’t heard of Checkout 19 until it started showing up on tons of best-of-the-year lists, at which point it became impossible to track it down in bookstores. Luckily, my library had the audio available, and I’m so glad I read it in that format, narrated by Bennet herself. This book doesn’t really have a plot. Instead, it exists in the format of the ongoing journal entries of narrator we follow from girlhood into adulthood. She is an avid reader and a budding writer, and as readers ourselves we get to witness the evolution of her taste and imagination. I felt fairly hot and cold about this book—honestly it lost me a bit every time it wasn’t focused on reading and writing. However, some of the passages Bennet shares about being a reader, the books and writers she loves, and the power of imagination were so mind-blowing, I’m already planning to revisit this book again in the future. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Now I’m reading…
The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li. This is one of the (many 😩) 2022 books I’m hoping to read before the end of the year. A story of female friendship, it hooked me right away. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
If you are an international reader or just prefer UK covers, you can also order books through my Blackwell’s affiliate page!
The FictionMatters Gift Guide: Highly Giftable Literary Fiction
It’s no secret that my genre of preference is literary fiction—often the darker and the weirder the better—so I might not be the best recommendation source for the casual readers on your holiday gift list. But today, I’m rounding up the 2022 literary fiction releases with the most wide-ranging appeal and sharing who on your list might appreciate these books.
A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley. Quirky lit fic for readers who love Westerns or mysteries. Amazon | Bookshop | Blackwells
Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet. The rare work of literary fictional that is filled with hope and people trying their best. Amazon | Bookshop | Blackwells
The Last Karankawas by Kimberly Garza. For readers of family sagas and books about close-knit communities. Amazon | Bookshop | Blackwells
Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra. A truly well written piece of World War II fiction. Amazon | Bookshop | Blackwells
If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery. For readers who like to dip in and out of books and readers wanting to get in on the ground floor with up-and-coming voices. Amazon | Bookshop | Blackwells
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng. For anyone who loves The Handmaid’s Tale and likes their political reading to come in the form of fiction. Amazon | Bookshop | Blackwells
Perish by LaToya Watkins. A complicated family story for readers who like their books to begin with a family tree. Amazon | Bookshop | Blackwells
Portable Magic by Emma Smith. The book about books to get the bibliophile who’s impossible to shop for. Amazon | Bookshop | Blackwells
Trust by Hernan Diaz. For the economist, financier, or lover of Henry James. Amazon | Bookshop | Blackwells
Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett. A charming book with so much going on, it’s sure to include something to please everyone. Amazon | Bookshop | Blackwells
Links I love.
The best translated literature of 2022.
The best graphic novels of 2022.
Over 500 authors signed an open letter in support of the Harper Collins Union strike.
Six YA thrillers for your TBR.
Checkout the New York Times critics’ favorite books of the year.
Looking for a seasonal read? Here are 42 cozy Christmas books in a range of genres.
End notes.
Five things making me happy this week:
Yesterday Louise—my baby who hates to sleep—walked up to me and requested to take a nap. It may never happen again, but I will never get over it.
Making my favorite cinnamon roll recipe for the first time in three years.
My new go-to winter jacket. Last year I bought the cult favorite Amazon jacket because it’s super warm and can fit around a baby carrier (or pregnant belly!). I still love it, but I wanted something new that was shorter but still warm. This one is perfect.
Having two shows to obsess over: The White Lotus (HBO Max) and Fleishman is in Trouble (Hulu).
The Madewell 40% off sale (50% off sweaters!). I showed restraint by only purchasing this pair of pants.
Love getting the FictionMatters newsletter in your inbox every week?
Support my work, keep the newsletter running, and get bonus monthly emails by becoming a paying subscriber!
For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!
This email contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please forward it to a book-loving friend. That’s a great way to spread bookish cheer and support the newsletter!
Happy reading!
Sara