During our long drives through the desert, my dad would often talk about his prestigious job at San Quentin.

When Dad was in San Quentin, his score on the IQ test brought him special attention and privilege.

When I was a boy, my dad took me on car rides and often blurted out stories about his time in San Quentin State Prison.

I love both fiction and nonfiction, and here are some of the best books I read in 2022.