The Best Books I Read in 2021
Pleasure, purpose, and everything in between.
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First, the bad news: 2021 was not a great year for reading! That’s not to say it wasn’t a great year for books—only that I kept picking weird ones.
Part of the issue is that I was focused less on pleasure and more on purpose. I spent most of 2021 working on draft four of my novel, so I read a lot of books as comps or research—books like Confident Women, because my main character gets caught up in scam, or Payback, because I’m interested in debt as motif and metaphor.
Now for the good news: despite the clunkers, I also read some incredible books that expanded my mind, improved my craft, and helped me think about the world in new and important ways, and I’m excited to share the best of those books with you! But first, the stats:
In 2021, I read 30 books, which is a little less than my average. 24 of those books were written by women; 13 were written by people of color. 14 were novels, 10 were non-fiction, three were short story collections, one was a novel-in-verse, and one was a graphic novel. Only three of the books I read were published before 2019, because I like to stay current. Eight books were chosen by my book club, which is a great way to expand your horizons. Nearly all the books I read were borrowed from the public library, of which I recently became an official Friend.
And now, without further ado, the books:
The 5 Best Books I Read in 2021:
Beautiful World, Where Are You? Sally Rooney. Two best friends exchange letters about our broken world while figuring out how to love and be loved. My obsession with this book inspired an existential crisis, but it was worth it. I absolutely loved this book!
Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner. An intense and beautiful memoir about family, love, and grief. I went into it thinking it would be more focused on food, and was a bit overwhelmed when I realized how heavy it was. But I kept reading, and I’m so glad I did.
The Office of Historical Corrections, Danielle Evans. I’ve noticed a trend where an author writes a perfect novella, but no one will publish a novella, so they have to pad it with a few short stories that, while great, aren’t quite as breathtaking. This was one of those cases. But wow, that novella!!!
Detransition, Baby, Torrey Peters. Support trans writers—especially when they write incredible books like this one. Not only was this a great story, but it also provided an intimate look into a community I’d like to know better. It was also really funny, which I appreciated.
Big Friendship, Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman. Ann is the GOAT when it comes to newsletters, and I loved this book she cowrote with her best friend, Aminatou. Think of it as an intimate memoir, instruction manual, and meditation on the power of friendship.
2021 Superlatives
Most Self-Aware: Self Care, Leigh Stein. A fun and biting satire of online feminist communities, the wellness industry, and the lies we buy, sell, and believe. (Leigh is also a great person to follow if you’re interested in the business of writing!)
Deepest Thoughts: Esssentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Greg McKeown. This book was a lot more businesses-y than I expected, but it was still a really interesting read for someone like me, who is always trying to do too much. “Less, but better” is now my new mantra.
Most Tense: Leave the World Behind, Rumaan Allen. Loved the first half of this book—the beginning was brilliant, the characters were perfect, and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. It unraveled a bit at the end, but I forgave it. Fun fact: this book also inspired a newsletter issue!
Guiltiest Pleasure: The Plot, Jean Hanff Korelitz. I’m not much for thrillers, but this was a fun (and ultimately predictable) read about the literary life gone wrong and who owns a story. If you’re a writer, you’ll enjoy it.
Most Uncomfortable: With Teeth, Kristen Arnett. I’m a big fan of Kristen (we were residency friends while we were both at the Vermont Studio Center!) and I really enjoyed this unapologetic look at complicated, queer family dynamics. Plus “Bad Mothers” is one of my favorite genres!
Best Business Book: The Making of a Manager, Julie Zhuo. As someone who studied art her whole life and never thought she’d have a corporate career, I have a lot of catching up to do. I really liked this book, which humanizes the manager-employee relationship. A great read, no matter where you are in your career.
Most Inspiring: Make Your Art No Matter What, Beth Pickens. Specifically written of artists of all kinds, this book is a great pep talk for times when you’re not not feeling it, and a gentle nice reminder your art matters. Keep it in your studio or on your desk, and refer to it as needed.
What were your stand-out books of the year? Leave a comment and let me know so I can start my 2022 list!
Snack of the Week
My friend Emma and I originally planned to go out to dinner this week, but it was too cold. (38F! In North Carolina!! We were not prepared!!!) Instead, I heated up some frozen pizza, she threw together this lovely caprese salad, and we split a bottle of wine while lounging on my couch in our coziest sweatpants and sweaters. A delightful night of delightful bites!
Relatable Reads
The Follow, Kathleen Jones. My BFF Katie won FIRST PLACE in the 2021 Doro Böhme Memorial Contest, hosted by Hypertext Magazine. I read an early version of this story and loved it right away. What a joy to see it published and to share it with all of you! Congratulations, KJ!!! 💖
You Can Make Any Day the Best Day of the Year, New York Times*. “The world has always been a shambles. There’s only one thing we can control: How are we going to live in it?” 🏆
How to Care Less About Work, The Atlantic. I’ve shared countless articles by Anne Helen Petersen over the years, and her ideas influenced a lot of the themes in my current novel-in-progress. This excerpt from her new book (co-written with Charlie Warzel) is a great read. 👩💻
If you like reading about the financial lives of writers, you’ll love this post by Elle of The Novelleist. #MoneyGoals 💸
Most clicked link in my last issue: NPR’s annual Books We Love reading guide! So ‘fess up: what’s next on your TBR list? 📚
*NYT gift link—no subscription needed, and clicking won’t count toward your free articles!
Coffee Club
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Crying in H Mart was so heavy and so good. Glad to see it on the list!