I have always loved reading because I have felt it make me a better person.
Books make me a better person because they broaden my horizon, deepen my insights, and expose me to perspectives that are different from my own.
In fact, as I have been writing a book on vertical development and helping organizations vertically develop, I have come to the belief that it is essentially impossible to vertically develop without reading books.
(PS. I just decided on the title for the book and it will be: The Elevated Leader: Leveling Up Your Leadership Through Vertical Development)
During 2021, I was able to read or listen to 70 books.
To close out the year, I want to share the top five books I read across three categories and why I value having read them:
1. Non-Fiction Business/Self-Help (last week)
2. Fiction (today)
3. Non-Fiction Other (next week)
The Five Best Fiction Books I Read in 2021
T-4. Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon
I am not sure what it is, but I love World War II time-period books. This is a historical fiction book based on the true story of a woman leader in the French resistance in German-occupied France. I found the story rather remarkable and the writing good.
T-4. The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer
This is another World War II historical fiction based on a true story. I had never read a book on the events related to the Jewish Ghetto in Warsaw Poland during the early days of World War II, and this provided a moving perspective from both within and outside the Ghetto.
There is a tie between these two books because I couldn’t decide which one I liked more. They were both good.
3. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
This was Audible’s book of the year. We got it to listen to on a road trip and our kids even got into it. It was a really great book for a road trip. You get lost in the story and you’re excited to get back in the car 😉.
2. The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom
Mitch Albom is one of a few authors where I will read anything they write. I love Albom’s books because I always walk away from them feeling like a better person. They speak to my heart. And, while this isn’t my most favorite Mitch Albom book, I still loved it.
1. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy
This may be the most beautiful book I have ever read. Honestly! It reads like a children’s book, but it is for people of all ages. It has meaning and humor. As I read it to my children, I had tears in my eyes and it made me feel like the very act of reading this book to my kids may be the most important thing I do as a parent.
