Books I Read in 2021
Atomic Habits
By James Clear
This is probably the last productivity/self help book I will read. There were some good ideas, but the whole category just feels really hollow to me.
Essentialism
By Greg Mckeown
I don’t think I even finished this, see above.
Leave It As It Is: A Journey Through Theodore Roosevelt’s American Wilderness
By David Gessner
Finally got to a book that got my interest. This book certainly brought a focus to Teddy Roosevelt’s legacy of conservation while also examining the complexity of the historical figure in the lens of the present day. This topic of how public lands fit into American society has really come an important thing to me in recent years, especially since moving to a National Forest.
The Relentless Moon
By Mary Robinette Kowal
The third book in the Lady Astronaut series. Been loving this fictional alternate history of the space race. Such a rich world that the author has built, looking forward to more in this series.
Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler’s Best
By Neal Bascomb
I will say, this is the year that I have become OK with not finishing books. This was one that I wanted to like, but just couldn’t get into.
Indy Split: The Big Money Battle That Nearly Destroyed Indy Racing
By John Oreovicz
I grew up watching IndyCar racing in the 1990s during the CART/IRL split. This racing series, while not as popular as Formula 1, has had a special place in my heart. This book is probably the most comprehensive history of the split, collapse, and reunion of American open wheel racing.
Freewaytopia: How Freeways Shaped Los Angeles
By Paul Haddad
As a native Southern Californian, there is no avoiding the LA freeway system. I was fascinated by so much of the history of the freeways that I never knew.
Floodpath: The Deadliest Man-Made Disaster of 20th-Century America and the Making of Modern Los Angeles
By Jon Wilkman
The St. Francis Dam disaster is probably one of the biggest man-made disasters in US history that no one knows about. Really would recommend this to better understand the lesser known legacy of the LA aqueduct system and William Mulholland.
Tag: books