Reading list of 2021

Due to my professional commitments, I wasn't able to focus much on reading for sometime. So in an attempt to revamp my reading, in 2019 I planned to read 6 books. As I met the goal, I aimed to complete 12 books every year henceforth. I met my target in 2020. However in 2021, I ended up completing only 9 books and made half way through the 10th!! 

Below is the list of titles I read in 2021. I began the year with few select topics and added others in due course. Here is an overview of all those.

• Tuesdays with Morrie - A memoir (philosophical) written by Mitch Albom. Like most of us, Mitch got lost in his professional life. One day, he knows about his Professor Morrie (suffering from a rare neurological disease) through a TV news program and meets him. Mitch pays 14 visits to Morrie, who is in his last stage of life. Through his interactions with his professor, Mitch learns many valuable life lessons and experiences. Later he publishes those into a book.
• Murder on the Orient Express - This is a very famous detective fiction, penned by Agatha Christie in 1930s. A murder is committed in the train "Orient Express" while it is stuck at Yugoslavia due to heavy snow. Murderer is one among the passengers. Detective Hercule Poirot, who is travelling by the same train has to investigate and identify the killer. 
• Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a Long and Happy Life - A self-help book written by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles. The book is based on a Japanese technique called "Ikigai", that gives a person the purpose for living. It draws references from people in a Japanese island named Okinawa, where the inhabitants' lifestyle is lauded for their well being and longevity. 
• Arranged marriage - A collection of short stories authored by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. It includes 12 short stories depicting the lives of people in Indian arranged marriage setup.  
• Midnight library - A fantasy novel written by Matt Haig. The story is about Nora seed, a young woman, who feels incompetent and worthless. Frustrated with her life, she tries to kill herself. But she gets stuck between life and death and ends up in a fictional library. In the library she gets to choose a life she desires, by trying out multiple lives possible, through reading the books.
• First they killed my father: a daughter of Cambodia remembers - This is a memoir by Loung Ung where she details her plight as a 5 year old, when Khmer Rogue's regime prevailed in Cambodia. You can check out my detailed post on this book here.
• The subtle art of not giving a f*ck - Written by Mark Manson is a self-help book. In the recent times, we hear everyone talk about positivity and varies means (& methods) to stay positive, so that one can ultimately be successful and happy in life. Mark Manson counters this thought and tells the reader to take life as it is and not to focus on positivity, as majority of self-help books and gurus preach. 
• 30 Women in Power - Edited by Naina Lal Kidwai, this book takes us through the journey of 30 Indian women achievers, who made a mark for themselves in various fields - media, banks, NGO, FMCG, health care, consulting etc.  
• To all the boys I've loved before - Authored by Jenny Han, this novel is a romantic comedy, where the female lead writes love letters to all the boys she has a crush and keeps it to herself. Read my review here to know more.
• A Promised Land - This title is a political memoir written by the former US President, Barack Obama and my current read. I shall publish a detailed post on this shortly.

This year too, I intend to read 12 books out of my TBR. What are your reading goals for 2022? 

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