Lists of the Best Books of 2021

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At the end of every year, all kinds of publications issue lists of the best books from the preceding year. 2021 is no different. Here are pointers to some of the lists.

Let’s start with the master list maker, Bruce Rosenstein. Here’s his list of 21 Curated Best Books of the Year Lists for 2021.

strategy+business provides reviews of business books all year long. At year-end, they make several lists of top books. Each list includes the best book in the category and a list of runners-up. Here are their six lists for 2021,

Best Business Books 2021: Right out in the open (strategy)

Best Business Books 2021: Old man and the C-suite (leadership)

Best Business Books 2021: Making attention pay

Best Business Books 2021: The right time to yell “fire!” (technology)

Best Business Books 2021: An unstoppable force (business history)

Best Business Books 2021: Taming collaborative dysfunction (management)

From Greg Satell: The 2021 Digital Tonto Reading List

“Still, what’s perhaps most striking is the challenges that remain. Covid deaths in 2021 outpaced 2020 and there’s always the possibility of more severe variants. Despite all the hype around technology, we remain in a productivity crisis. We continue to struggle to maintain competitive markets. The specter of climate change still haunts us. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that many of the books I read this year focus on those challenges. We are in the midst of a demographic handoff from the Boomers to the Millennials, who are much more focused on the long-term. So we should expect more seriousness in how we tackle problems. Genuine solutions, however, still elude us.”

From Bill Gates: 5 books I loved reading this year

“As I got older, I started reading a lot more non-fiction. I was still interested in books that explored the implications of innovation, but it felt more important to learn something about our real world along the way. Lately, though, I’ve found myself drawn back to the kinds of books I would’ve loved as a kid.”

From Inc.: 13 Books to Read for a Happier, More Productive, and Less Stressed 2022

“Anxiety filled 2021. Make 2022 more serene by picking up the best positive psychology books of the year.”

Thanks to Art Petty who pointed me to this list.

Reading recommendations are a regular feature of this blog. Want more recommendations about what to read? Monday is “Book Day.” Come back for book reviews, reading lists, and other reading-related posts.

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