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Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl hosts Top Ten Tuesday. The official prompt this week is “Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the First Half of 2022.” I’ve been MIA for a month or so though so I’m going to share my top ten books of 2021.
I read 180 books last year, beating my previous record by 51 books! I’m usually really stingy with my 4.5 & 5-star ratings but I actually have enough this year to fill out my list. I’m also surprised to find that I’ve chosen five nonfiction books. You’d never know that as recently as 2010, I didn’t read nonfiction at all, would you? Links go to my review if I’ve written one or to the Malaprop’s website.
How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, written and read by Clint Smith–I had a feeling this would be my number one pick of the year, even while I was still listening to it, and I was right.
Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston, read by Imani Parks
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, read by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, illustrated by Fumi Nakamura
Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day by Clemency Burton-Hill–Routines are hard for me to establish for a few different reasons, so I didn’t actually read all of this. I did thoroughly enjoy the essays and songs I did read and listen to though, so I’m starting over again this year.
I’m not really a picture book reviewer so I’m giving myself a couple of extra entries:
Beautiful by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
Fatima’s Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq, illustrated by Stevie Lewis
That’s my list! Have you read any of these? What did you think? Link up every Tuesday at That Artsy Reader Girl!
23 Comments
How the Word is Passed ended up on my list of favorites, too… and I’m pretty sure this is where I learned about it. Thank you!
I’m so glad you loved it too!
Great list! A friend of mine also enjoyed a lot Braiding Sweetgrass.
Here is my list: https://wordsandpeace.com/2022/01/03/year-of-reading-2021-part-1-my-top-18/
Braiding Sweetgrass is a book to be savored. When we stop traveling, I’ll probably buy my own copy.
It’s great you had a good reading year (despite all the pandemic ups and downs)! I’ve read your posts before on most of these books and had added many of these to my own TBR as well. I’m particularly liking the sound of Year of Wonder. Thanks for the recs, and hope your 2022 is off to a good start!
Year of Wonder was a great way to start my day–when I remembered to look at it. I missed a lot of days so I’m starting over this year. I was about to write that I wish she would release another volume but I see that she just did. It’s called–wait for it–Another Year of Wonder! I just added it to my wish list.
I’ve not read any of these but glad to see you enjoyed them!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2022/01/04/top-ten-tuesday-349/
Thanks!
🙂
I see some of my past favorites on your top books list! What a great reading year you had.
I really did!
Sounds like you had a great reading year! I haven’t traditionally been much of a NF reader either, but I read 10 this year and enjoyed them all. Who knew?
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I’m glad you enjoyed your nonfiction picks!
I’ve been wondering how you’re doing and was glad to see your post today! You had quite an amazing year of reading. I’ve only read one of your favorites (Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe), which I think would be fun to reread it on audio since Lin-Manuel Miranda is the reader. I’ll bet that was a remarkable performance.
Looking forward to see where your husband’s job takes you next. 🙂
Lin-Manuel Miranda was the perfect narrator for Aristotle and Dante!
My husband signed a 6-month contract in Charleston this time, instead of his usual 3 months, so we’ll be here until April. We’ve learned the hard way that it’s hard to find a job AND a campground in warm states around Christmas, which is one of our usual transition periods. It seemed easier to find somewhere to park for the entire winter. I have to admit that we’re starting to get the travel bug already though!
We have missed seeing you around the blogosphere. Thanks for sharing your favorites of 2021.
I’ve missed visiting around the blogosphere!
180 books is AWESOME.
I’ve always loved that cover of Aristotle & Dante, even though I’ve never read it.
It is a great cover! I hope you read Aristotle and Dante some day. It’s so good!
I loved Amari and the Night Brothers!
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/10-most-anticipated-canadian-releases-in-early-2022/
Amari was so good. I can’t wait for the sequel!
One book every 2 days! Wow!!!!
Now if I could only review at the same pace 😀