Fall Reading List: Our Favorite Books of 2022
As the weather shifts and back to school begins, summer's farewell opens the opportunity for a new season. To welcome the cooler, cozier days ahead, we asked a few employees of Schoolhouse to share the best books they read in 2022. Whether you're a lifelong reader or looking for a book to hunker down with this fall, we hope you find something new and noteworthy below.
Cloud Cuckoo Land
“I read ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ on a recommendation a few years ago, and I really liked how Doerr weaved people's stories together. 'Cloud Cuckoo Land' was such a good read because it's basically about the power of literature and how it connects us across time and place.”
– Daylan, Customer Success
Goldenrod
"I discovered poems by Maggie Smith on Instagram during the height of the pandemic. This collection isn’t perfect (because nothing should be), but I love its messy brilliance and how she pays attention to mundane moments. Her ability to sift through hard truths about relationships — motherhood in particular — and excavate the inherent beauty of being alive is deeply inspiring."
– Erin, Director of Marketing
The Midnight Library
"Imagine entering a library with books full of different versions of your life giving you the opportunity to see it play out in a million different ways. That’s the concept behind this book. It forces you to look at your own life and ask all the questions we already ask ourselves everyday ‘Am I living my life to the fullest? Could I be happier doing this other thing?’ In the end, it leaves you believing that so much about life is out of your control, so you should embrace all the things that already make you who you are."
– Anna, Visual Production Manager
Blankets
"Having read other Craig Thompson books, it was great to read not only one of his earlier books, but also his personal coming-of-age story. Thompson's artistic style translates to storytelling so well, and really strengthens the entire reading experience. This book was gifted to me, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys long-form graphic novels."
– Lou, CID Technician
Crying In H-Mart
"I started this book because of my love of H-Mart and the band Japanese Breakfast. I stayed for the absolutely stunning exploration of love and its requisite partner: grief. Not a dry eye to be found after this one."
– Bryan, Customer Success
The Untethered Soul
"A book I always come back to and read every couple years. 'The Untethered Soul' offers a perspective of who you are outside of your job title, your role in your family, and even your thoughts and emotions."
– Jamie Leigh, E-commerce Merchandiser
Just Kids
"If you like any of the following things — music, art, photography, poetry, friendship — you will love Patti Smith's first memoir. It's a gritty but sweet, sober but funny portrait of her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, and an elegy to 1970's New York avant-garde. The Joplin, Hendrix, Warhol, Dylan, and Dalí cameos only add to the enchantment."
– Molly, Continuous Improvement Technician
The Golden Spruce
"I loved learning about the history of the timber industry (some good, some bad) and the way the author depicts the vast landscape of the Pacific Northwest. The character in the book turns from being a logger himself, to being totally anti-logging. A good read that covers some heavy topics."
– Brent, Merchandise Coordinator
Circe
"If you enjoy Greek mythology, beautiful prose, and complex heroines you'll love Circe. The author's description of motherhood was particularly impactful for me when I read it as a new mother. I'd be reading it again right now if I hadn't been so eager to share my copy with a friend."
– Jess, Director of Merchandising
Heart Berries
"I've read a lot of memoirs, but 'Heart Berries' has stuck with me especially. It's written by a Canadian Indigenous woman and is a short read but unforgettable in its beautiful raw honesty."
– Kyra, Human Resources
