Seven page-turning books from 2021

Look, it’s OK you didn’t get around to reading a lot last year, no one blames you. 

When does anyone have time to pick up a book when we’re suffering from Zoom burnout or running late to newly in-person courses because you didn’t know that the “BB” in front of the room number signified took place in the building’s basement? 

Now that the student body is more settled into campus — and you’re feeling guilty for not making a dent in your New Year’s resolution to reading more — it’s time to pick up a book again. Below is a mere handful of some of the great books from a not-so-great year to help you catch up on what you might have missed. 

“Crying in H Mart” by Michelle Zauner

Michelle Zauner, lead singer of pop band Japanese Breakfast turned-author showcased her writing talents by producing one of the most powerful memoirs of 2021: “Crying in H Mart.’’ Zauner’s debut explores a lifetime through a Korean American lens, an identity that, at times, Zauner felt ever so distant from. 

After her mother’s cancer diagnosis and eventual passing, Zauner began to reimmerse herself into the culture her mother had gifted her with, proving a deeply emotional account from an immensely lyrical voice. 

“Beautiful World, Where Are You?” by Sally Rooney

Sally Rooney, BookTok extraordinaire, has wowed yet again. Coming off of the immense success of her first two books, “Normal People” and “Conversations with Friends,” Rooney is back with her third novel, providing another portraiture of modern couples befuddled with miscommunication and shared anxieties. 

This time, the focus hones in on the quartet of new characters: Alice, Simon, Felix and Eileen. More mature, more authentic and still lacking any evidence of quotation marks, the third installment of the Rooney Regime is more than worth the read.    

“Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism” by Amanda Montell

Language scholar Amanda Montell takes her background to a whole new level in “Cultish,” diving into the linguistic styles and tricks to help groups gain and maintain cult-like followings. 

While we assume we can never be easily brainwashed into cults à la Jonestown or the Manson ‘family,’ Montell exposes us, declaring that we already have — just not in the ways we would expect. Whether it be Glossier, Peloton or the self-identifying Swiftie, Montell illustrates through insightful anecdotes and digestible research how simple syntax can program our next move or obsession. 

“Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty” by Patrick Radden Keefe

“Empire of Pain” is a follow-up to Keefe’s 2017 article, “The Family That Built the Empire of Pain, initially featured in the New Yorker. The “family” in particular is the Sacklers; Keefe draws most of the attention and inquiries specifically on their founding of Purdue Pharma and the part the dynasty played in the opioid epidemic. 

This in-depth analysis of the family’s contradictory efforts of plastering its name and likeness to numerous philanthropic efforts while simultaneously erasing any ties it had with the manufacturing and marketing of OxyContin is a riveting page-turner. 

“Fight Night” by Miriam Toews

Strikingly, a nine-year-old named Swiv narrates this heartwarming story. It chronicles three generations of women, including Swiv, her pregnant mother and her elderly grandmother. 

Swiv chronicles her home life and the lessons gifted to her by her lively, wise and witty grandmother. Toews gifts us a novel full of hilarious teachings centered around surviving and fighting in this world. In short, it paints a beautiful, yet intimate, portrait of interpersonal relationships between women. 

“Tacky: Love Letters to the Worst Culture We Have to Offer” by Rax King

Perhaps one of the funniest books to come out of a particularly unfunny year, Rax King’s “Tacky” serves as a perfect potion of nostalgia and escapism, taking us back to our pre-adolescent days. While it’s classified as an essay collection, it feels more like a bundle of prepubescent love letters dedicated to our guiltiest pleasures that allow the reader to simply enjoy them as they are. 

With topics ranging from “America’s Next Top Model” to Bath & Body Works’ Warm Vanilla Sugar to “Jersey Shore,” you will be nothing short of entertained while reading this treat (even if it’s a constant reminder that you are getting old).

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

Of course, no book list is ever really complete without Ms. Didion. Although notable for being the cherished writer’s last published work, it doesn’t give this volume of collected essays enough credit on its own. These pieces, ranging in publications between 1968 to 2000, allowed Didion to flex her coolness and critiques on us mere mortals once more. 

A standout essay about Martha Stewart, “a business icon” was “Everywoman.com,” which remarkably displays the premonition-like quality of Didion’s work that makes you wonder if she had seen the future before we’d ever gotten to experience it. Besides this essay, every single sentence in the entire book, as always, was forthright and incisive gold.

Even if you don’t end up picking up any of these stellar options above, hopefully this list inspired you to get ahead on this year’s reading, so you don’t miss out (again).