My Favourite Books of 2021

No.1: The Midnight Library- Matt Haig

Usually being more of a nonfiction reader I was reluctant to delve into this book. I’d never heard anything about it, never read anything by the author before, and was simply going off a recommendation- but oh boy I was glad I did.

Haig’s narrative reminded me about how helpful a good novel can be. It takes on the story of a girl contemplating life and death and tackles lots of philosophical, ethical, and existential questions in between. It was such a compelling book presented in a very easy-to-read package.

I got through this book so quickly and have gone on to read more of Haig’s work and he is not a one-hit-wonder with his style, characters, and dialogues coming alive off the pages. As someone who doesn’t read fiction, I definitely recommend ‘The Midnight Library’ to everyone.

No.2: Know your Why- Ken Costa

No this isn’t the popular Simon Sinek’s book on why- I believe this is much better.

Ken Costa tackles the issue of work and discovering your purpose in an honest and very holistic way I’ve not really seen before. In reading this I found he tackled things like how following your calling can interact with your faith, passions, engagement with others, and yourself.

Comparing this to other books on work I believe Costa doesn’t sugarcoat it; with chapters on the need to persevere, focus and wait- I found this a refreshing and genuine outlook.

Despite me feeling confident in my future already- this book allowed me to see where that sits with all avenues in my life and was very helpful. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to know what they are called to and where that fits in with such a busy world.

No.3: The Dip- Seth Godin

If you don’t read much or find reading difficult this book is a must. I never knew I could get so much from a book under 100 pages (with pictures).

This succinct read is about knowing when to quit and why sticking at things too long is actually dangerous. A dilemma I think we all experience at one point with work, relationships, or lifestyle choices.

Since reading this I’ve had a brand new perspective on how I spend my time on new ventures and how I use my time. I’ve also done further research into Godin and realised he does a free daily blog which he’s done for around 10 years. Google it if you don’t want to spend money on the book it will probably cover much of what the book does.

A lot of self-help books have a lot of filler rubbish information but this book just was helpful through and through and I’ve since passed it on to friends to help them. I highly recommend ‘The Dip’.

No.4: What I talk about when I talk about Running- Haruki Murakami

A book title that really rolls off the tongue eh?

I stumbled over this book by chance in lockdown when I was attempting to get more into Japanese literature. I heard Marakumi was pretty well renowned so purchased this thinking it was about running but I was dead wrong.

Despite this book covering running that is just a small aspect of it. The main topic is about the process of being dedicated to a craft and what that flourishes into. A memoir about consistency.

Of all the books here this probably inspired me the most simply how different it is. Reading it was a major motivation for me actually starting this daily blog. It definitely won’t be for everyone with its style but whatever the case you will get something from it. Definitely try it out.

No.5: The Way of the Superior Man- David Deida

And the award for the most pretentious book title goes to…

Despite sounding like an odd book I believe this book is a must for men and women alike. It’s not a self-help book but simply a deep dive into masculinity and what that actually means. It goes deep into the desires of masculine people and how learning to embody those core desires will allow the masculine to flourish alongside the feminine or just in life in general.

Every page seemed like a eureka moment and I’ve passed this on to many of my male friends.

Saying that I believe all people should read, even if you do find yourself more on the feminine side, as this book allows you to understand more how masculine people’s brains function and what their priorities are.

Such an enlightening read- definitely give it a shot.

---

So those are my top books of the year but 2022 is fast approaching so more books are definitely needing to be read. Let me know if you’ve read any of these books, what your favourites are, and what you are looking forward to reading in the new year. I’ll be sure to check them out.

Keep reading and stay curious.