Book recommendations for 2021
Last year I wrote about the top books that I had read over the year. The books that I loved this year are a mix of page-turning novels, powerful memoirs and even something from the true crime genre. WFH meant I was able to knock off a respectable 43 titles this year. Here are the top 5 books that I enjoyed the most this year.
Killers of the flower moon — True Crime
In the 1920s, some of the Native American tribes were among the richest people in the world. Their newly acquired wealth, a consequence of the Government purchasing their lands, was coveted by the white Americans. The book tells the real life harrowing tale of how as many as 24 members of a single tribe were murdered for their wealth. Although it is non-fiction, it is as much a page-turner as any good fiction thriller. The deliberate bungling of key pieces of evidence, the leaks and the sabotage carried out to ensure the murderers went unpunished and the subsequent handling of the case by the FBI, all make for a fascinating read. Also looking forward to the film adaptation which has a star studded cast including Leonardo Di Caprio and Robert DeNiro.
The Martian — Science Fiction
This one deserves all the hype and the positive reviews it has garnered since its release. Admittedly, I hadn’t heard of the book until it was turned into a movie which enjoyed critical and commercial success. However, I am pretty glad I read the book before I saw the movie. The movie is good, but the book is something else. To be fair to the movie, it would just not have been possible to go into the level of detail that Andy Weir has put into the book. The Martian works incredibly well, because even with all the science and jargon that the book has, at the heart it is a classic tale of human survival against seemingly impossible odds. The book never gets too heavy and a prime reason is how the protagonist maintains his sense of humor through all his trials and tribulations. The book is so meticulously researched and well narrated, that you completely root for Mark Watney almost like he were a real person. On my reading list for 2022, is ‘Hail Mary’, the next offering from Weir.
Shoe Dog — Autobiography
An incredible re-telling of the birth and early years of Nike Inc. and its subsequent metamorphosis into the sporting giant that it has become today. Phil Knight talks about the numerous risks, setbacks and victories that paved the way for Phil to be talked about as one of the great entrepreneurs of the 20th century. The Nike logo is probably one of the best recognized sporting symbols and the book does a great job of narrating how this came to be. Funny and inspiring, this is one of the best business memoirs that you will read.
The Truth Machine — Business & Economics
Bitcoin, Ethereum, DeFi, NFTs, Web3 are all the rage right now. Underpinning all these is the humble blockchain. ‘The Truth Machine’ is an accessible explanation of how blockchains function. The authors explain both the technical and business-related concepts that make blockchain technology so important. You would probably want to read this more than once to make sure you get as much out of it as you can.
Circe — Fiction
If you enjoy Greek mythology with a generous serving of adventure, love and betrayal, magic and monsters, then you will absolutely love this modern retelling of an old classic. It is probably one of the best fiction books that I have read in the last few years. Next on my list is the ‘Song of Achilles’ by the same author.
A few more books that I loved
Connected Strategy, Crazy for the Storm and Stories that Stick.
Happy reading and Happy 2022!