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Best Books of 2021

Our top fifteen favorite reads of the year

A woman reads at the Shinjuku branch of Book and Bed, an accommodation combined with book cafe where guests can sleep in hidden bunks built into a large bookshelf, during a photo opportunity in Tokyo, Japan September 14, 2018
A reader leafs through a title at Book and Bed, a bookstore-cafe where guests can also sleep in hidden bunks built into bookshelves, in Tokyo, Japan, on September 14, 2018. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
by Caroline Kantis

2021 was another year for the books. Our Council on Foreign Relations colleagues kept busy covering events of the past twelve months—from the COVID-19 pandemic and its many variants, to the crisis of chronic illnesses, to the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

When away from work, though, one of their favorite pastimes was to read. Whether listening to an audio book while commuting, flipping through pages of a favorite hardcover before turning out the lights at night, or curling up with a book on the weekend, our coworkers all agree that this year, reading helped them escape from the constant hum of news, engage with new ideas, and gave them hope for the coming year.  

Here, we’re sharing some of their favorite titles with you. 

Book of eels
Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World by Patrick Svensson  Eels have captivated humans for centuries and great thinkers from Aristotle to Freud have pondered the origins of these fish. In his latest book, Patrick Svensson seeks to understand the mystery of eels and in doing so, reveals truths of the human condition.    Recommended by Tom Frieden, senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery
The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery by Ross Douthat A New York Times columnist chronicles his journey with a chronic illness that doesn’t have an official name and the constraints of modern medicine.    Recommended by Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations
Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe  Following the success of his 2017 piece in the New Yorker, Patrick Radden Keefe chronicles three generations of the infamous Sackler dynasty, Purdue Pharma, and the OxyContin scandal.    Recommended by Joshua Kurlantzick and Michelle Gavin, the Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at the Council on Foreign Relations
The Hospital: Life, Death and Dollars in an American Town 
The Hospital: Life, Death and Dollars in an American Town  by Brian Alexander Thanks in part to flawed health systems, corporate greed, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are in poorer health and dying younger. Brian Alexander walks readers through the U.S. health-care system in plain language and demonstrates how the odds are stacked against patients.   Recommended by Joshua Kurlantzick
Voices from the Pandemic: Americans Tell Their Stories of Crisis, Courage, and Resilience
Voices from the Pandemic: Americans Tell Their Stories of Crisis, Courage, and Resilience By Eli Saslow An overwhelmed coroner in Georgia, a Maryland-based restaurateur forced to close his business after forty-six years, and rural residents dismissing the pandemic as a hoax. Eli Saslow paints a picture of Americans—and their desperation and resilience—over the course of the last twenty months.    Recommended by Joshua Kurlantzick
Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993
Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987–1993 by Sarah Schulman Compiling over two hundred interviews and twenty years of work, Sarah Schulman explores how the ACT UP coalition changed the course of American history and the trajectory of AIDS activism.    Recommended by Dominic Bocci, director of studies grant management in the David Rockefeller Studies Program at the Council on Foreign Relations
The Secret to Superhuman Strength
The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel From Alpine skiing to group cycling classes, Alison Bechdel chronicles her lifetime journey with fitness in a graphic novel, revealing that the secret to superhuman strength doesn’t lie in six pack abs, but in our interdependence with others.   Recommended by Dominic Bocci
Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings
Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings by Neil Price Despite the larger-than-life and often romanticized depictions we’ve seen in movies and other media, Vikings never had the opportunity to tell their own truth. Neil Price seeks to change that, opting instead to tell the real story of Vikings by highlighting their ideas, practices, and beliefs beyond what we see on-screen.   Recommended by David P. Fidler, senior fellow for global health and cybersecurity at the Council on Foreign Relations
Sovietistan: A Journey Through Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
Sovietistan: A Journey Through Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan by Erika Fatland Traveling across Central Asia, Erika Fatland takes readers alongside her journey through the former Soviet States highlighting their cultural similarities as well as their incongruities.    Recommended by Samantha Kiernan, program coordinator for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations
Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America's Hurricanes
Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America’s Hurricanes by Eric Jay Dolin From the colonial era to the present, hurricanes have had a profound, yet underreported, impact on American history. Historian Eric Jay Dolin gives a new perspective of these storms and the way they could shape our future.    Recommended by Samantha Kiernan
Populista: The Rise of Latin America's 21st Century Strongman by Will Grant
Populista: The Rise of Latin America’s Twenty-First Century Strongman by Will Grant The “Pink Tide” was one of the most important political moments in the twenty-first century, shifting Latin America to the left and fueling populist movements. Almost two decades later, its effects are profound and have left many countries in the hands of authoritarian leaders. Will Grant explains how Hugo Chávez, Evo Morales, and others came to power through this wave and what their leadership meant for the trajectories of their countries.       Recommended by Samantha Kiernan
Aftershocks: Pandemic Politics and the End of the Old International Order
Aftershocks: Pandemic Politics and the End of the Old International Order by Thomas Wright and Colin Kahl As summarized by CFR senior fellow David P. Fidler, “Aftershocks is an impressive political history of the COVID-19 pandemic to date. It weaves together insights from the 1918-19 influenza pandemic, extensive research on COVID-19’s global consequences, and Thomas Wright’s and Colin Kahl’s deep understanding of international politics.”    Recommended by Yanzhong Huang, senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations
The Three Body Problem
The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin Following the murder of her father by a group of teenagers during the Cultural Revolution, Ye Wenjie, the novel’s protagonist, becomes disgusted by humanity. As an adult, she finds herself working against her will as a scientist for the Chinese Communist Party, where she hijacks a government program to establish contact with aliens in a bid to convince them to invade earth. What ensues is a sci-fi blend of Chinese culture and history.    Recommended by Thomas J. Bollyky, director of the global health program and senior fellow for global health, economics, and development at the Council on Foreign Relations
Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government
Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government by Christopher H. Achen and Larry Bartels Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential victory came as a surprise to many—not only was he viewed as a political outsider but his campaign was founded on xenophobia, braggadocious claims, and personal scandals. Christopher H. Achen and Larry Bartels discuss how Trump’s win impacted democracy both on U.S. soil and abroad, and its implications for global stability.     Recommended by Thomas J. Bollyky
the orenda
The Orenda by Joseph Boyden Diving into mid-seventeenth century Canada, Joseph Boyden recounts how the arrival of Europeans on native lands disrupted the way of life for indigenous people and the carnage that followed.   Recommended by Thomas J. Bollyky

Caroline Kantis is associate editor for Think Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

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