My 2021 Reads

A short listicle on my top books and what they taught me.

Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash

These are the books that I read last year - with a little tidbit about the truth I learned from each one. If I could prescribe these books to all human beings, I would.

They go: Book Title by Author, genre; the truth I learned.

I’ve linked the books to the author’s websites and places to buy the books, if you like how they sound. They are in no order of importance. :)

1. Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff Vandermeer, an Eco-thriller;
   We should never lie to ourselves, and we need to make better choices for the health of the world.

2. The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie, a grimdark fantasy;
   Anger and anarchy are the results of selfishness, and my moral compass is not as good as I think it is.

3. The Book of Hours by Raina Maria Rilke, poems written to God;
   In these poems, I found a language for my doubts and fears.

4. Dune by Frank Herbert, a sci-fi novel;
   I am “the chosen one” of my own life. I have power and influence in my sphere.

5. Version Control by Dexter Palmer, a literary sci-fi;
   My life choices are not irreversible. I can always do the next right thing, or, I can change my life’s trajectory.

6. The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton, a summation of Western philosophy;
   There is no escape from my life’s woes, but it is those woes that make life worthwhile.

7. Faith After Doubt by Brian McLaren, Christian philosophy;
   There is a place in my soul for God and hope, even outside evangelical Christianity.

8. Gideon the Ninth and Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, genre-blending speculative fiction;
   Love is more powerful than death.

9. Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang, sci-fi/fantasy short stories;
   Short stories are the most provocative art form, and I need to master them.

10. The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss, fantasy;
    There is nothing better than a good book. That’s all.

11. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, apocalyptic fiction;
    I have everything we need and want, right now, and I should be grateful for it.

12. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey, memoir;
    If I want to have joy, I need to say yes to life’s twists and turns and opportunities; that’s livin’, baby.

13. The Hidden Girl by Ken Liu, sci-fi short stories;
    Unless I make peace with my world as it is today, I will be unprepared for tomorrow.

14. Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth, gothic fiction;
    The foundation of my fears is based in the unknown. I fear what I don’t understand more than anything else.

And there you have it!

Looking forward to new books, new truths, and new adventures in 2022!

Best,

Zachary