Tote Bag Awards 2021
This year’s round up of the good, bad, and ugly in my reading list.
2020 was a wash! I read books but I couldn’t be bothered keeping records, let alone writing a blog at the end of the year. This year, I set a goal. 25 books. I’m currently sitting at 23 at the time of this writing and most certainly will achieve my goal. So welcome back. This is the 5th edition. Same categories, new year. Enjoy!
2019’s awards can be found here.
Fiction: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I hear this is one of Matt’s better books. Ever seen the movie Sliding Doors? It’s kinda like that. A novel about a woman’s opportunity to see into her parallel selves and end up right where you think she will. It’s a great summer read and easy to escape into. This one’s for the book lover and dreamer in me. If you visit my GoodRead’s page, you may also see a theme about life and death and the circle of life.
Non-Fiction: How To Do The Work by Dr. Nicole LePera. If there was ever a book I wish I read earlier in life, it’s this one. I started therapy in college and really listened to what my therapist was telling me but actually seeing how the trauma was impacting my every being took practice. This book connected the dots for me. Be prepared to face some tough stuff in your life. Go well.
Honourable Mention Fiction: The Kingdom by Jo Nesbø. What can I say that isn’t already on the cover? Stephen King says yes. What I loved though was the twists and turns a family experiences. I’d gasp after each cliff-hanging chapter and turn to my partner, “I can’t believe it!” He’d nod, satisfying my surprise. I also enjoyed the insight we get into life into a rural village in Norway.
Honourable Mention Non-Fiction: Think Again by Adam Grant. I heard about this book through Brené Brown’s podcast. I’m learning how to build better trust with myself, but also with others. It’s helped me “think like a scientist” more in an age when humans are quite divided. I consider myself a very curious person so this was an extension on my already burning curiosity into the way our brains tick.
Don’t Bother: Purpose Meets Execution by Louis Efron. Now, I never like giving this award. I read A LOT of business books and I have an extensive background in business-for-good. But this one didn’t even have a pretty image on GoodReads so I should have known. I was expecting to be learn something new or hear a bit more about the future of for-good-businesses. It was sort of the same old formula in this read so if you’ve heard it before, you can skip this one.
What did you love this year? What did you thumbs-down? I’d love to hear it. And let me know when GoodReads has something similar to Spotify Wrapped. I’d be all over that. Happy New Year!
