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Financial Times Best Books of the Year 2022

Financial Times Best Books of the Year 2022 names 176 books across 26 categories. 32 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Architecture and design

  1. Brutalist Britain: Buildings of the 1960s and 1970s by Elain Harwoodsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Building for Change: The Architecture of Creative Reuse by Ruth Langsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Designs on Democracy: Architecture and the Public in Interwar London by Neal Shasoresource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Monumental Lies: Culture Wars and the Truth about the Past by Robert Bevansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Part of a City: The Work of Neave Brown Architect by Patrick Lynch, Claudia Lynch and David Portersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Pliable Plane: The Wall as Surface in Sculpture and Architecture, 1945-75 by Penelope Curtissource (opens in a new tab)

Audio books

  1. Lessons by Ian McEwansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bonosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man by Paul Newmansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilakasource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Trespasses by Louise Kennedysource (opens in a new tab)

Business

  1. 25 Million Sparks: The Untold Story of Refugee Entrepreneurs by Andrew Leon Hannasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Butler to the World: How Britain Became the Servant of Tycoons, Tax Dodgers, Kleptocrats and Criminals by Oliver Bulloughsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Dead in the Water: Murder and Fraud in the World’s Most Secretive Industry by Matthew Campbell and Kit Chellelsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Influence Empire: The Story of Tencent & China’s Tech Ambition by Lulu Chensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of General Electric by William D Cohansource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Redesigning Work: How to Transform Your Organization & Make Hybrid Work for Everyone by Lynda Grattonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World by Tyler Cowen and Daniel Grosssource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Crux: How Leaders Become Strategists by Richard Rumeltsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Nowhere Office: Reinventing Work and the Workplace of the Future by Julia Hobsbawmsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Daniel H Pinksource (opens in a new tab)

Children’s books

  1. Flying Scotsman and the Best Birthday Ever by Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foremansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Olive Jones and the Memory Thief by Kate Gilby Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savagesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Tale of Truthwater Lake by Emma Carrollsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Worry Jar by Lou John and Jenny Bloomfieldsource (opens in a new tab)

Classical music

  1. House Concert by Igor Levit and Florian Zinneckersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Sound Within Sound: Opening Our Ears to the 20th Century by Kate Mollesonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Vaughan Williams by Eric Saylorsource (opens in a new tab)

Crime fiction

  1. A Heart Full of Headstones by Ian Rankinsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Blue Water by Leonora Nattrasssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Dark Flood by Deon Meyersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Lost Man of Bombay by Vaseem Khansource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Twyford Code by Janice Hallettsource (opens in a new tab)

Economics

  1. Accidental Conflict: America, China and the Clash of False Narratives by Stephen Roachsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Bankruptcy, Bubbles and Bailouts: The Inside History of the Treasury since 1976 by Aeron Davissource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Economic Diversification in Nigeria: The Politics of Building a Post-Oil Economy by Zainab Usmansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. For Profit: A History of Corporations by William Magnusonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Global Discord: Values and Power in a Fractured World Order by Paul Tuckersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Mao and Markets: The Communist Roots of Chinese Enterprise by Christopher Marquis and Kunyuan Qiaosource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Megathreats: Ten Dangerous Trends that Imperil our Future, and How to Survive Them by Nouriel Roubinisource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail by Ray Daliosource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Risky Business: Why Insurance Markets Fail and What to Do About It by Liran Einavsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century by J Bradford DeLongsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Blue Commons: Rescuing the Economy of the Sea by Guy Standingsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Capital Order: How Economists Invented Austerity and Paved the Way to Fascism by Clara E Matteisource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Cashless Revolution: China’s Reinvention of Money and the End of America’s Domination of Finance and Technology by Martin Chorzempasource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Economics of the Stock Market by Andrew Smitherssource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Illusion of Control: Why Financial Crises Happen, and What We Can (and Can’t) Do About It by Jón Daníelssonsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era by Gary Gerstlesource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Towards Market Economies: The IMF and the Economic Transition in Russia and Other Former Soviet Countries by John Odling-Smeesource (opens in a new tab)

Environment

  1. How the World Really Works: A Scientist’s Guide to Our Past, Present and Future by Vaclav Smilsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Nomad Century: How to Survive the Climate Upheaval by Gaia Vincesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Big Fix: 7 Practical Steps to Save Our Planet by Hal Harvey and Justin Gillissource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Climate Book by Greta Thunbergsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Treeline: The Last Forest and the Future of Life on Earth by Ben Rawlencesource (opens in a new tab)

Fashion

  1. Anna: The Biography by Amy Odellsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Dress Code: Unlocking Fashion from the New Look to Millennial Pink by Véronique Hylandsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Karl Lagerfeld: A Life in Fashion by Alfons Kaisersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Status and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion, and Constant Change by W David Marxsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The World Is on Fire But We’re Still Buying Shoes by Alec Leachsource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. Act of Oblivion by Robert Harrissource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Best of Friends by Kamila Shamsiesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Bournville by Jonathan Coesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Briefly, A Delicious Life by Nell Stevenssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolversource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Lessons by Ian McEwansource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Nightcrawling by Leila Mottleysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthysource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Book of Goose by Yiyun Lisource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamidsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrellsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Passenger by Cormac McCarthysource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilakasource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Trust by Hernan Diazsource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction in translation

  1. A Book of Falsehoods by Jaan Krosssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Diary of a Void by Emi Yagisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Eastbound by Maylis de Kerangalsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Identitti by Mithu Sanyalsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Nights of Plague by Orhan Pamuksource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Salt Crystals by Cristina Bendeksource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Solenoid by Mircea Cărtărescusource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Still Born by Guadalupe Nettelsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Yell, Sam, If You Still Can by Maylis Besseriesource (opens in a new tab)

Food and drink

  1. Cooking: Simply and Well, for One or Many by Jeremy Leesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Hoppers: The Cookbook — Recipes, Memories and Inspiration from Sri Lankan Homes, Streets and Beyond by Karan Gokanisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook by Melissa Thompsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tuccisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Italian Pantry: 10 Ingredients, 100 Recipes — Showcasing the Best of Italian Home Cooking by Theo Randallsource (opens in a new tab)

Health and wellbeing

  1. Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life by Rose Anne Kennysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. And Finally: Matters of Life and Death by Henry Marshsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Transform Your Life by David Robsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Man Who Tasted Words: Inside the Strange and Startling World of Our Senses by Guy Leschzinersource (opens in a new tab)

History

  1. Christendom: The Triumph of a Religion by Peter Heathersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Horizons: A Global History of Science by James Poskettsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Maria Theresa: The Habsburg Empress in Her Time by Barbara Stollberg-Rilingersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Muslims and the Making of Modern Europe by Emily Greblesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Mussolini in Myth and Memory: The First Totalitarian Dictator by Paul Cornersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Rule, Nostalgia: A Backwards History of Britain by Hannah Rose Woodssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Straits: Beyond the Myth of Magellan by Felipe Fernández-Armestosource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Mad Emperor: Heliogabalus and the Decadence of Rome by Harry Sidebottomsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Normans: Power, Conquest & Culture in 11th-Century Europe by Judith A Greensource (opens in a new tab)
  10. We the Miners: Self-Government in the California Gold Rush by Andrea G McDowellsource (opens in a new tab)

Literary non-fiction

  1. All the Knowledge in the World: The Extraordinary History of the Encyclopaedia by Simon Garfieldsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Eliot After The Waste Land by Robert Crawfordsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Endless Flight: The Life of Joseph Roth by Keiron Pimsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Magnificent Rebels: The First Romantics and the Invention of the Self by Andrea Wulfsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World by Irene Vallejosource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne by Katherine Rundellsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Book of Phobias and Manias: A History of the World in 99 Obsessions by Kate Summerscalesource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Waste Land: A Biography of a Poem by Matthew Hollissource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. Heritage Aesthetics by Anthony Anaxagorousource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Manorism by Yomi Ṣodesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Illustrated Woman by Helen Mortsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuongsource (opens in a new tab)

Politics

  1. Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology by Chris Millersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine by Lawrence Freedmansource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America by Maggie Habermansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Dancing on Bones: History and Power in China, Russia and North Korea by Katie Stallardsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Freezing Order: A True Story of Russian Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin’s Wrath by Bill Browdersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. How Civil Wars Start: And How to Stop Them by Barbara F Waltersource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy by Henry Kissingersource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Liberalism and its Discontents by Francis Fukuyamasource (opens in a new tab)
  9. My Fourth Time, We Drowned by Sally Haydensource (opens in a new tab)
  10. One Party After Another: The Disruptive Life of Nigel Farage by Michael Cricksource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine by Mark Galeottisource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century by Sergei Guriev and Daniel Treismansource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention by Johann Harisource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021 by Peter Baker and Susan Glassersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. The Rupture: China and the Global Race for the Future by Andrew Smallsource (opens in a new tab)

Pop music

  1. Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm by Dan Charnas and Jeff Peretzsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me from Success by Miki Berenyisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Good Pop, Bad Pop: An Inventory by Jarvis Cockersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Orlam by PJ Harveysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Islander: My Life in Music and Beyond by Chris Blackwell and Paul Morleysource (opens in a new tab)

Science

  1. If Science is to Save Us by Martin Reessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Life Time: The New Science of the Body Clock and How It Can Revolutionise Your Sleep and Health by Russell Fostersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Darkness Manifesto: How Light Pollution Threatens the Ancient Rhythms of Life by Johan Eklöfsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Long Shot: The Inside Story of the Race to Vaccinate Britain by Kate Bingham and Tim Hamessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Trees: From Root to Leaf by Paul Smithsource (opens in a new tab)

Science fiction

  1. All The White Spaces by Ally Wilkessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Garth Marenghi’s TerrorTome by Garth Marenghisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Illuminations by Alan Mooresource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Twilight’s Last Screaming by Sean Hogansource (opens in a new tab)

Sport

  1. Beryl: In Search of Britain’s Greatest Athlete by Jeremy Wilsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. England Football: The Biography 1872-2022 by Paul Haywardsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World by Danielle Friedmansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Panini UK Football Sticker Collections 1978-1985 by Paninisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Seven Games: A Human History by Oliver Roedersource (opens in a new tab)

Technology

  1. Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology by Chris Millersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Freedom to Think: The Long Struggle to Liberate Our Minds by Susie Alegresource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy by David J Chalmerssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The History of the Computer by Rachel Ignotofskysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Art of Disruption by Sebastian Mallabysource (opens in a new tab)

Thrillers

  1. A Traitor’s Heart by Ben Creedsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Queen High by CJ Careysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Seventeen by John Brownlowsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Sleep When You’re Dead by Jude O’Reillysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Survivor by Simon Conwaysource (opens in a new tab)

Travel

  1. Closer to the Edge by Leo Houldingsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. High: A Journey Across the Himalayas Through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal and China by Erika Fatlandsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Alps 1900: A Portrait in Color by Sabine Arqué and Agnès Couzysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Po: An Elegy for Italy’s Longest River by Tobias Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Tourists: How the British Went Abroad to Find Themselves by Lucy Lethbridgesource (opens in a new tab)

Visual arts

  1. 20th Century Indian Art: Modern, Post-Independence, Contemporary by Partha Mitter, Parul Dave Mukherji and Rakhee Balaramsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Life of Picasso, Volume IV: The Minotaur Years 1933-1943 by John Richardsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. If These Apples Should Fall: Cézanne and the Present by T J Clarksource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Michelangelo: The Complete Works: Paintings, Sculpture, Architecture by Frank Zöllner and Christof Thoenessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Monet — Mitchell by Suzanne Pagé, Marianne Mathieu and Angéline Scherfsource (opens in a new tab)

Young adult

  1. Dogs of the Deadlands by Anthony McGowansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. The Boy Lost in the Maze by Joseph Coelhosource (opens in a new tab)
  3. The Notorious Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroudsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Unraveller by Frances Hardingesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. War of the Wind by Victoria Williamsonsource (opens in a new tab)

About the Financial Times Best Books of the Year

FT critics' and editors' year-end picks, one list per category (fiction, politics, history, economics, business, science, crime, poetry, children's, art, food, sport and others). 2007-2015 ran as one or two long Books of the Year articles split by category; from 2016 each category is its own article in the series. Left out: FT readers' picks, critics'-choice and FT-journalists'-favourites roundups where many people each name a book, books by FT staff, gift guides, and anthologies with no named author. ft.com is paywalled, so pages were read through archive.today snapshots, with the Wayback Machine used to find the 2020 series index. Missing: 2006, 2008 and 2011 (no snapshot found) and most 2016 categories (only Fiction, Economics, History and Business found). Approved for use by the site owner on 2026-11-05.

Organization: Financial Times. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2022