I obviously had to get in on this because I love sharing my opinion when absolutely no one asked for it. The New York Times recently posted their 100 best books of the 21st century – as voted on by writers and critics. I had read 10 of the books on the list, and I have some others on my shelf at home waiting to be read.
It was fun to see the books that made the list and add a few books to my TBR. But here’s the thing to always remember about lists, whether it’s put out by the New York Times or Buzzfeed – they don’t matter. It’s all someone else’s opinion, and while there were a few books on the NYT list that I thought were great, there were also some that I absolutely hated (*cough* Atonement *cough*). So honestly, who really cares?
That said, here are the books that would have been on my top 10 of the 21st century ballot, in no particular order.
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson – This book should be required reading. In 2020, as we were all (hopefully) looking inward in the midst of the murder of George Floyd and the protests that followed, I became so angry at the education system for leaving so much out. How had I never heard of the Great Migration before? This is a non-fiction book that reads like a novel following three people and their families and how their migration from the south to the north and west shaped their lives and the country.
Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke – This is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. It’s written entirely in Slack conversation, and if you were part of the WFH transition that occurred during COVID, the idea of someone’s consciousness being uploaded into Slack is probably a premise you feel in your bones along with the office rumor mill and useless bosses. Who says the best books have to be serious? I will be taking no questions or comments about this being on my ballot.
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead – If you saw the full NYT list, you probably saw Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad on the list. In my humble opinion, The Nickel Boys is the superior of Whitehead’s novels. It’s brutal and heartbreaking, and the ending is just so, so good.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi – This book is an epic family saga starting during the slave trade. It follows two half-sisters whose lives take very different paths and their descendants all the way to present day. Gyasi is an incredible writer, and this book did not disappoint.
The Witches are Coming by Lindy West – I will read anything Lindy West writes. She’s been one of my favorite feminist voices for a long time. This book is thoughtful and also laugh-out-loud funny. “Ted Bundy is not Charming, Are You High?” is an all-time favorite essay.
Good and Mad by Rebecca Traister – Another feminist voice that I always enjoy hearing from, her books are dense with history and information. This book came out in the aftermath of the 2016 election, The Women’s March, and the #Metoo movement and gives readers a history of the impact of pissed off women and what they’ve been able to accomplish.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi – This is a wildly sad book, but damn it’s good. This memoir is written by an accomplished surgeon who is diagnosed with aggressive terminal cancer. It is heavy, but it is also very hopeful.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon – A boy with autism sets out to solve the suspicious death of his neighbor’s dog. I remember being really taken by the voice this book is written in. It’s told from the perspective of the boy – what he sees and feels and how he interprets the world around him. It was adapted into a stage play that I was able to see when it came through Denver, and it was excellent.
Luster by Raven Leilani – This is one of those books that I don’t know if I can explain why I love it so much. It was my favorite book of 2020. It’s so weird and funny, and the stream-of-consciousness way of writing. I kind of feel like you should read this one without knowing anything about it.
There it is. That’s my ballot. Agree? Disagree? Lemme know.
Bevvies and Books 
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