My books of the year 2021

A lot of reading in 2021 has led to the capture of books published in 2020 or earlier, especially among non-fiction ones. HungBy Grace Dent and Bookworm by Lucy Mangan were among the favorite memories of this year, and gave a nostalgic look at the childhood of the authors defined by food and books, respectively. Barack Obama’s A Promised Land The 44th President of the United States was a strong but easy-to-read political memoir covering most of his first term, and we hope that not too long will pass until the publication of the second volume.

Elsewhere in non-fiction, Square Haunting by Francesca Wade It is an absorbing group biography of five modernist women who lived in Mecklenburgh Square in Bloomsbury between 1916 and 1940. Thomas Harding’s blood on the page It’s one of the most unique and compelling real-life crime books I’ve ever found, and it follows the first secret murder trial in modern British history.

As for fiction, I enjoyed it Maggie Shipstead’s Great Circle this year’s booker was selected for Priz and is about a female aviator trying to circle the Earth from north to south in 1950 and an actress portrayed in a biopic. Although the trophy went to Damon Galgut’s ‘The Promise’, the last winner is the second year I’ve included it in my long list of predictions blog posts. I finally got to read it too The girl, the woman, the other, Bernardine Evaristo this year and I think he deserved to be the winner of the 2019 Award.

2021 has been a strong year for indie publishers Ronan Hession’s Panenka One of the highlights of Bluemoose Books. I enjoyed it too Output Management by Naomi Booth Dead Ink Books is a great novel published in 2020 and is one of the most disturbing portraits of my life in London.

Finally, Sorrow and Bliss, by Meg Mason The dysfunctional education and mental health problems of the main character are studied with dry humor, Elizabeth Day’s Magpie it’s a thriller with a tour that I think will last a long time.

What are your favorite books of the year?