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19 of the Best Books of 2021

A bookworm is happiest when they’re surrounded by books — both old and new. Undoubtedly, 2021 was a great year for both fiction and nonfiction, with bestsellers like Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters and Second Place by Rachel Cusk. Whether you read memoirs or young-adult (YA) novels, 2021 was a fantastic year for book lovers. While we can’t squeeze in all of our favorites from 2021, we’ve rounded up a stellar sampling of must-reads. Here’s some of the year’s best books.

“Crying in H Mart: A Memoir” by Michelle Zauner

In her profound memoir Crying in H Mart , Michelle Zauner shares an unflinching view of growing up as a Korean American person — all while reflecting on losing her mother to terminal cancer. Author Dani Shapiro notes that the Japanese Breakfast musician “has created a gripping, sensuous portrait of an indelible mother-daughter bond that hits all the notes: love, friction, loyalty, grief.”

“The Prophets” by Robert Jones, Jr.

In Robert Jones, Jr.’s lyrical debut novel, The Prophets , Isaiah and Samuel are two enslaved young men who find refuge in each other — and their love becomes both sustaining and heroic in the face of a vicious world. Entertainment Weekly writes that “While The Prophets’ dreamy realism recalls the work of Toni Morrison… Its penetrating focus on social dynamics stands out more singularly.” Now that’s a compliment.

“The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman

At President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Amanda Gorman read her electrifying poem, “ The Hill We Climb .” Since then, it has been praised for its call for unity and healing. Vogue captures the feeling of reading the poem well, calling it “deeply rousing and uplifting.”

“Beautiful World, Where Are You” by Sally Rooney

New York Times bestselling author Sally Rooney has returned with a sharp, romantic drama, Beautiful World, Where Are You . Two separate relationships are in chaos, threatening to ruin friendships. Vogue declares that the author has “invented a sensibility entirely of her own: Sunny and sharp.”

“Somebody’s Daughter: A Memoir” by Ashley C. Ford

Ashley C. Ford’s coming-of-age memoir, Somebody’s Daughter , centers on her childhood. Ford, a Black girl who grew up poor in Indiana, recounts how her family was fragmented by her father’s incarceration. With rich, unflinching writing, Ford has penned a debut for the ages. The memoir’s publisher perhaps puts the core of the book best, noting that Ford “embarks on a powerful journey to find the threads between who she is and what she was born into, and the complicated familial love that often binds them.”

“Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo

Everyone remembers their first all-consuming love — and for Lily Hu, the teenage protagonist of Malinda Lo’s queer YA novel, that love is Kathleen Miller. Set in the 1950s in San Francisco, Last Night at the Telegraph Club is not just one of the year’s best, but one of Lo’s best. O: The Oprah Magazine notes that the novel is “proof of Lo’s skill at creating darkly romantic tales of love in the face of danger.”

“¡Hola Papi!” by John Paul Brammer

In his memoir, ¡H ola Papi!: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons , advice columnist John Paul Brammer delves into his experiences growing up as a queer, biracial person. The Los Angeles Times writes that “Brammer’s writing is incredibly funny, kind, and gracious to his readers, and deeply vulnerable in a way that makes it feel as if he’s talking to only you” — and we couldn’t agree more.

“Honey Girl” by Morgan Rogers

In Morgan Rogers’ novel Honey Girl , Grace Porter is an overachiever — and certainly not the type of person to marry a stranger in Las Vegas. Or, at least, she didn’t think she was that type of person. As Grace navigates the messiness of adulthood, Rogers takes us on a journey that’s both heartfelt and unflinching, illustrating that love is all about risks — even when it comes to loving ourselves.

“Aftershocks: A Memoir” by Nadia Owusu

Nadia Owusu’s memoir, Aftershocks , reflects on her experience of being abandoned by her parents at a young age. Entertainment Weekly notes that “Owusu dispatches all of this heartache with blistering honesty but does so with prose light enough that it never feels too much to bear.”

“Klara and the Sun” by Kazuo Ishiguro

What if an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant had feelings? In Kazuo Ishiguro’s latest novel, Klara and the Sun , Klara is an Artificial Friend who wonders if friendship is possible. The Financial Times called the Never Let Me Go author’s latest “a deft dystopian fable about the innocence of a robot that asks big questions about existence.”

“100 Boyfriends” by Brontez Purnell

Brontez Purnell’s romantic, intoxicating book, 100 Boyfriends , is a look at the romantic lives of queer men who are striving to find out not just where they belong, but where they can shine. Author Bryan Washington praised the collection, writing that “Each story in 100 Boyfriends is a minor eclipse: stunning in scope, technically blinding, and entirely miraculous.”

“One Last Stop” by Casey McQuiston

In Casey McQuiston’s big-hearted romance novel, One Last Stop , August meets Jane on a New York City subway — but she doesn’t realize just how fateful their chance encounter is at first. New York Magazine called the novel “an earnest reminder that home — whether that means a time, a place, or a person — is worth fighting for,” and we wouldn’t expect anything less from the Red, White & Royal Blue author.

“Afterparties: Stories” by Anthony Veasna So

In Afterparties , Anthony Veasna So weaves together tenderhearted stories about the lives of several Cambodian American characters. Although the stories vary quite a bit in terms of content, author George Saunders writes that they are all “powered by So’s skill with the telling detail,” and are much like “…beams of wry, affectionate light, falling from different directions on a complicated, struggling, beloved American community.”

“Malibu Rising” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

In Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel Malibu Rising , readers meet four famous siblings as they throw their annual end-of-summer party in Malibu. However, over the course of 24 hours, family drama ensues. The Washington Post calls this read “a fast-paced, engaging novel that smoothly transports readers.”

“Let Me Tell You What I Mean” by Joan Didion

Between 1968 and 2000, award-winning journalist and essayist Joan Didion wrote 12 pieces about a variety of well-known figures, ranging from Ernest Hemingway and Nancy Reagan to Martha Stewart. Now, these works have been gathered in the essay collection Let Me Tell You What I Mean . Bret Easton Ellis writes that Didion’s “prose remains peerless,” so, if you’re a fan of the iconic writer, this is a must-read.

“Intimacies” by Katie Kitamura

Intimacies is Katie Kitamura’s fourth novel, following 2017’s critically acclaimed A Separation . In it, an interpreter for the International Court at the Hague gets drawn into a political scandal after agreeing to translate for a former world leader and potential criminal. The novel is a fascinating investigation into the instability of language and how it influences identity. Dana Spiotta describes Intimacies as “a haunting, precise, and morally astute novel that reads like a psychological thriller.”

“Detransition, Baby” by Torrey Peters

In Detransition, Baby , Torrey Peters tells a witty and nuanced story about partnership, parenthood and identity. About the novel, Ginny Hogan from the New York Times states “[Detransition, Baby upends] our traditional, gendered notions of what parenthood can look like.”

“Second Place” by Rachel Cusk

In Rachel Cusk’s novel Second Place , a follow up to her brilliant Outline trilogy, a woman invites an artist she admires to live in her remote guesthouse for the summer. As the stay unfolds, a series of unexpected events spurs revelations about womanhood, marriage and security. About Second Place , Jenny Singer from Glamour writes “there is mayhem; surprising sweetness and brilliant observations tumble from every page.”

“Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore ” by Dan Ozzi

In Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore , rock critic Dan Ozzi traces the stories of eleven separate bands that transitioned from the indie scene to achieve mainstream success in the ‘90s. Including interviews and anecdotes from bands like Green Day, Jimmy Eat World and Blink-182, this is a must-read for any music lover.

Book Review: The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

– short review –.

This is the story of a wolf pack who adopt a human child, when the tiger, Shere Khan, hunts outside of his territory against the law of the jungle. Mowgli, the boy, grows up with the animals. He learns the law of the jungle from Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther is his protector. But Shere Khan, the strongest of the hunters, as well as the most alone, is biding his time until he can get the prey that he thinks is rightfully his. Most people have seen the movie, but Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book is a very special story with much more in it than the film, as well as being a magically told tale.

Five out of five STORGY typewriters

– longer review –.

Rudyard Kipling might sound like an old-fashioned writer. He is certainly long dead, and his personal beliefs make some grown-ups think his writing isn’t worth reading. Other grown-ups make children read his poems and other stories at high school, and that is often a sure way to turn teenagers off to reading, well some of them at least. But The Jungle Book is a truly magical tale. Yes, there is the movie by Disney. Rudyard Kipling, however, weaves the story of the ‘man-cub’ brought up by the animals in the jungle so beautifully his words are as mesmerising as the hypnotism Kaa the snake uses to kill his prey.

The jungle is brought to life and you are transported across oceans and continents to India. Mr Kipling shows you a world you couldn’t possibly visit, a strange world with different rules, which in turn makes us think about our own world in different ways. And this is a truly powerful thing when a book can do all that.

The story itself is better than the cut-down version Disney told (which is a brilliant movie, I think). It is a story of right and wrong and good and evil, a story of growing up and the responsibilities that come with it. It is a story of different kinds of wisdom: that of man, verses that of the jungle. Some of the most wonderful parts of the story are set in a ruined city deep in the jungle. But the ending stands apart. Mowgli must defeat Shere Khan, an animal far stronger than a puny human. Mowgli has brains, but of course the people who built the great city in the jungle had brains, but they have long disappeared, their cleverness comes with a price, you see.

You can get this book for penny’s, or buy a new beautiful illustrated version, or an old book with a leather cover that smells of dust and secrets, or you can listen to a wonderful audio reading. However you get it into your brain, I think you should. Transport yourself to the jungle and learn its laws. But beware Shere Khan there stalks.

The Jungle Book is available here .

Read about Rudyard Kipling here .

Reviewed by Daniel Soule

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The Jungle Book #1

The jungle book, rudyard kipling.

277 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1894

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I didn't know that "The Jungle Book" was a collection of tales. Thanks to the Disney movie, I had always identified this novel with the story of Mowgli, the man cub raised by a pack of wolves. But another bedtime reading to my daughter makes me discover that this book is made up of seven stories, and only three of them tell about Mowgli ("Mowgli's Brothers", "Kaa's Hunting" and "Tiger! Tiger!"). The search for a place to live safe from hunters is told in "The White Seal". "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" presents us with a nice domesticated mongoose. "Toomai of the Elephants" tells the story of a child with great talent. Finally, an unusual night meeting is told in "Her Majesty's Servants". And to the well-known characters of Bagheera, Baloo, Kaa, Shere Khan and Akela, are added Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Nag, Nagaina, Kotick, Sea Catch, Billy the mule and many others.

Probably this is not a maserpiece, anyway Kipling produces an enjoyable read. "The Jungle Book", or the untamed beauty of wildlife.

Non sapevo che "Il Libro della Giungla" fosse una raccolta di racconti, grazie alla Disney lo avevo sempre identificato con la storia di Mowgli, il cucciolo di uomo che viene allevato da un branco di lupi. Invece l'ennesima lettura della buonanotte a mia figlia mi fa scoprire che questo libro è fatto da sette racconti, di cui solo tre narrano le vicende di Mowgli ("I Fratelli di Mowgli", "La Caccia di Kaa" e "Tigre! Tigre!"). La ricerca di un luogo in cui vivere al sicuro dai cacciatori è raccontata in "La Foca Bianca". "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" ci presenta una simpatica mangusta addomesticata. "Toomai degli Elefanti" racconta le vicende di un bambino con un grande talento. Infine un'insolita riunione notturna è raccontata in "I Servitori della Regina". Ed ai noti personaggi di Bagheera, Baloo, Kaa, Shere Khan e Akela, si aggiungono Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Nag, Nagaina, Kotick, Sea Catch, Billy il mulo e tanti altri.

Probabilmente non un capolavoro, ma Kipling produce comunque una lettura piacevole. Il libro della giungla, ovvero la bellezza selvaggia degli animali.

The four pushed side by side; the outer wall bulged, split, and fell, and the villagers, dumb with horror, saw the savage, clay-streaked heads of the wreckers in the ragged gap. Then they fled, houseless and foodless, down the valley, as their village, shredded and tossed and trampled, melted behind them. A month later the place was a dimpled mound, covered with soft, green young stuff; and by the end of the Rains there was the roaring jungle in full blast on the spot that had been under plough not six months before. MOWGLI'S SONG AGAINST PEOPLE I will let loose against you the fleet-footed vines-- I will call in the Jungle to stamp out your lines! The roofs shall fade before it, The house-beams shall fall, And the Karela, the bitter Karela, Shall cover it all! In the gates of these your councils my people shall sing, In the doors of these your garners the Bat-folk shall cling; And the snake shall be your watchman, By a hearthstone unswept; For the Karela, the bitter Karela, Shall fruit where ye slept! Ye shall not see my strikers; ye shall hear them and guess; By night, before the moon-rise, I will send for my cess, And the wolf shall be your herdsman By a landmark removed, For the Karela, the bitter Karela, Shall seed where ye loved! I will reap your fields before you at the hands of a host; Ye shall glean behind my reapers, for the bread that is lost, And the deer shall be your oxen By a headland untilled, For the Karela, the bitter Karela, Shall leaf where ye build! I have untied against you the club-footed vines, I have sent in the Jungle to swamp out your lines. The trees--the trees are on you! The house-beams shall fall, And the Karela, the bitter Karela, Shall cover you all!

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Book Review: “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling

January 7th, 2018 – January 18th, 2018

Audiobook, Hardback

A classic story of friendship between man and beast. Saved from the jaws of the evil tiger Shere Khan, young Mowgli is adopted by a wolf pack and taught the law of the jungle by lovable old Baloo the bear and Bhageera the panther. The adventures of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi the snake-fighting mongoose, little Toomai and the elephant’s secret dance, and Kotick the white seal are all part of Mowgli’s extraordinary journey with his animal friends.

I feel a bit deceived. I thought The Jungle Book was just about Mowgli’s adventures in the jungle. However, only three chapters are dedicated to his story, while the other four are about wild animals of India interacting with humans. Most of these stories are forgettable, especially “Her Majesty’s Servants” and I spent most of “Toomai of the Elephants” trying to figure out if the main character was an elephant or a snake – he was neither; he was a young Indian boy who came from a family of elephant herders. The only story I enjoyed was “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi”, mainly because of my previous familiarity with it.

Rudyard Kipling’s writing was consistently boring. When I read my physical copy of the book, I spent about twenty minutes on one set of pages, just to completely grasp the concepts of the narrative. The audiobook didn’t help much either since I continuously tuned out without realizing it, and I didn’t even care enough to rewind the audio to catch what I missed. I only wanted to understand the basic events of each story, and I didn’t even achieve that without looking up a few summaries online.

I appreciated the political aspects of “Mowgli’s Brothers” and “Kaa’s Hunting” (two of the three Mowgli-centered stories). This concept showed how complex and cruel the jungle world can be. Shere Khan is a strategical tiger. He knows the law of the jungle and works his way around it to try to get his way. This makes for a good villain, but sadly his downfall is anticlimactic. Mowgli never uses hand-to-hand combat to defeat Shere Khan, but his human intelligence. This not only proves that Mowgli can’t survive in the jungle the way the wolves taught him but like the hunters in “The White Seal”, he can overpower nature with man-made weapons and whit.

I’m a little upset that the animals simply accepted their being robbed of their land and family, along with being subjected to slaving for man. It’s disheartening to see characters I’m supposed to root for give up so easily, and the ones that do want to make a change must tiptoe around the societies of the jungle or of the men pillaging the jungle.

“Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” is the least complex of all these stories. It is a simple tale about a pet defending his human owners. Rikki-Tikki’s curious nature leads him to Teddy and his parents; he is not captured and taken advantage of like other animals in this book. His actions are solely based on his love for the family – a love that stems from them feeding and caring for the mongoose. It is not a political allegory, but an example of balance between nature and humans.

Like most classics, The Jungle Book has many layers. However, the political concepts and grey morality will go way over the intended audience’s heads, and I doubt adults will enjoy anything outside those man vs. nature elements.