As 2022 nears its end, we wanted to know what the year was like for books.

5 Things Sunday host James Brown sat down with USA TODAY book editor Barbara VanDenburgh to talk about the year and what books were the most interesting, the best sellers and the ones that left you wanting more.

According to VanDenbugh, 2022 was full of "smart" books. She brought a list of five she thinks should be remembered in 2022.

For more on the best books of 2022:

Best of 2022: See which books USA TODAY critics gave perfect reviews this year

Cormac McCarthy's brilliant 'Stella Maris,' new Jane Smiley: 5 must-read books this week

USA TODAY Book Club: Celeste Ng's 'Our Missing Hearts' is a book that demands discussion

Follow James Brown and Barbara VanDenburgh on Twitter.

If you have a comment about the show or a question or topic you'd like us to discuss, send James Brown an email at [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also leave him a voicemail at 585-484-0339. We might have you on the show.