Best of Books 2021: In a huge year for publishing, why these 10 stood out

When I look over this list of the best books of 2021, I see what’s not there, what didn’t make the final cut and deserved the hosannas. Rebecca Solnit’s discursive biography “Orwell’s Roses.” Clint Smith’s sobering travelogue “How the Word is Passed.” Matt Bell’s climate-change epic “Appleseed.” Even Seth Rogan’s “Yearbook,” a consistently thoughtful collection of essays on the strangeness of Hollywood, was not to be taken lightly. It’s been a great time to read widely and often, and considering the near-one billion books sold in 2020 — and the probable record coming for 2021 (publishers saw double-digit sales leaps for much of the year) — settling on 10 was tough.

So, in the interest of celebration, tell me what loved this year. New book, old book. Send an email to , DM me on Twitter () — I’ll include replies in an upcoming “What We’re Reading” column. Just one thing: Tell me what you loved, not what you think will make you look good.