My 2021 Reading List
For the past couple of years my book reading habits have been spotty, at best. Like many of us I read mostly online, sprinkling in the occasional magazine or newspaper here and there. So, in January I purchased a Kindle Paperwhite and set the goal of reading at least 10 books throughout 2021. This would include the non-fiction topics I tend to prefer but expand into some new and exciting novels.
Below is my chronological list of 2021 reads. I'm always interested in what others are reading, as well as reviews on books I've read, so please share your thoughts in the comments below, on Twitter or over on Goodreads.
Update 12/31: I ended the year finishing nine complete books, plus two others that I am halfway through, so I’m marking my goal of 10 books in 2021 complete!
Thanks to a “systems thinking” approach I learned from Atomic Habits I was able to create a reading habit that became a routine part of my day and something I looked forward to. Setting aside 30-45 minutes at the end of each day to unwind and get lost in a good book was thoroughly enjoyable. This little bit of time each day, combined with the ease of reading on a Kindle (no annoying book light), quickly added up and helped me reach my goal.
I appreciate everyone’s feedback and recommendations throughout the year. Follow my 2022 Reading List that I’m kicking off 2022 with Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi.
Beartown
First up on the list was the novel Beartown by Swedish author Fredrik Backman.
In the hockey-crazed community of Beartown the junior team has a chance to advance to the national finals, and with it, a chance for a brighter future for the tiny town in the forest. Following a traumatic event, the town is forced to pick sides and choose for themselves what's right and wrong.
As others have noted there is a Friday Night Lights feel to the story with how fanatical the town is about hockey and how everything else falls by the wayside. I thought the first quarter of the book was a bit slow but after that I couldn't put it down! I developed a strong love/hate relationship with many of the characters as the author keeps you guessing just where the story will go.
I highly recommend Beartown and I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel (Us Against You).
Show Your Work
For my first non-fiction read of the year I went with Austin Kleon's Show Your Work after it was one of Ali Abdaal's "3 Books that Changed my Life." After reading it I can understand why and I'm looking forward to reading more of Kleon's work.
The format and style of Show Your Work make it an easily digestible and quick read. It's filled with a wide range of inspirational tips and tricks for putting yourself and your work out into the world, delivering plenty of actionable advice in a fun and engaging way. As someone who can get hung up in the pursuit of perfection, often to the detriment of putting more work into the world, it's an encouraging reminder that there is much to gain by routinely sharing "imperfect" work online. Primarily the potential to attract others who share similar interests and the immense value those relationships can bring to one's personal and professional life.
This was also a very fitting read as another one of my objectives for the year is to publish more content here on my site. Even if it's not perfect.
Arsene Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar
A highly entertaining series of short stories chronicling the adventures of Arsene Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar. I was introduced to this after watching the first episode of the Netflix Series, Lupin. Reading these stories while also watching the show added an extra layer of excitement as I was able to pick out bits and pieces of these stories in each episode.
Supposedly this is a compilation of the best Lupin stories written by Maurice Leblanc. While I can't speak to this book being better than others, each chapter/story is as enthralling as the last. You're brought along on journeys across land and sea, from far and wide, attempting to decipher how Lupin is going to come out on top of yet another scheme with every turn of the page. A rather quick read that also includes a fun twist at the very end.
Storyworthy
This was another book I came across at the recommendation of Ali and it was as entertaining as it was informative. I'm always interested in learning new ways to improve my writing and storytelling, both for work and personal, so I was excited to dive into Storyworthy and glean some insight from one of the best storytellers around.
Matthew Dicks does an excellent job combining helpful and actionable tips for improving the art of storytelling while also sharing stories from his personal life that feel like they were taking from the pages of a fiction novel. The personal anecdotes provide a nice break between chapters while also serving as examples of how Dicks employs many of the techniques he shares throughout the book. I found many of the recommendations and tactics to be quite practical, implementing many of them into my daily routine to much success and enjoyment. I can certainly see myself rereading this book and my notes for many years to come.
Even if this book isn't up your alley I would encourage you to read more about Matthew and watch/listen to some of his stories. They are truly remarkable. I've included one of my favorites below.
Us Against You
In an exciting change of events, the sequel was even more thrilling and suspenseful than the original.
Us Against You takes us back to Beartown where the town's intense rivalry with its former players, now members of the neighboring town of Hed, comes to a boiling point leading into the big game.
I enjoyed this book so much more than the original as it was less about hockey and more about the personalities, relationships and dynamics of the towns and their residents.
Fredrick Backman does an incredible job bringing the characters to life so you feel like they're members of your own family.
With many twists and turns, Us Against You will keep you guessing and is a must-read!
I can't wait for the third installment to come out!
Shoe Dog
I loved this book! The story of Nike and its origins, told by the man who started it all.
Through exceptional storytelling you feel like you're battling alongside Phil Knight as he goes from a globe-trotting college grad to the leader of a global icon. Getting a glimpse behind-the-scenes of everything that took place during those formative years was fascinating and a testament to what determination and a bit of luck can bring.
And for those looking, there are some good leadership and motivational nuggets throughout:
“One lesson I took from all my home-schooling about heroes was that they didn’t say much. None was a blabbermouth. None micromanaged. Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.”
Whether you're a fan of Nike or not, you'd be hard-pressed not to enjoy Shoe Dog. I highly recommend it!
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
I felt it fitting to listen to Donald Miller’s telling of his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years while on a couple of bike rides and I enjoyed it. Miller’s conversational style and relaxed tone made it an easy listen.
The book chronicles Miller’s quest to turn his book, Blue Like Jazz, into a movie and how that process reveals the importance of truly living a meaningful and adventure-filled life.
I found most of the stories to be entertaining and the overarching message of the book a good one, but I didn’t feel like it was as profound a read (listen) as those who had recommended it. Still some worthwhile takeaways and worth the read or listen.
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom
In this quick self-help style read, Miguel Ruiz offers Four Agreements that provide us with the framework for living a happier and more fulfilled life. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, the agreements are:
Be impeccable with your word.
Don’t take anything personally.
Don’t make assumptions.
Always do your best.
None of the agreements are novel and they feel like lessons we all learned as kids, but I suppose that is the point. Inherently we know we should abide by these agreements, yet in the midst of everyday life, they are often forgotten. This comes at the expense of our own personal happiness. I found The Four Agreements to be a simple reminder of some key things to focus on, all packaged in an easy-to-read format that everyone will enjoy.
Atomic Habits
In Atomic Habits, James Clear presents a new approach to creating good habits, breaking bad habits and reaching our goals. These victories, no matter how large or small, can be achieved by implementing systems.
Clear does a great job of mixing in entertaining stories, anecdotes and examples as he lays out a practical approach to habits and goals. I found his recommendations easy to implement and have applied this “systems thinking” approach throughout my personal and professional life.
After reading Atomic Habits I listened to Clear’s recording of the book and enjoyed both options very much.
The Cold Millions
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter was well written in the sense that the characters and settings come to life as Walter describes them in beautiful detail. Despite this, I found the story of the Dolan brothers’ adventures to be rather slow and I set the book aside shortly after the halfway point.