Top 2021 Books

I kind of screwed myself in 2020. I decided to try to use the pandemic’s downtime to read 100 books and not only did I fail (made it to 91), I ended up with a reading hangover that lasted through most of 2022, so my output this year fell by close to 30%. With that said, I did still read a lot of books I really liked (as a reminder, I tend to read mainly contemporary fiction). Here are 38 of them:

TOP TEN FICTION

My Year Abroad   - Chang-Rae Lee

If you like a great coming of age story, you’ll love this book.

The Jesus Nut - John Prather

If you like weird, road trip stories (well, what roadtrip stories aren’t weird?) especially those involving religion, strippers and academics, this is your book.

The Cbildren’s Bible - Lydia Millet

Climate fiction/ dystopia/ Lord of the Flies mainly gone right novel that also is a good window into how kids must see adults. 

Super Host - Kate Russo

Just a lovely book about London and people and a book that references a startup that isn’t negative

 Good Company - Cynthia D'APrix Sweeney

People loved her last book (The Nest) and I didn’t but this one was really good, especially if you like books about artistic people escaping NY and LA. 

How to Kidnap the Rich -  Rahul Raina

This book is hard to describe but was fascinating and funny. 

The Barbarian Nurseries - Hector Tobar

Not a new book (from like a decade ago) but a good story of class conflict in Los Angeles.

Our Country Friends -  Gary Schetyngart

I like Gary’s work a lot. Some of my friends did not like this book. But I really did. 

Razorblade Tears - S.A. Cosby

Such a great writer, such a good story, just as good as Blacktop Wasteland. Highly recommend it. 

In the Quick - Kate Hope Day

The pull quote from Entertainment Weekly has it perfectly: “The female astronaut novel we never knew we needed.”

TOP SIX NON-FICTION

The Fish That Ate The Whale - Rich Cohen

The story of a penniless immigrant who became the banana king of the world. Fascinating book. 

New York, New York, New York: Four Decades of Success, Excess and Transformation -- Thomas Dyja

An in-depth look at Koch, Dinkins, Giuliani and Bloomberg. If you like city government, you’ll love this book.

Empire of Pain - Patrick Radden Keefe

The story of Oxycontin and the family who created it. 

Humankind - Rutger Bregman

Really interesting and easy to read sociology book about the intrinsic nature of human beings

The Contrarian - Max Chafkin

Biography of Peter Thiel. Love him or hate him, the book is a great read either way. 

The Hard Crowd - Rachel Kushner

Collection of essays from one of the best novelists alive. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

U up? - Catie Disabato

Imposter Syndrome - Kathy Wang

The Art of Violence - S. J. Rozan

Who is Maud Dixon? - Alexandra Andrews

Early Morning Riser - Katherine Heiny

The Plot - Jean Hanff Korelitz

2034 - Elliot Ackerman & James G. Starvridis

101 Destinations: Where Art Lives Coast to Coast - Owen Phillips

The Startup Wife - Tahmima Anam

The Second Season - Emily Adrian

Crazy Sorrow - Vince Passaro

Crossroads - Jonathan Franzen

LA Weather - Maria Amparo Escandon

Win Me Something - Kyle LuciaWu

A Small Place - Jamaica Kincaid

Falling - T. J. Newman

Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Paradise, Nevada - Dario Deofebi

Glory Days: The Summer of 1984 -- L. Jon Wertheim

You Can’t Lose Them All -- Cousin Sal Iacono

On the House -- John Boehner

Jack Pot -- Michael Mechanic