2021 in books

this year i read 40 books (a lot, certainly, but fewer than in recent years!).  10 of those books meet some sort of diversity standard (as in, the main character or author is not white).  i also set a goal this year to read some unread books that have been sitting on my bookshelf, and hoped to read one a month; i fell a little short with a total of 9.  still need to chip away at my bookshelves of unread books this year!

my favorite books of 2021:

hamnet, by maggie o'farrell  

hidden valley road, by robert kolker

smoketown, by mark whitaker

the book of longings, by sue monk kidd

migrations, by charlotte mcconaghy

shuggie bain, by douglas stuart

december: 38, 39 & 40

to finish out 2021, i read:

shuggie bain, by douglas stuart (loved this book and am going to hear the author talk (virtually) in a few weeks, which is how it got added to my list.  beautiful writing, heartbreaking, funny, sad - the semi-autobiographical story of a boy's relationship with his alcoholic mother in 1980s glasgow.  would highly recommend, but know that it's not an uplifting book!)

ariadne, by jennifer saint (this was fine, but not as good as circe, even though i was hoping it would be.  it's the greek myth of the minotaur, told from his sister's point of view - and goes far beyond his death.  i was intrigued and found it an accessible way to get into greek mythology, but i wasn't running home to read it.  a fine but not exceptional book.)

somebody's daughter, by ashley c. ford (i loved this memoir, which i read over three days around new year's eve.  i love getting to read in big chunks like that, during the day, between meals and games and hot tub time and hikes - it helps me really get into a story in a much different way than just reading for 10 or 15 minutes each night before bed.  this book is a page turner, the story of the author's relationship with her mother and her imprisoned father.  highly recommend!)