Let me begin with a disclaimer: These are not the best books published in 2021, as some of these books were published in other years. Also, I didn't read all (or even most) of the books that make such lists, as I have a day job. Even best, as we all know, is a terribly slippery term. Thus, here are the books I believe to be the best out of the books I read in 2021, but that might have been published in any year (not quite as catchy as a title). Oh, and they're in no particular order, either.
Seek You by Kristen Radtke
This graphic memoir (for lack of a better term, as Radtke combines her personal experiences with research on loneliness) is not only one of the best graphic literary works I've read; it's also one of the best books on loneliness I've ever encountered (Seek You refers to CQ, which is what amateur radio operators use when trying to find somebody to talk to). She began this book before the pandemic, but it takes on more weight since the onset of Covid. The combination of the research and her personal experiences, in addition to the combination of text and image, reinforce the ideas surrounding American loneliness Radtke wants to explore.
This graphic memoir (for lack of a better term, as Radtke combines her personal experiences with research on loneliness) is not only one of the best graphic literary works I've read; it's also one of the best books on loneliness I've ever encountered (Seek You refers to CQ, which is what amateur radio operators use when trying to find somebody to talk to). She began this book before the pandemic, but it takes on more weight since the onset of Covid. The combination of the research and her personal experiences, in addition to the combination of text and image, reinforce the ideas surrounding American loneliness Radtke wants to explore.
Brown by Kevin Young
As the title implies, Young's collection of poems explores the idea of brown in a variety of forms. Part of that is the idea of being a person of color (specifically brown) in America in the 21st century, sometimes tangentially, as in poems that look at James Brown, Brown v. the Board of Education, Topeka, KS, or John Brown's raid. At times, as with Hanif Abdurraquib's A Little Devil in America, Young celebrates black and brown artists, while at other times he mourns the violence that continues to take lives, such as in "Nightstick [A Mural for Michael Brown]." It is not just a well-written collection of poems; it's a well-written collection that speaks truths we need to hear.
As the title implies, Young's collection of poems explores the idea of brown in a variety of forms. Part of that is the idea of being a person of color (specifically brown) in America in the 21st century, sometimes tangentially, as in poems that look at James Brown, Brown v. the Board of Education, Topeka, KS, or John Brown's raid. At times, as with Hanif Abdurraquib's A Little Devil in America, Young celebrates black and brown artists, while at other times he mourns the violence that continues to take lives, such as in "Nightstick [A Mural for Michael Brown]." It is not just a well-written collection of poems; it's a well-written collection that speaks truths we need to hear.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Doerr's previous novel All the Light We Cannot See followed two narrators whose lives intersected; in his latest novel, he raises the stakes, giving the reader five stories to follow, all of which do ultimately connect in some way. Through those individual stories and the way that talk to each other, he asks readers to consider the power of story and its importance in our lives. He conveys the idea that story is not only part of what makes us human, but perhaps the core of our humanity, reminding us that stories propel us into acting for the good of others.
Doerr's previous novel All the Light We Cannot See followed two narrators whose lives intersected; in his latest novel, he raises the stakes, giving the reader five stories to follow, all of which do ultimately connect in some way. Through those individual stories and the way that talk to each other, he asks readers to consider the power of story and its importance in our lives. He conveys the idea that story is not only part of what makes us human, but perhaps the core of our humanity, reminding us that stories propel us into acting for the good of others.
Sissy by Jacob Tobia
Tobia's memoir about his gender nonconformity seeks to tell a different story than the one most people know. Their struggle wasn't in feeling they were the wrong gender, but that they had too much gender for most people to know what to do with. They don't want to have to choose between the two dominant genders as much as they wants to blur them, living in and between both of them. Thus, their author photo presents a person with long, flowing hair, large earrings, bright red lipstick, and a five o'clock shadow. Their story is one of trauma and struggle, but also hope and acceptance.
Tobia's memoir about his gender nonconformity seeks to tell a different story than the one most people know. Their struggle wasn't in feeling they were the wrong gender, but that they had too much gender for most people to know what to do with. They don't want to have to choose between the two dominant genders as much as they wants to blur them, living in and between both of them. Thus, their author photo presents a person with long, flowing hair, large earrings, bright red lipstick, and a five o'clock shadow. Their story is one of trauma and struggle, but also hope and acceptance.
Pew by Catherine Lacey
Some critics have complained that Lacey's novel is too messy of a fable, but that ambiguity is the genius of the novel. She raises a number of interesting questions, especially around prejudice (whether based on race, gender, gender identity, among others), but leaves the answers up to the reader. Still, she's not hesitant to expose the characters' hypocrises. While her narrator is silent as far as communicating with other characters, readers get to hear Pew's thoughts (Pew is so named because they are found on a pew in a church with no memory of where they are or how they got there) on a variety of people and issues. The world is certainly messy, and this novel lives in that messy space to help us ask meaningful questions.
Some critics have complained that Lacey's novel is too messy of a fable, but that ambiguity is the genius of the novel. She raises a number of interesting questions, especially around prejudice (whether based on race, gender, gender identity, among others), but leaves the answers up to the reader. Still, she's not hesitant to expose the characters' hypocrises. While her narrator is silent as far as communicating with other characters, readers get to hear Pew's thoughts (Pew is so named because they are found on a pew in a church with no memory of where they are or how they got there) on a variety of people and issues. The world is certainly messy, and this novel lives in that messy space to help us ask meaningful questions.
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
This novel is one that goes into the category of "I told you so." I put off reading O'Farrell's novel for months, as I didn't think I would be interested in it. I'm not a Shakespeare fan, overall, nor do I particularly like what some people call historical fiction. However, as people kept praising the novel, I finally felt I needed to read it, and I'm glad I did. She explores the time in Shakespeare's life when his son Hamnet dies. Almost nothing is known about this event, giving O'Farrell latitude to create the situation and the characters. She invents a fascinating Anne Hathaway (or Agnes, as O'Farrell refers to her) who is a woman on the margins of society due to her knowledge of natural medicine. Shakespeare is not a great husband or father, but he does use Hamnet's death to create a great work of literature and ultimately show his love for his son and wife.
This novel is one that goes into the category of "I told you so." I put off reading O'Farrell's novel for months, as I didn't think I would be interested in it. I'm not a Shakespeare fan, overall, nor do I particularly like what some people call historical fiction. However, as people kept praising the novel, I finally felt I needed to read it, and I'm glad I did. She explores the time in Shakespeare's life when his son Hamnet dies. Almost nothing is known about this event, giving O'Farrell latitude to create the situation and the characters. She invents a fascinating Anne Hathaway (or Agnes, as O'Farrell refers to her) who is a woman on the margins of society due to her knowledge of natural medicine. Shakespeare is not a great husband or father, but he does use Hamnet's death to create a great work of literature and ultimately show his love for his son and wife.
Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
Like Hamnet, this was another novel I put off reading, mainly because of the metafictional aspects of Akhtar's book. I used to love metafiction, but I grew tired of the tricks years ago, so I wasn't enthusiastic for this work, even though I love Akhtar's play Disgraced. This novel explores what it means to be a Muslim-American in a post-9/11 world through his narrator (also named Ayad Akhtar, and the similarities abound) whose father once treated Donald Trump. Not only does Akhtar use that fact (and others) to explore truth and hope in America, he also explores money and debt and their role in how this country defines itself. And even the metafictional aspects didn't end up bothering me.
Like Hamnet, this was another novel I put off reading, mainly because of the metafictional aspects of Akhtar's book. I used to love metafiction, but I grew tired of the tricks years ago, so I wasn't enthusiastic for this work, even though I love Akhtar's play Disgraced. This novel explores what it means to be a Muslim-American in a post-9/11 world through his narrator (also named Ayad Akhtar, and the similarities abound) whose father once treated Donald Trump. Not only does Akhtar use that fact (and others) to explore truth and hope in America, he also explores money and debt and their role in how this country defines itself. And even the metafictional aspects didn't end up bothering me.
Make Your Home Among Strangers by Jennine Capó Crucet
This 2015 novel follows Lizet--a first generation college student and second generation Cuban American--as she attends a thinly veiled Ivy League college (Capó Crucet attended Cornell, for the record), where she struggles both academically and personally. When she returns home to Miami, her mother becomes obsessed with Ariel Hernandez, a boy who survived a raft trip to Florida, but whose mother didn't (a clear reference to Elián González). I would love to have the chance to teach this novel to high school students and/or first generation college students, as Capó Crucet raises great questions about higher education, but also identity and belonging.
This 2015 novel follows Lizet--a first generation college student and second generation Cuban American--as she attends a thinly veiled Ivy League college (Capó Crucet attended Cornell, for the record), where she struggles both academically and personally. When she returns home to Miami, her mother becomes obsessed with Ariel Hernandez, a boy who survived a raft trip to Florida, but whose mother didn't (a clear reference to Elián González). I would love to have the chance to teach this novel to high school students and/or first generation college students, as Capó Crucet raises great questions about higher education, but also identity and belonging.
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Ishiguro always loves to create narrators who know less than the reader, so the reader learns about the world as the narrator does. In this case, Klara is an AI companion for Josie, so she begins the novel almost as a child. Even as she learns more and becomes more sophisticated, there are still parts of the world she doesn't comprehend, but the reader does. Ultimately, as he often does, Ishiguro is asking readers to think about what makes us human.
Ishiguro always loves to create narrators who know less than the reader, so the reader learns about the world as the narrator does. In this case, Klara is an AI companion for Josie, so she begins the novel almost as a child. Even as she learns more and becomes more sophisticated, there are still parts of the world she doesn't comprehend, but the reader does. Ultimately, as he often does, Ishiguro is asking readers to think about what makes us human.
How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America by Kiese Laymon
I was a big fan of Laymon's memoir Heavy, so when I heard an interview with him talking about this collection of essays, I knew I needed to read it. The backstory on this book is complicated, as he released a version of this book earlier in his career when he didn't know as much about the world of publishing, and he had to buy back rights to these essays so he could re-release them in a version he could be proud of (for roughly ten times the price he was originally paid for them). However, these essays go well beyond that backstory, as he explores race, the South, family, American values and what that means, and love, among other ideas. I'm glad he was able to get these essays back and out to the world in the form he desired.
I was a big fan of Laymon's memoir Heavy, so when I heard an interview with him talking about this collection of essays, I knew I needed to read it. The backstory on this book is complicated, as he released a version of this book earlier in his career when he didn't know as much about the world of publishing, and he had to buy back rights to these essays so he could re-release them in a version he could be proud of (for roughly ten times the price he was originally paid for them). However, these essays go well beyond that backstory, as he explores race, the South, family, American values and what that means, and love, among other ideas. I'm glad he was able to get these essays back and out to the world in the form he desired.
How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue
Mbue's novel uses the children of the fictional African village of Kosawa to tell a story that begins in hope, but ends in tragedy. The town's officials agree to let an American oil company drill just outside the city, promising an economic boon for those who live there. Instead, the village suffers severe environmental degradation, despite repeated promises of cleanup and financial reparations. The government of Kosawa works with the American oil company to exploit the land and people, ultimately leading the children to grow up and try to lead a revolution.The novel is timely, relevant, and beautiful.
Mbue's novel uses the children of the fictional African village of Kosawa to tell a story that begins in hope, but ends in tragedy. The town's officials agree to let an American oil company drill just outside the city, promising an economic boon for those who live there. Instead, the village suffers severe environmental degradation, despite repeated promises of cleanup and financial reparations. The government of Kosawa works with the American oil company to exploit the land and people, ultimately leading the children to grow up and try to lead a revolution.The novel is timely, relevant, and beautiful.