I spent the first quarter of 2022 living in Florence, Italy. Here are my notes:

• I recommend visiting in the shoulder or off-season (I was there from January to April). The weather is mild, and there aren’t as many tourists as in the summertime.
• We stayed in the neighborhood of San Frediano. I recommend it for long-term stays. The neighborhood is populated by locals, but still within walking distance of the city center. I also like the Santo Spirito neighborhood, but it’s much more touristy.
• The Mercato Centrale is the place to go if you need a break from traditional Italian food.
• Walk through the Piazza della Signoria after dark. The statues and buildings are beautiful to view in the moonlight. And you won’t have to jostle with tour groups for space.
• The Duomo is the most stunning building I have ever seen. Buy tickets to go up the dome and down to the crypts. Make sure you visit the Opera del Duomo Museum. It’s well worth it.
• My two favorite places to read a book are in Parco di Villa Strozzi and on the Pescaia di Santa Rosa.
• Speaking of books, the trains are a great place to get reading done. Make the time to visit Siena, San Gimignano, Bologna, and/or Cinque Terre while in the area.
• The pasta and pizza are amazing, but I miss the gelato most. Gelateria La Carraia is spectacular.

‘Tis the season for “best of” lists. Below are notable lists featuring the best books of 2022.

💯 Best overall books according to publications:

• Amazon on the best books of 2022.
• The BBC on the best books of the year 2022.
• Book Riot on the best books of 2022.
• The Financial Times on the best books of the year 2022.
• Goodreads readers on the best books of 2022.
• Literary Hub on their 38 favorite books of 2022.
• The New Yorker on the best books of 2022.
• The New York Public Library on the best books of 2022.
• The New York Times on the 10 best books.
• The New York Times on 100 notable books of 2022.
• NPR on books they love.
• PBS on the 12 best books to read from 2022.
• TIME’s 100 must-read books.
• Vulture on the best books.
• The Washington Post on the best books of 2022.

📖 Best books according to individuals:

• Tyler Cowen’s favorite fiction of 2022.
• Tyler Cowen’s favorite nonfiction of 2022.
• Jodi Ettenberg’s favorite books of 2022.
• Mindy Kaling’s favorite books of 2022.
• Austin Kleon’s favorite reads of 2022.
• Barack Obama on his favorite books of 2022.
• Maria Popova’s favorite books of 2022.
• Your favorite authors on the best books to give as gifts.
• The books various business and political readers read in 2022.
• Smithsonian scholars pick their favorite books of 2022.
• Tor.com reviewers on the best books they read this year.

🍳 Best books by genre:

• Smithsonian Magazine on the ten best history, science, food, photography, and travel books.
• GQ on the best art books of the year.
• Colossal on the best art books of 2022.
• Audible on the best audiobooks of 2022.
• Bon Appetit on the 27 best cookbooks of 2022.
• Epicurious on the best cookbooks of 2022.
• Food and Wine on the 20 best cookbooks of 2022.
• Nik Sharma’s favorite cookbooks of 2022.
• The best books health experts read in 2022.
• Pitchfork on the 15 best music books of 2022.
• Travel and Leisure on the 13 best travel coffee table books of 2022.
• Wanderlust on the best travel books of 2022.

🎨 Best book covers:

• The Chicago Library on the best book covers of 2022.
• Fast Company on the best book covers of 2022.
• Literary Hub on the 103 best book covers of 2022.
• New York Times on the best book covers of 2022.

If you are looking for suggestions from real people, here is a thread from Hacker News, a thread from the suggestmeabook subreddit (and a second), and a thread from the fantasy subreddit.

It’s the holiday season. For the second time, I’ve made a holiday gift guide of stuff I personally love this year. Note: Some of the products listed below link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Associate member, which means anything bought through one of these links sends a little money my way at no extra cost to you.

The National Parks Pass is the go-to gift for outdoors lovers living in the United States. Some states, like South Carolina and Washington, sell annual state park passes. Fifty-Nine Parks created the artwork behind the Field Notes National Parks Memo Books. Now they’ve made a guidebook to the parks. If you’re looking for other outdoors swag, check out the Parks Project. Profits support the preservation of public lands. I highly recommend Nick Offerman’s book Where the Deer and the Antelope Play if you want something to read between hikes. It will give you a better grasp of the fragility and delicate balance of the land we take for granted.

Playing the board game Wingspan has given me an appreciation for the beauty of our avian friends. The best place to start for beginner birdwatchers is with an Audubon bird call and The Sibley Guide to Birds. See the Audubon Society’s gift guide for more bird-related fun.

On the tech side, Kindle finally made an e-ink tablet on which you can write. I’m a believer in the right to repair, so naturally I’m very excited about the Framework Laptop, a computer you can build and repair yourself. Watchy is an open-source, e-paper watch to fill that Pebble-sized hole in your heart.

E-bikes are a fun, healthy, environmentally-friendly, and ever-so-nerdy way to get around town. Here’s a short guide on how to find the best e-bike for you.

The man behind Baron Fig wrote a book on the creative process titled The Laws of Creativity. Speaking of creativity, Steal Like an Artist author Austin Kleon writes a Substack newsletter with bonus content for paying subscribers. His book bundle trilogy also makes a wonderful gift.

For stationery lovers, Yoseka Stationery has published their annual holiday gift guide. Currently, my favorite notebook is the Maruman Mnemosyne. If you’re looking for writing utensils, Pen Addict has you covered. I have long been a fan of Studio Neat’s work. They make a notebook designed specifically for your desk.

In the past, I recommended the Freewrite Traveler as a writing device without the distractions of an ordinary computer. For a cheaper, more retro alternative, check out the AlphaSmart 3000. If you are a notetaker like myself, Tiago Forte published a book on the subject titled Building a Second Brain. I use Obsidian for my notetaking. The software is free, but they sell a service that allows you to sync your notes across multiple devices.

Lately, I’ve taken an interest in chess. I even bought a small travel chess set. Bauhaus makes this cool chess set designed to show exactly how each piece moves. A chess.com subscription is a great way for beginners to learn the game. For board games other than chess, check out Keith Law’s list of top 100 board games. If you’re a fan of crosswords, buy a New York Times Games subscription.

Major streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ are known to everyone, but several lesser-known services are also worth a subscription. For the film snob, check out The Criterion Channel. For the horror fan, check out Shudder. And for the Anglophile, check out BritBox.

If you want to find a way to give back, there are several worthy causes where you can buy amazing gifts. Many museums, like the Smithsonian, Met, and Art Institute of Chicago, have online stores. The same goes for many major libraries, like the NY Public Library and Los Angeles Public Library. Wikipedia recently opened their online store with great swag. Or if you are anti-consumerism, use Charity Navigator and GiveWell to find the best ways to spend your donations.

Included in this list are books on how to write both fiction and nonfiction.

1. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott — Advice on writing fiction, including exercises to get you started.

2. Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss — A guide to proper punctuation with hilarious examples of real-world misuses.

3. The Elements of Style by Strunk and White — A brief guide on how to properly write a sentence.

4. On Writing by Stephen King — This Stephen King classic is more memoir than how-to guide. Still, it reveals plenty of insights into King’s writing process and serves as great motivation for the wannabe novelist.

5. On Writing Well by William Zinsser — If you need to do any kind of writing to get through the day, this book will teach you how to improve.

6. The Fantasy Fiction Formula by Deborah Chester — This book gives a beat-by-beat guide to writing a fantasy novel. Even if fantasy is not your genre, you can find value in this book.

7. Dreyer’s English by Benjamin Dreyer — A sharp and funny guide to clarity and style.

8. The Everyday Writer by Andrea Lunsford — An all-purpose writing guide for students.

9. The Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsyth — Learn how to elegantly turn a phrase.

10. Stein on Writing by Sol Stein — Editing is an essential part of the writing process. This book will teach you how to fix writing when it is flawed.

11. Everybody Writes by Ann Handley — If you have any interest in creating online content, this book will show you how to attract and connect to audiences.

Sometimes a small purchase can make a huge impact on your life. Below are 75 affordable purchases that have the potential to improve your life in some way. Note: Links below include affiliate links to Amazon.com, of which I receive a small commission for every purchase, at no added expense to the customer.

1. A pull-up bar to get you in shape fast.

2. A heated blanket for cold nights.

3. A detachable showerhead for washing the hard to reach places.

4. A pair of blue light blocking glasses to protect your eyes from screen fatigue.

5. A YNAB subscription to get your finances in order.

6. A bidet for a thorough cleaning.

7. A headlamp so you can see in dark places without occupying your hands.

8. A sharp chef’s knife because a dull one is dangerous and less efficient.

9. A sunrise alarm clock for a more gentle way of waking up in the morning.

10. Blackout curtains to sleep peacefully.

11. A shoehorn so you don’t damage your shoes.

12. A journal for working through your thoughts.

13. Noise canceling headphones for focus mode.

14. A National Parks pass to explore America’s best places.

15. A second monitor for optimal efficiency.

16. Timer cap bottles so you don’t have to remember if you’ve had your medication.

17. A mechanical keyboard for satisfying typing.

18. An extra long phone charging cable so you can use your phone while it charges.

19. A toaster oven for quick meals.

20. A fireproof safe to protect your most valuable possessions and documents from disaster.

21. The perfect notebook for capturing ideas.

22. A therapy light to bring the sunshine indoors.

23. A rice cooker for easy rice.

24. A first aid kit for emergencies.

25. A AAA membership for safe driving.

26. An e-reader for cutting down on book clutter.

27. Slippers to keep your feet warm.

28. A phone lockbox with timer to cut out distractions.

29. A kettlebell for heavy lifting.

30. A BKLYN library subscription for unlimited ebooks.

31. A tongue scraper for better breath.

32. A Bluetooth headphones headband to fall asleep to soothing sounds.

33. A jump rope for some cardio.

34. An egg cooker for an easy breakfast.

35. A pair of socks to last you forever.

36. A curved shower rod for more space in the tub.

37. An electric toothbrush for optimal dental hygiene.

38. A meat thermometer for safe and tasty eating.

39. A Uni-ball Jetstream pen for smooth writing.

40. A beautiful planner for managing your schedule.

41. A kitchen scale for more precise measurements.

42. A fabric shaver to keep your cloths from pilling.

43. A handheld vacuum to clean the hard to reach places.

44. A toilet stool for better bathroom time.

45. An iFixit toolkit for electronics repairs.

46. Scrivener for writing efficiency.

47. A vertical mouse to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.

48. Motion sensor lights to make walking around in the middle of the night a little easier.

49. A carbon monoxide detector for a safer home.

50. An air compressor to fill up your tires and more.

51. A portable jump starter for when you need a jump.

52. A fire extinguisher to save your home.

53. A dash cam so you don’t get blamed for an accident you didn’t cause.

54. An SSD for faster computing.

55. A car emergency kit in case disaster strikes.

56. Touchscreen gloves for when you are outside in the cold.

57. A power bank so your electronics don’t die.

58. A Bluetooth car kit for more pleasant driving.

59. A pepper mill for delicious, fresh pepper.

60. A bento box for more pleasant lunches.

61. A running belt for a place to put your stuff as you exercise.

62. A foam roller to loosen your muscles.

63. Smart plugs so you don’t forget to turn things off.

64. An emergency blanket just in case you get stranded on the road.

65. Bar Keepers Friend for easy scrubbing.

66. A reusable water bottle so you don’t have to buy water bottles.

67. A water flosser for healthy teeth.

68. A bicycle helmet to protect your brain.

69. A water filter for clean drinking.

70. Cloth napkins to cut down on paper towels.

71. Magic erasers to clean the stubbornest of stains.

72. A slow close toilet seat so the lid doesn’t slam.

73. Houseplants to add some green to your living space.

74. A soft robe for luxurious lounging.

75. A drill brush to deep clean any bathroom.