Best books of 2021
The relationship between screens and books is interesting - and perhaps predictable. The more time you spend on your phone, generally speaking, the less you spend reading.
The best description I’ve seen about this comes from the author of “You Really Need to Quit Twitter,” an Atlantic article from last summer. Caitlin Flanagan writes:
For the past few years, I’ve felt a strange restlessness as I read, and the desk in my bedroom is piled with wonderful books I gave up on long before the halfway mark. I had started to wonder if we were in a post-reading age, or if reading loses its pleasure as we age—but I knew that wasn’t really true... I had suspected for a while that my reading problems had something to do with Twitter, and several times I’d tried leaving the phone in another room—but it was no good. Twitter didn’t live in the phone. It lived in me.
It’s Twitter for Flanagan; it could be Instagram for me or 24/7 news for my neighbor. The issue’s the same: the addictive, ever-stimulating nature of our phones impacts our brains. We can’t settle them down to focus on a book. We don’t have the attention. Often we stop even trying.
And yet. Reading books is enlarging for the mind and often a balm for the soul. It’s something our whole person needs (at some level) to grow and flourish.
That’s my preamble.
I read very little fiction in 2020 - largely because it feels like a luxury and gets cut from the list - so in 2021, I attempted to read more. I’m happy to say that I succeeded and now have a good roll, going into 2022. I love browsing other people’s “what I read” book lists, so I thought I’d lay out a quick rendition of mine.
My favorite fiction reads of 2021:
The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett. A well told tale focused around a house; it had a unique story and set-up that kept me very engaged. I was intrigued by Danny, the main character, and stayed so throughout the book, and I especially found his relationship with his sister Maeve engrossing. The villain role was also delivered in an original way. And I enjoyed the memoir-style writing.
News of the World, by Paulette Giles. A short book about a former Civil War officer in north Texas escorting a young girl to her family following her “rescue” from a Native American tribe that had raised her. The writing is strong, the descriptions of the characters are excellent, and Giles displays a profound grasp on human nature and its intricacies.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, by Kim Richardson. A fascinating look into the real-life “blue-skinned” people of Kentucky in the 1930, as well as the pack horse library service through which the WPA got books into the hands of rural areas of our country. The protagonist, Cussy Mary, is a likable protagonist..
1984, by George Orwell. I read this 25 years ago and forgot how intense it is. The exposé of the repressive regime in which Winston lives is as troubling as it is fascinating, and there’s much to ponder - from tele screens to “double think” to removing words from language as a means of control. I was glad I reread it.
Still Life, by Louise Penny. For ages I’ve heard great things about Inspector Ganache, solver of murders in the French-Canadian region outside Montreal. Murder mystery aren’t generally my thing, but after listening to others rave about the quality of the writing and the character-driven nature of the plots, I decided to give the first book in the series a try. I wasn’t disappointed.
The Other Einstein, by Marie Benedict . This is my only historical fiction pick on the list, and I loved it. It was fascinating and readable, and while many differ with Benedict’s hypothesis that the theory of relativity actually came from Einstein’s first wife Mitza rather than him, I was captivated by the portrayal of the relationship between the two. It was believable (and a good window into the role narcissism can play in marriage).
This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger. I liked Odie, the 12-year-old boy at the center of this book (set in Minnestota during the depression), a lot but struggled somewhat to enjoy the plot. It wasn’t until I understood that Krueger was telling a hero’s journey tale in the vein of Huckleberry Finn and the Odyssey that I appreciated it.
Non-fiction…
I read non-fiction much more readily than fiction; I’m a life-tackler and a problem-solver, so it comes naturally to me (and usually without any hint of guilt). So I’ll keep this one briefer and pick out a few highlights.
In parenting: The Collapse of Parenting, Dr. Leonard Sax - an outcome-based book whose premise is that the culture of disrespect, and the trend for parents to no longer be parents, is hurting American youth and society.
In memoir: In Order to Live, by Yeonmi Kim - the autobiographical tale of a current North Korean dissident and her recent escape from the totalitarian regime to freedom - through China and South Korea to America.
In culture: Awake, Not Woke, by Noelle Mering - a historically-driven book that aims to sequentially unpack the trajectory of the progressive moment in America, assessing it through a Christian lens.
In psychology/self help: Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain - a research-packed deep dive into the world of introverts that provides a background in history, science, cultural influences, and more. Incredibly helpful!
Regarding books about phones or screen-based life… I’ve read dozens of these; to see my recommendations - access my free curated list, “10 Great books about phones and our souls.” Hope it’s helpful!
What books did you love in 2021? I’d love to hear!
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