What I Loved in 2021

As Barack Obama said when sharing his own year end list of favorites, "art always sustains and nourishes the soul." Here are a few of the books, songs, and shows which nourished me this year. Working in a library means I have an embarrassment of riches for materials to consume, so I tried to keep it to what I truly loved. 

Non-fiction 

I read more non-fiction this year than I ever have before, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn. I enjoyed some memoir, some true crime, and some excellent deep dives into religion, race, and gender. 

What White People Can Do Next

Minor Feelings

Entitled

Jesus and John Wayne

Bad Blood

Fantasy and Sci-Fi

The fantasies that stood out to me this year had intricate plots, political intrigue, descriptive worldbuilding, found families, and some kick-ass main characters.  

She Who Became the Sun

Raybearer

The Space Between Worlds

Short Stories

I like my short stories haunting and full of magical realism; these three collections did not disappoint. 

Never Have I Ever

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed

The Office of Historical Corrections

Graphic Novels

My coworkers (who have amazing taste) introduced me to some wonderful graphic novels this year. A couple of these are adorable (think tiny pet dragons) and a couple are more melancholy and spooky. 

The Tea Dragon Society

On A Sunbeam

Check, Please!

Abbott

Music

Some albums that formed the playlist of my year. 

In These Silent Days

Langhorne Slim

At Last!

Fearless

TV

These shows are not new, but I consumed their final/latest seasons in 2021 and they were excellent. 

Insecure

Fleabag

The Great British Baking Show