Books Read in 2021

My goal in 2021 is to read three books per month (36 for the year). I’ve recorded the books I’ve read in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015, in case you’re curious.

Currently reading:

Stalled:

Queue:

Books reviewed on a 5-star scale (5 being the best):

#1 Killing Floor (Jack Reacher, Book 1) ** I couldn’t get into this at all. Was bored by the story and the writing wasn’t jiving with me. Couldn’t finish it.

#2 Get in the Game ****

#3 Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America ***** (one of the best books I’ve ever read)

#4 Caste ***** (another all-timer…the amount of highlighting I did in this book reminded me of college)

#5 Mastering the Rockefeller Habits **** (solid business book)

#6 Lies My Teacher Told Me **** (amazing but too much emphasis on what textbooks from the past got wrong…while kinda the point of the book, I was more interested in the history we got wrong, which was (sadly, predictably) eye-opening)

#7 So You Want to Talk About Race *****

#8 Later **** (another solid Stephen King book)

#9 Alpha Girls ****

#10 Good Company *****

#11 Win *****

#12 Deal Breaker ****

#13 Drop Shot * (I just can’t get over how badly written the dialogue is in these books)

#14 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings *****

#15 Braiding Sweetgrass ***** (was one of the most recommended books from my podcast guests, and I know why)

#16 My Exaggerated Life ***** (if you are a Pat Conroy fan, this book is a MUST…otherwise I doubt it will be too interesting)

#17 A Promised Land (Barack Obama) *****

#18 Barbarians at the Gate ****

#19 Bird by Bird ****

#20 Ocean Prey ****

#21 Greenlights ****

#22 Billion Dollar Whale * (Got 20% into it, which is my rule, and it was just too boring. Too much back story on every single player…after reading Barbarians at the Gate I was excited about this one, but didn’t hit the mark for me.)

#23 The Writing Life **

#24 A Swim in a Pond in the Rain ****

#25 When We Stand ***** (Terence Lester again writes a terrific, must-read book!)

#26 It\’s in the Action ***** (terrific book on Dr. CT Vivian)

#27 To Kill a Mockingbird *****

#28 Black No More ****

#29 12 Rules for Life ****

#30 Lincoln in the Bardo **

#31 The Dead Are Arising **** (very much enjoyed learning about Malcolm X’s story in this easy to read yet detailed bio)

#32 The Way of Kings ***** (so freaking pumped to know there are three more books in this series, and then many other spin-offs…was a truly epic fantasy novel)

#33 Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race ***** (exceptional)

#34 No Country for Old Men ***** (I believe I’m about to be a huge fan of Cormac McCarthy)

#35 Moriarty ***** (probably 4.5 but I don’t have half stars ;) really fun Sherlock Holmes genre novel)

#36 The Road ***** (second McCarthy book…truly exceptional)

#37 Running: A Love Story **** (helped me through some long runs)

#38 All the Pretty Horses ***** (another terrific McCarthy book…I’m hooked)

#39 The Great Team Turnaround – It’s my book, and I have had to read it multiple times in proofing…so I’m counting it :)

#40 True Grit **** (honestly it could have had 5 stars but the ending dramatic scene was…well, to me it was just bad writing…not style-wise, but plot-wise. Extremely over-the-top for no reason. Bummer, but 98% of the book I really enjoyed.)

#41 They Called Us Enemy ***** (please read this one!)

#42 Run Forever **** (another solid running book, listened to while, what else, running!)

#43 Words of Radiance: The Stormlight Archive (Book 2) ***** (absolutely in love with the Stormlight Archives series)

#44 Edgedancer ****

#45 The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer ****

#46 The Diversity Gap *****

#47 When We Cease to Understand the World ****

#48 Becoming ***** (listened on Audible, and it was so great to hear Michelle read this book!)

#49 The Journalist and the Murderer ** (couldn’t get interested…)

#50 Based on a True Story: A Memoir (Norm Macdonald) * (read by Norm, really wanted to love this, but when I found out it really wasn’t about his life, I just got bored with it)

#51 Empire of the Summer Moon *****

#52 All In (Billie Jean King bio) ***** (possibly a non-tennis fanatic like me would give this 4 stars)

#53 Will ***** (best book I’ve listened to in a long time, maybe ever)

#54 What I Talk About When I Talk About Running **** (solid book to listen to while running)

#55 What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? *****

#56 On Writing *****