The Best Books of 2021
When I started my first 100 Book Challenge in 2020, none of us knew the pandemic would turn out the way it did. In my 2020 wrap-up, I thought perhaps my ability to read 100 books was due to the pandemic and the “downtime” I had in that year. In 2021, we figured out how to live and work with an ongoing pandemic. The hubby and I bought a new house, sold our former house, and moved. Then, I changed jobs. Despite all the unusual/irregular things in life, I’m proud to say I read over 150 books this year.
157 - One hundred fifty-seven books. Crazy.
There are a couple of things to note about this year’s reading challenge. First, even though reading 100+ books is incredible, the point of the challenge isn’t quantity, but building a habit and enjoying it. It’s not worth the challenge if you’re slogging through books you dislike just to hit a number. Second, you make the rules. The books I read can be giant beastly books or quick ten-chapter novellas. I read many novellas this year, which took me an hour or two to read. Third, the 100 Book Challenge is a self-challenge, not competition. Reading is something you do for yourself – not a bragging point in a conversation.
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Here are the best books I read in 2021 (and the complete list if you’re curious).
A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons by Ben Folds
Ben Folds’ music shaped my teenage years, and Ben is from North Carolina, so I had to read his memoir. It was enjoyable, and I love getting insights into artists’ minds.
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katharine May
Recommended by Elizabeth Gilbert, I enjoyed May’s take on seasons of mental health. Sometimes, we experience a mental health winter, where we need to hunker down and focus on creature comforts rather than the grind of producing something all the time.
Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Somehow, Noah managed to take a potentially traumatic childhood and make it endearing and funny. He paints a picture of what it was like to grow up in Apartheid South Africa as a mixed-race person, finding his father after many years, and becoming the brilliant comedian we know him to be.
A beautifully written book that is part memoir, part ongoing self-discovery, part botany lesson, part environmental activism, Kimmerer describes life as a Native American botanist rediscovering her roots, her future, and the land that provides us all with what we need.
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Penner’s debut novel was an excellent combination of old London and new London and how the past and present are never truly disconnected. This story is about women who face different challenges with the men in their lives and how they use the tools at their disposal to overcome those challenges.
The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek is a thought-leader in the business and organizational culture world. The Infinite Game is his best book yet because he shares that the work is never done. There’s no destination with building a business like there’s no destination in life. If you reach one billion in valuation or retire at age 35 – then what? That’s precisely what Sinek asks his readers. There is no winning or losing – there is only the infinite game.
A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload by Cal Newport
Another gem by Cal Newport, A World Without Email looks at how we can continue to connect with others without the constant dinging of emails. Newport sets your expectations and poses a logical argument for a world without email. This book will make you stop and think: Is email a tool you use to manage your life, or is email managing you?
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Haig delivers a beautiful look into the world between life and death in The Midnight Library, but not in the way you might think. Sometimes, we’re too focused on the details of our lives to see how much good we contribute to the world in small ways.
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss
Former F.B.I hostage negotiator Chris Voss talks about negotiation fundamentals, which he calls tactical empathy. Empathy is a must to get the most out of every human interaction, including negotiating. Voss gives tips and tactics to engage empathy while remaining logical and focused on an outcome that’s beneficial to both parties.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Addie LaRue might be my favorite book of 2021. Firstly, it’s beautifully written. The pacing and rhythmic prose pull you in to Addie’s unique and incredible story of living forever and never being remembered. Until one day, someone remembers her. My heart swells with love for this story, and Addie helped me discover Schwab and all her other works.
The Practice of Groundedness by Brad Stulberg
In a world where we feel pulled in a hundred directions and feel the constant need to produce and ship, Stulberg asks his readers, to what end? Groundedness is all about being present, something many of us want. The best thing I learned from this book is the mantra, “This is what’s happening right now, and I’m doing the best I can.”
Shades of Magic Trilogy by V.E. Schwab
After falling in love with Schwab’s writing from The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, I immediately dove into her Shades of Magic trilogy, a fantasy series. There are three published books, but more to come (squeee!). In Shades of Magic, you have pirates, magic, London, love, and a diverse cast of characters – what’s not to love?
Courage is Calling: Fortune Favors the Brave by Ryan Holiday
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Ryan Holiday. I have his books in Kindle format and physical copies for easy reference. Courage is Calling is the first book of the Stoic virtues quadrilogy: courage, justice, temperance, and wisdom. As with his other books, this one does not disappoint. Holiday draws on real stories of courage, what courage means, and how you can choose to be courageous each day, even in small ways.
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl
There’s always been something about Dave Grohl that draws me in, and for years, I couldn’t figure it out. Yes, his drumming is genuinely incredible. Yes, he’s been in two bands that shaped much of our present rock culture. But what is it about Dave Grohl that makes so many people love him? After reading his book, I figured it out: it’s love. He puts love into every song, every album, every show, and into the world. Grohl is an uncommon example of what it looks like to be on the exact right path, even though you never knew where that path would lead. He’s a great storyteller, and this book is a delight.
How to be Sad: Everything I've Learned About Getting Happier by Being Sad by Helen Russell
After reading The Year of Living Danishly, I read everything Russell wrote. She’s got a magical blend of research to back up her witty anecdotes, and she makes unusual connections between seemingly unrelated stories and experiences. How to Be Sad examines our (mostly Westerners) aversion to being sad and how that aversion to sadness can compound and cause long-term health issues for us and for those who want to help and support us.
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily & Amelia Nagoski
Written with women in mind, Burnout tackles the feelings of constantly being on and contributing in jobs, caregiving, household work, and more. The Nagoski sisters discuss our lizard brains and how today’s world keeps us in a perpetual state of fight or flight, but because we are not facing life and death situations, we don’t complete the cycle of relief to reset our hormones. Burnout is a helpful and fascinating book, and every adult woman should read this.
I plan to do another 100 Book Challenge in 2022, but my twist is that I am focusing on fiction. I’ve spent the last two years heavily reading non-fiction books. In 2022, my challenge is that at least half of the books I read must be fiction.
What are your 2022 reading goals? What are you looking forward to reading?