My Top 10 books 2021

My 10 favourite reads of the year

My Top 10 books 2021
Photo by Jez Timms / Unsplash

I read a lot of books this year. Fifty-seven and counting. I enjoyed quite a few of them but these were the ones that stood out for me. They are listed in no particular order. What surprised me when I reviewed the books I read this year is, how little fiction I read, as compared to my previous years. It doesn't really mean I don't enjoy fiction as much. I just ended clearing my non-fiction wishlist first.

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These books were not necessarily released this year

The Ride of a Lifetime

This one was a unique insight into both: the corporate culture inside a behemoth like Disney and one man's ride to the top. It almost read like a thriller to me. So fascinating was his journey that I finished the book in a single day.

The Ride of a Lifetime
A grand vision defined: The CEO of The Walt Disney Company shares the ideas and values he has used to reinvent one of the most beloved co...

An Era of Darkness

Say what you will about Shashi Tharoor but he is a master orator. This book was written after his viral speech at Oxford in 2015. In this book, he expands upon some of the arguments he put forth there. Being born in the 80s there was little impact of any colonial-era matters on our generation. All I had ever thought about was the fact that the British gave us the English language.

While Tharoor is of course biased, his account of the intellectual and economic plunder of India during the British reign is succinct and oftentimes humorous. There were so many questions I had about that whole period in our history that were answered for me. It's his perspective of course but I was glad to know it through this book.

An Era of Darkness
In 1930, the American historian and philosopher Will Durant wrote that Britain’s ’conscious and deliberate bleeding of India… [was the] g...

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line

A wonderfully written account of the lives of children from the lesser privileged regions of our country. It is expectedly tragic in many ways but the way these things have been described let me experience their lives at the ground level. There is a central mystery that anchors everything but it was the sense of place that the book evoked that kept me hooked.

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line
Three friends venture into the most dangerous corners of a sprawling Indian city to find their missing classmate. Down market lanes cram...

Born to Run

I wasn't sure what to expect from this when I picked it up. Yes, it is primarily about running, but it goes deeper into the origins and the stories of incredible runners from the tribal to the modern that make it such a cracking read. You can feel the sheer joy emanating from every sentence that describes the whole experience of something as pure as running. If there was ever a book to inspire you to run this would be it.

Born to Run
At the heart of Born to Run lies a mysterious tribe of Mexican Indians, the Tarahumara, who live quietly in canyons and are reputed to be...

Everyone You Hate is Going to Die

This was quite a fun listen. I wish I had read something like this in my younger days. It takes perhaps the most pragmatic and liberal view of relationships as possible. The icing on the cake is that everything is prescribed in an utterly hilarious manner.

However, because the audiobook is narrated by the author himself and the fact that the material is of a conversational nature, I strongly suspect the paper version would not have had the same impact.

Everyone You Hate is Going to Die
From one of today’s hottest young comedians, a transgressive and hilarious deep-dive into his favorite subject: relationships Daniel Slo...

Seven Years in Tibet

I read a lot of travelogues this year and multiple ones set specifically set in Tibet.  I would almost consider this essential reading if you are curious about the region, its traditions and the mythos of the Dalai Lama.

It's a classic for a good reason. The journey the author went through and his subsequent residence in a Tibet of a very different era, is written in a wonderfully restrained manner. You can feel the pulse of the place as if you were sitting on his shoulder.

Seven Years in Tibet
A landmark in travel writing, this is the incredible true story of Heinrich Harrer’s escape across the Himalayas to Tibet, set against th...

A Promised Land

I usually don't have the best experience with Audiobook versions of some books, but this one being read in Obama's magnetic voice made all the difference. It truly felt like he was relating his life before and during his first term as president to me.

Though the American political system differs from ours in vastly diverse ways this was a riveting insight into what goes into the decision making as president of one of the most influential nations on earth.

A Promised Land
A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making, from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy. ...

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

You will see some divided opinions on this book on Goodreads. I personally loved it. Don't be put off by its title. It is much more profound than the title suggests. While the first chapter might be difficult to get through because of the swearing, do stick with it. Before I started reading it the impression I got from it was that this was probably something about the author trying to project his attitude onto the pages of a book and I would probably not be able to identify with it too much.

By the end, I realised that no matter where you live or what you do, what we sometimes perceive as our personal problems are actually experienced in some form or the other by millions all over the world. And we can always learn from their experiences. Books can't change your life just by reading them. But I got enough from this to actually make me question enough about the choices I make about what we truly need to give a f**k about

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be “positive” all...

An African in Greenland

2021 is the year I fell in love with travelogues and this one is the most unique one yet. It's set in a time before I was born and in a place, I might never probably reach. It's also raw and does not shy away from describing both the ugliness and beauty of a place in equal measure.

An African in Greenland
Tété-Michel Kpomassie was a teenager in Togo when he discovered a book about Greenland—and knew that he must go there. Working his way no...

Gun Island

I had heard a lot about Amitav Ghosh but never gotten around to reading any of his books. This was the first one I read and it was as strange as it was riveting. But I love strange if it can be easily absorbed.

This tale about an old book collector, climate change and old legends was a perfectly concocted dish that was easy to consume and I certainly look forward to reading more of his books next year.

Gun Island
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07DNDDFLD Bundook. Gun. A common word, but one which turns Deen Datta’s world upside down.A dealer of ...

Bonus

Will

I am still listening to this one but it has been a blast so far and I would recommend that you specifically experience the audiobook. Narrated in the powerful and instantly recognisable voice of Will Smith himself, learn about the origins of one of today's biggest African-American stars.

Will
One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring ...

Accidentally Wes Anderson

This is a coffee table book so I have been reading it over the course of the year. Even if you are not specifically a Wes Anderson fan or even know who he is, this beautiful book with photos and descriptions of things inspired by the director's aesthetic is sure to bring a wistful smile to your face.

Accidentally Wes Anderson
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A visual adventure of Wes Anderson proportions, authorized by the legendary filmmaker himself: stunning pho...