.My Top Books of 2021 (out of 85).
Happy New Year Friend!
Happy 2022. Now that every minute of 2021 is over, I can finalize my tally of read books at 85. (Feel free to scroll to the ‘Top Books of 2021’ section).
I found that my reading ebbed and flowed with my life. I did not consistently read the same amount of books each week or month. Rather, I barely read 2 books in August yet devoured about 15 books in December. How was your relationship with reading?
How I Read
I read physical books from friends, books I found at independent stores /thrift shops, from Little Free Libraries, and at the library. I read eBooks through Glose (getting 1 free eBook and audiobook monthly is a valued perk of my Wall Street Journal membership), Thrift Books (a shift from Amazon purchases), and lastly the amazing app Libby.
Please download Libby if you don’t have it. It made borrowing books from local library a breeze. I liked reading or listening to audiobooks from Libby. If my preferred book had a hold on it, sometimes of 15+ weeks, I never found I was that desperate to read that exact book. My Goodreads account holds plenty of books in my ‘Want to Read’ lists. It was fairly simple to find another available eBook to borrow or to pickup a physical book I already had.
A friend also suggested borrowing eBooks from OverDrive, which is an app from the parent company of the same name. OverDrive is a certified B Corporation that owns Libby, OverDrive, and Sora (news to me).
My Page Count
Last year I tallied my page count in addition to book count. Interesting enough, the 85 books I read this year amounted to about 20,672 pages. Though I read 10 less books, that was more pages this year than 2020’s 19,313. As mentioned last year, book count is easier to tally, but I believe that page # is much more telling (so a BIG thank you to Goodreads for calculating the page #s).
Quality over Quantity!
Now, the purpose of the above is simply to quantify my achievement. Which, as humans we loove to do. If looked at from a more practical standpoint, how many of those books were actually worth anything to my life? Out of those 85 books, did I actually learn, grow, or enjoy them? Ideally, I learned from the book’s concepts, grew as a result of reading the book, remember some worthwhile points, and just plain enjoyed reading them. While not the case for all books I read last year, I definitely valued from most of the books I read.
Disclaimer
This list is hardly inclusive of all the good books I’ve read. Rather, it includes the books with the biggest impact to my thoughts or of the greatest enjoyment while reading.
Enough words of my own. Here are my top books of 2021.
Top Books of 2021
Memoirs
1. Educated - Tara Westover
Hard to believe and digest some of the events in Westover’s life, this book kept me engrossed the whole time reading.
Her memoir recounts living and growing up while not attending any schooling, and how she ultimately ends up attending university. The book really impressed upon me the importance of education (of course) and choosing to pursue your own path even when those choices may conflict with those close to you.
Top Dimensions of Holistic Health: Intellectual, Spiritual
2. Greenlights - Matthew McConaughey
This was a biography I listened to as an audiobook (on Libby) and I am so glad I did! McConaughey’s voice performed throughout all of his hilarious and insightful life experiences.
I thought it a well written reflection on his life, noting experiences that truly were greenlights pushing him forward in life (i.e. green light on a traffic stop).
Top Dimensions of Holistic Health: Emotional, Occupational
Non-Fiction
3. Skincare: the Ultimate No-Nonsense Guide - Caroline Hirons
Truly a no-nonsense great guide to skincare, mostly of the face.
Hirons has great analogies, often amusing too, which help make the book enjoyable. It was published in 2020 so I’m confident in its suggestions and understanding of the current skincare world.
Not that I have many skincare books to compare this too. I’ve not scoured the shelves of libraries reading books on skin care, but perhaps that’s why this book is such an easy to understand read.
She’s synthesized the important parts of skin care in a way I and most of us can understand. Well done!
I really came away knowing more of skincare and empowered to know what should work for me. Isn’t that the point?
I noticed that there is a revised version publishing in 2022. This will cover more about covid maskne and care based on skin tones.
Top Dimensions of Holistic Health: Physical
4. Mindset: the New Psychology of Success — Carol Dweck
I think that the concepts in this book should be more commonly shared by now. It is very empowering to acknowledge that you choose your growth! You’re not the ‘genius’ or the ‘idiot’. You are what you work towards becoming, and that is everchanging.
Taking stock of these concepts in my life I am suddenly able to realize what teachers or people pigeonholed me into ‘smart’ or ‘stupid’ categories or ‘just not a natural’. This is difficult for a child to overcome. It is incredibly liberating to realize that I have the choice (as obvious as that sounds) to live within a category or choose to learn and grow because I want to learn and grow (not because I am expected to prove my innate intelligence to others). Next step is to take action and learn and grow in my chosen direction!
Read my entire review on Goodreads.
Top Dimensions of Holistic Health: Emotional, Intellectual
5. So You've Been Publicly Shamed — Jon Ronson
A good quick review is by this Goodreads user:
“A fascinating look at the way the ’public square’ of the internet has caused a shift in humanity's treatment of those it deems out of bounds, and how that treatment affects the course of that person's life.
Ronson is a terrific writer, and his narrative manages to be both clear eyed, incredulous, and sympathetic. A must for any citizen of the digital world - you'll never look at your interactions on social media the same way ever again.”
Top Dimensions of Holistic Health: Social
Fiction
6. Carter Beats the Devil - Glen David Gold
This novel was chock full of humor, magic, deception, and even love. I found it incredibly entertaining and even educational as it discusses some politics and common theatrical practices of the time. With the size of the book, there is plenty of time to delve into the important characters and develop them.
A good read for anyone interested in historical fiction or looking for insight on magic practices during that time period. It was on my partner’s list of favorites in ‘20, and I am glad to have included it in my 2021 reading.
Top Dimensions of Holistic Health: Occupational, Social
7. City of Girls — Elizabeth Gilbert
A long, delightfully written novel.
Gilbert has such a way with descriptions, words, scenes. It is narrated by a lady in her elder years, reflecting on her life, particularly her youth in NYC in the 40s. There were some spots where you are rolling your eyes at the character's actions, but overall it read like a very real experience of life - twists, turns, and we end up OK.
"Life is both fleeting and dangerous, and there is no point in denying yourself pleasure, or being anything other than what you are."
Top Dimensions of Holistic Health: Environmental, Social
Bonus Books:
Here is a mix of my partner’s favorite books this year and my extras:
Memoirs
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother — James McBride
Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing, and Hope — Karamo Brown
Non-Fictions
The Man Who Quit Money — Mark Sundeen
Nazi Wives: The Women at the Top of Hitler's Germany — James Wyllie
Priceless: The Myth of Fair Value (and How to Take Advantage of It) — William Poundstone
Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality — Christopher Ryan (Included research I was not aware of and changed my mind on some topics.)
White — Bret Easton Ellis (A repeat on my partner’s list from last year.)
Fictions
Gatsby's Girl - Caroline Preston (A quaint piece of fiction based on a real girl from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life. He and I both enjoyed this.)
The Improbability of Love — Hannah Rothschild (He read - I’m looking forward to!)
The Queen’s Gambit — Walter Tevis (Very similar to the show, but differing at certain points. I really enjoyed how it read.)
The Real McCoy - Darin Strauss (Not part of his favorite list, but an honorable mention)
Where the Crawdads Sing — Delia Owens (He read and enjoyed like what seemed 1/2 the country. I have yet to read.)
The Winter Queen — Boris Akunin (A mystery he and I both enjoyed! It is #1 in a series, so there is more to be read of Erast Fandorin’s escapades.)
Looking Forward to this Year
I finished my book recommendations from 2020 looking forward to 2021 and discussing books on holistic health and Stoicism. I did not read as many books on those topics as I seemed to have committed! I already have quite a few books planned for this year - those highly recommended for a while or that have been on my personal list for a while. I of course have some time saved for book suggestions from you and friends!
Let’s hear from you! Do you have suggestions for me or others on must-reads this year? What were your favorite reads for learning, personal growth, or enjoyment in 2021?
In Sympatheia, The Holistic Stoic
Cover Image from @ClintMcKoy
Book Images from Goodreads
