What I Will Read in 2021 (& then some)

It feels rather ambitious to say will but I mean it. Perhaps it also feels constrictive however I choose to see this list as commitment. What I will read in 2021 is not all I’m going to read, rather these are the books that are certain. There will be others of course and I will add them as I go.

In this list of what I will read in 2021 you’ll also find the reasons, however vague some may be, as to why I’m assigning these reads this year. As the year progresses I suspect I’ll also try to meet some goals with regard to themes, like making sure a great many of the books are written by people of color or from other marginalized groups. This is important to me because the world has never been as static as much of what we find in popular culture. Nevertheless, majorities abound.

Let’s get started on What I Will Read in 2021Interference (Semiosis Trilogy, #2) by Sue Burke (hardcover) — This is the sequel to Semiosis, which I believe I finished in 2019. It’s always watching me from the shelf and I think I should read it before much more time passes.Kind of Coping by Maureen Marzi Wilson (hardcover) — If you’ve seen any of my other posts you’ll know I’ve been “currently reading” this for a while. It’s a short book, I keep forgetting to make my way back because I didn’t want to gobble it down all at once.Thick by Tressie McMillan Cottom (hardcover) — Another book I have not made it back to but I want to finish. This will be the year.In Search of Black History with Bonnie Greer by Bonnie Greer (audible) — I believe I have a chapter left in this book. I felt it deserved more of my focused attention and so I didn’t want to hurry and finish it last summer. Alas, I moved on and did not make my way back. Now I will. Perhaps I will listen to it all over again this year as I found it an important study.The Voyage of the Basilisk (The Memoirs of Lady Trent, #3) by Marie Brennan (paperback) — If I don’t finish this book once and for all I’m going to remove it from my currently reading list and start all over. I’ll admit it didn’t quite hold my attention in the way I was hoping. That said I already own the rest of this series…Farming: A Hand Book by Wendell Berry (paperback) — My great uncle leant me this book. He’s a big fan of Berry’s and is interested in what I think of his writing. So am I! The same goes for the next book.That Distant Land by Wendell Berry (paperback) — See above

Barkskins: A Novel by Annie Proulx (audio) — Been on my list and I’m very curious, seeing as I’m drawn to stories that involve trees. Oh and I’m currently listening to this (Jan 29, 2021)The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez (ebook) — I won this in a Good reads Giveaway (HOORAY!) and I am really, really enjoying it. Technically I started it in 2020, the end, but haven’t been in much of a physical book read. But don’t get it twisted, I am loving this book and Jimenez’s writing. Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer, #2) by Laini Taylor (audible) — This is the sequel to Strange the Dreamer and I would like to listen to it before too much more time passes from my listen of the first.

Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance by Zora Neale Hurston (audible) — From the description: “…an outstanding collection of stories about love and migration, gender and class, racism and sexism that proudly reflect African-American folk culture.” This book landed on many Best Books and Most Anticipated Books of 2020 lists. Need I say more? The time is ripe.The Wise Man’s Fear: Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 2 by Patrick Rothfuss (audible) — I listened to Book 1 last year and don’t see any reason to put off Book 2 any longer. Although like many people I wonder what it will do to me knowing Book 3 exists only in the ether of knowledge of things to come…Kingdom of Souls (Kingdom of Souls, #1) by Rena Barron (audible) — Was on my TBR and then an Audible sale made it available for my library. And seeing as I am going to make sure I read more books by POC, well this is a great choice. I think I first learned of this book from a podcast…Saving Ruby King: A Novel by Catherine Adel West (audible) — My partner grew up on the Southside of Chicago, where this story takes place. Needless to say, while also being a book by a POC author, I am drawn to the locale.

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang (audible) — Once again fulfilling my intention to read more books by POC, I have also heard mention of Ted Chiang many times. When the chance to pick this collection up on Audible presented itself, I jumped. Plus it’s good to mix it up with short stories every now and again.

That’s what I’ve got for now. Feel free to comment at any time about anything I’ve written here. Like these authors or books, let me know! Want to do some kind of read-a-long together? We can work that out!

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If you’d like to see what I read in 2019 CLICK HEREOh you’d like to know the 46 books I read in 2020? CLICK HEREWhat’s that, you also like gardening? Oh gosh CLICK HERE!

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