My Top Picks in Books for 2021

Starting the year by sharing my favorite books from 2021. Technically, they aren't all from 2021, I just read them last year. Books are my escape and how I detach from work. Please send me your list, I am always collecting recommendations. And per the selection below, my tastes are as varied as can be. Best wishes for a healthy 2022. [ For reference, here's my Goodreads profile. ]

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

There was more to being something than just blood.

I hold a soft spot for Korea having lived in Seoul for 2 years, so I loved seeing the Korean history unfold and accompanying resilient Sunja along this journey. But as much as this book is a saga spanning multiple generations, what stuck with me the most was the search for self and definition of identity. Pachinko questions what having a motherland means and what defines where we are from.????

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Most people go through their whole lives, Marianne thought, without ever really feeling that close with anyone.

A polarizing choice, disliked by many friends who share similar book tastes; but I fell for Sally Rooney's intimate prose. I loved how the author drew me into the characters' innermost feelings -- and that is a hard thing to do. Normal People isn't your typical love story; it's lonely… but it's so intimate. And this balancing act of intimacy and independence between Marianne and Connell really sets the writing apart.?

PS: I still haven't watched the TV series.?

Dutch House by Ann Patchett

But we overlay the present onto the past. We look back through the lens of what we know now, so we’re not seeing it as the people we were, we’re seeing it as the people we are, and that means the past has been radically altered.

I am an only child so I don't know what it's like to have siblings; but Danny and Maeve's relationship is incredible. There's complicity, reliance, yearning and devotion amidst a totally dysfunctional family. And there's the house - a character in and of itself - to represent how we cling to childhood memories.??

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Is it better not knowing the ugly truth, and pretending it doesn’t exist? Or is it better to confront it, even though that knowledge may be a weight you carry around forever?

Who doesn't love a courtroom drama page turner? But Small Great Things is so much more. It throws racism in our face and forces us to face up to white privilege. Regardless if you like or dislike the ending, the book definitely makes you see things from a different perspective.?

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Nothing like a mask to reveal somebody’s true nature.

I can't believe this is Turton's debut novel… all I have to say is WOW. By far, the most original book I read in 2021. Think mystery, murder, thriller, explosive bonanza! I am not sure how I can love a book that made me so confused… but I did. Just be ready to read all night. You won't be able to put it down.

Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Adversity presents itself in many forms; and that if a man does not master his circumstances then he is bound to be mastered by them.

This was a recommendation by a dear friend… and what a recommendation! A rich and satisfying novel that showed me ways to better cultivate relationships with kindness and to make the most of life despite limitations. And of course; I also love a cryptic, suggestive ending.??

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

How it would be better if they were stuck inside alone, where he could keep her safe forever.

Shuggie Bain is uncomfortable and the hardest read in the list. It was one of those books which I had to put down from time to time because of how utterly sad it made me feel. Yes, Shuggie Bain is about abuse and alcoholism; however, it is also a naked, vivid, and honest show of a son's love for his mother.?

Circe by Madeline Miller

Two children he had had, and he had not seen either clearly. But perhaps no parent can truly see their child. When we look we see only the mirror of our own faults.

Circe has a bit of everything: adventure, an outcast heroine, intrigue, family feuds, betrayal, love, maternal devotion, revenge and power. You don't have to love Greek mythology to appreciate Circe - it has been years since I last read The Iliad and The Odyssey; nonetheless, the story is captivating and enthralling. The happiest surprise read in 2021!?

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Nothing is easier for people who never do anything themselves than to criticize someone who actually makes an effort.

This book is about human connection. It's the 1st Fredrik Backman book I read and I loved how he was able to discuss serious topics (such as depression and anxiety) in a heartwarming manner. Hats off to an author who can make me both laugh out loud and cry a good cry in the same sitting.

PS: Also still haven't watched the TV series.