As 2021 draws to an end, I am left reflecting on the year that passed. With Covid-19 still present, and life bringing increasing responsibility, this year presented extra challenges. Despite last year’s efforts of reading 35 books, this year’s 27 books still provided knowledge for thought into our ever-changing world. While many books enhanced my awareness of the world or invoked ideas to better my life, a key theme that emerged was perspective.
Perspective is a particular way of thinking about something, often shaped by our experiences. It can influence our opinion on a certain person or object, or our standpoint on a specific debate. While travel and other life experiences have shaped my perspective of the world, books have also played a major role in enhancing my understanding.
This year’s reads have ranged from understanding the brain, to learning about the history of the Earth. By reading stories of resilience fuelled by hope, I have also been exposed to the atrocities that humans have inflicted on one another. These stories, set both in ancient and modern times, revealed the innate behaviour of human beings. My grasp of the world is further developed by awareness of these events, along with exploring the inner workings of our complex brain. By learning about the physical and psychological connections of the brain, I can further understand how human behaviour has shaped the modern world.
The following list of books has helped shaped my perception of the world in 2021:
- Troy by Stephen Fry
- Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
- 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson
- The Power of Hope by Kon Karapanagiotidis
- Powers of Two: Finding the Essence of Innovation in Creative Pairs by Joshua Wolf Shenk
- Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs by Michael T. Osterholm and Mark Olshaker
- Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges
- Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is Shaping Our Future by Ashlee Vance
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World by Steven Johnson
- My Russian Grandmother and Her American Vacuum Cleaner: A family memoir by Meir Shalev
- Origin Story: A Brief History of Everything by David Christian
- This is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin
- As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
- The Master of Destiny by James Allen
- Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcom Gladwell
- Post Capitalism: A Guide to Our Future by Paul Manson
- The Curious Incident of the dog and the night-time by Mark Haddon
- Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson
- The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It by Paul Collier
- Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari
- The Mind-Gut Connection by Emeran Mayer
- Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport
- Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital by Eric Manheimer
- Talking to Strangers by Malcom Gladwell
- Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
- Cast Away: Stories of Survival from Europe’s Refugee Crisis by Charlotte McDonald-Gibson
Learning is something I enjoy and I aspire to continue my reading journey into 2022. After reviewing this list, I have noticed a lack of fiction books, which provide perspectives on the world through story-telling. I aim to increase this next year, to not only diversify my learning experience, but to also add enjoyment.
Despite the unexpected challenges, I hope everyone enjoyed 2021 and continues to work towards their goals and dreams. Reading is just one part of my journey which I will continue throughout life. Perspective can be found in life experience, and books are merely a collection of the author’s experiences or learnings. I hope you find evermore creative ways to expand your perspective in 2022.
Books for Thought 