2021 was a stellar reading year. Thanks to a lot of down time in the first half of the year during surgery recovery, then a lot of driving time in the second half of the year, I read and listened to 100 books and still have a week left in the year to knock out another book or two!
There were a lot of mediocre but highly enjoyable reads, some truly bad ones and a few stand-out books. Here were some of my reading and listening highlights. Follow me on Goodreads for my full reading list.
The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff. I listened to this on Audible and highly recommend listening to this (I don’t even know if it’s offered in a paper book.) The author interviewed 40+ individuals from 9/11, from airline workers, government officials, those who survived the towers falling, family members of those who didn’t and more. It was an incredibly powerful, emotional listen filled with the stories of the heroes, survivors and those left behind on 9/11. Everyone should listen to this.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I was unsure about this book but I’m so glad I decided to read it. It blew me away. A key theme of never underestimate how big a seemingly small decision can be resonated so much with me, as well as that we don’t need to understand life; we just need to live it. Along the way we find all kinds of experiences—good, bad, most in between—and we live. We learn. We love along the way. We lose, too. But it’s all life and it’s all beautifully packaged and worth living every moment.
Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher. This YA novel is a sweet story and one that reminded me of the power of books and the influence and the shape they have on our lives. How they can bring us out of dark places and how beautifully weaved works of fiction can be so relatable and give us much needed and fresh perspective and even bravery sometimes. I also enjoyed the references to Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Outlander throughout this book, all of which are much beloved stories to me.
My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. I adored this book and the author’s other historical fiction book, America’s First Daughter. She did a super job researching the characters and telling a compelling and historically accurate story about a Eliza Hamilton, who history often ignores. I’m also reading Ron Chernow’s Hamilton biography and can tell the author read his work and pulled much historical information from it, as well as from other sources. (I appreciate thorough research!) The author note about how she wrote and researched the book was also worth the read. I really recommend this, both for the story itself and for the history of it.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. This was a really interesting plot and one that seemed confusing at times, but was ultimately engaging and lovely. It definitely isn’t for everyone, but I really enjoyed the story of this woman who became more resourceful than she ever imagined, spent much of her life alone, adapted through centuries worth of change in the world and ultimate sacrifices for love. This read is a great reminder of how our lives are made of relationships and how critical they are to our being.
Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth. This was a wonderful memoir about a midwife’s life in London in the 1950s. Jenny beautifully expressed her memories of her work through stories of her patients, their families and the nuns with whom she worked. Through her growth as a midwife and young woman, she also addressed her spiritual growth. I love this series on PBS and thought the book was even better, though some parts were difficult to listen to. (Especially the chapter about sudden onset eclampsia, for personal reasons, and some other truly horrifying situations she saw.) I look forward to reading the next book in her memoir series.
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. I adore suspense and “whodunnit” books, but rarely remember them for long after I read them. This book was an exception. It was clever and terrifically fun to read.
The Body by Bill Bryson. I discovered Bill Bryson for his travel writing before studying abroad in Australia in 2004. This book takes a different turn than his usual travel genre and explores the human body and its systems. I listened to the audiobook, which he narrates. He isn’t my favorite narrator, but I got used to him. He did a great job exploring the body from all systems and angles with interesting history, fun quirks about us and his usual impeccable research. In Bryson style, he wrote in a super fun and engaging way. I’d like to listen to it again just to try to absorb more information.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. This was an incredible and sobering read. It took me awhile, not because of lack of interest, but because it was emotionally heavy and I really wanted to take the time to understand and digest it. Lydia’s forward momentum and drive to protect herself and her son, even in the face of losing everything and feeling like they had nothing to live for, was inspiring. The other migrants they met along their journey had beautiful, deep stories, too. Some of the characters stayed with us for most of the book; some for just mere pages, but all were important to shaping the story. I very much recommend this book. It was one of those works of fiction that is rooted in very real life. Although the individuals in the book may be made up, I know there are so many people out there with comparable stories making the same journey Lydia and Luca made.
The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd. I really love historical fiction and listened to this because it was part of Audible’s free library and was of a genre and time period I enjoy. I didn’t realize until the end the book was based on a real historical woman who pioneered the indigo industry in the U.S.
The Woman With the Blue Star by Pam Jenoff. Again, the historical fiction genre drew me in. I’ve read a lot of World War II novels and this one really stuck with me. I had no idea Jews actually lived in sewers to escape the Nazi regime. I appreciated the educational aspect of this novel, but also the characters themselves and the friendships and bonds made.
The People We Keep by Allison Larkin. Beautiful story about our family and the bonds we make along the way. I’m blessed with a terrific biological family, but this book takes a look at the family we choose and we make for ourselves. “Chosen family,” if you will, which are also so important to our lives.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** by Mark Manson. I generally don’t get a lot out of personal improvement books, but this was an exception. I listened to the audiobook (keep your earbuds in if you have little ones around; this guy swears a lot!). I cannot stand the “at least” person … “At least you have a house … at least you didn’t have to have your leg amputated … at least, at least, at least.” And a lot of books in this genre really encourage that mindset. This one doesn’t. This one challenges a lot of norms and what we think should be. It expresses why being wrong can be a good thing and how it can spur change and growth potential. Openness to being wrong means we’re open to change and learning; learning starts with realizing there are things we do not know, he says. Other takeaways revolved around being willing to fail (otherwise, how will we succeed); always taking responsibility for your actions and thoughts, but also recognizing the difference between fault and responsibility; having good, meaningful values and living our lives in a way that honors those values; the ability to say and hear no and how that relates to honesty; and confronting the idea of certain death one day and what we do now while we live our lives that will ensure we leave the world a better place when we’re gone. There will always be things we care about and “give an f***” about. There has to be; we’re humans. But he challenges us to choose wisely and in ways that lead to growth.
Honorable Mentions:
- In the Shadow of 10,000 Hills
- The Queen’s Gambit
- The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
- Malibu Rising
- Next Year in Havana
- The Lions of Fifth Avenue
2022 Books
I generally don’t plan my next year’s reading list in advance, but I do have a few books I cannot wait to read/listen to:
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander book #9). A friend told me start reading Outlander in 2016. I started and never looked back. Her books are wonderful, I love every story line with them, I love the series on Starz and I cannot wait to dive into this audiobook. (Davina Porter is an exceptionally talented narrator and adds to much value to Diana Gabaldon’s already engaging story.)
The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan. “Beneath A Scarlet Sky” was one of my favorite reads of 2020 and I eagerly anticipate reading his latest book.
One Two Three by Laurie Frankel. Much to my surprise, I adored one of Laurie Frankel’s other books, This Is How It Always Is. This is her latest novel and one I look forward to diving into, although I anticipate it will be similarly heavy.
The Story of Our Lives 
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