Best Books of the Year
Menu

The Guardian

The Guardian Best Books of the Year 2021

The Guardian Best Books of the Year 2021 names 134 books across 12 categories. 63 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Biography and memoir

  1. 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows by Ai Weiweisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Aftershocks by Nadia Owususource (opens in a new tab)
  3. All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks and Kevin Carr O’Learysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. And Away… by Bob Mortimersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wangsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds by Huma Abedinsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Burning Man: The Ascent of DH Lawrence by Frances Wilsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Free: Coming of Age at the End of History by Lea Ypisource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Maybe I Don’t Belong Here by David Harewoodsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Putting the Rabbit in the Hat by Brian Coxsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym by Paula Byrnesource (opens in a new tab)
  12. This Much Is True by Miriam Margolyessource (opens in a new tab)
  13. What It Feels Like for a Girl by Paris Leessource (opens in a new tab)

Children's and young adult

  1. Arthur: The Always King by Kevin Crossley-Holland and Chris Riddellsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem by Amanda Gorman and Loren Longsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Endgame by Malorie Blackmansource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Every Leaf a Hallelujah by Ben Okri and Diana Ejaitasource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Frindleswylde by Natalia O’Hara and Lauren O’Harasource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Listified!: Britannica’s 300 Lists That Will Blow Your Mind by Andrew Pettie and Andrés Lozanosource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Medusa by Jessie Burton and Olivia Lomenech Gillsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Once Upon a Tune: Stories from the Orchestra by James Mayhewsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Scissorella: The Paper Princess by Clare Helen Welsh and Laura Barrettsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The False Rose by Jakob Wegeliussource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Utterly Dark and the Face of the Deep by Philip Reevesource (opens in a new tab)
  12. When Shadows Fall by Sita Brahmachari and Natalie Sirettsource (opens in a new tab)

Crime and thrillers

  1. Girl A by Abigail Deansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Riccardino by Andrea Camillerisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Silverview by John le Carrésource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tuckersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weidensource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. A Burning by Megha Majumdarsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Shock by Keith Ridgwaysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Assembly by Natasha Brownsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooneysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Burntcoat by Sarah Hallsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. China Room by Sunjeev Sahotasource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerrsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Crossroads by Jonathan Franzensource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Dark Neighbourhood by Vanessa Onwuemezisource (opens in a new tab)
  10. English Magic by Uschi Gatwardsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. How to Kidnap the Rich by Rahul Rainasource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Keeping the House by Tice Cinsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishigurosource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Light Perpetual by Francis Spuffordsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Luster by Raven Leilanisource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Matrix by Lauren Groffsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Goddensource (opens in a new tab)
  19. My Phantoms by Gwendoline Rileysource (opens in a new tab)
  20. No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwoodsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Oh William! by Elizabeth Stroutsource (opens in a new tab)
  22. Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Painting Time by Maylis de Kerangalsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Palmares by Gayl Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Pity the Beast by Robin McLeansource (opens in a new tab)
  26. Second Place by Rachel Cusksource (opens in a new tab)
  27. Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Masonsource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Sterling Karat Gold by Isabel Waidnersource (opens in a new tab)
  29. The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozekisource (opens in a new tab)
  30. The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuksource (opens in a new tab)
  31. The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamedsource (opens in a new tab)
  32. The Hummingbird by Sandro Veronesisource (opens in a new tab)
  33. The Magician by Colm Tóibínsource (opens in a new tab)
  34. The Manningtree Witches by AK Blakemoresource (opens in a new tab)
  35. The Passenger by Ulrich Alexander Boschwitzsource (opens in a new tab)
  36. The Promise by Damon Galgutsource (opens in a new tab)
  37. The Women of Troy by Pat Barkersource (opens in a new tab)
  38. Treacle Walker by Alan Garnersource (opens in a new tab)

Food

  1. Advent by Anja Dunksource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Cook As You Are by Ruby Tandohsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zaunersource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad and Yotam Ottolenghisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tuccisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. What She’s Having: Stories of Women and Food by Dear Damselssource (opens in a new tab)

Graphic novels

  1. Crisis Zone by Simon Hanselmannsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Discipline by Dash Shawsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Esther’s Notebooks by Riad Sattoufsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. In. by Will McPhailsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Monsters by Barry Windsor-Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Parenthesis by Élodie Durandsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Red Rock Baby Candy by Shira Spectorsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The City of Belgium by Brecht Evenssource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Roles We Play by Sabba Khansource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdelsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Wake by Rebecca Hall and Hugo Martínezsource (opens in a new tab)

Music

  1. Lyrics: 1956 to the Present by Paul McCartneysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres by Kelefa Sannehsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Nina Simone’s Gum by Warren Ellissource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Rememberings by Sinéad O’Connorsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Run the Riddim: The Untold Story of 90s Dancehall by Marvin Sparkssource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. A Blood Condition by Kayo Chingonyisource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A God at the Door by Tishani Doshisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. A Vertical Art: Oxford Lectures by Simon Armitagesource (opens in a new tab)
  4. All the Names Given by Raymond Antrobussource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Comic Timing by Holly Pestersource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Eat Or We Both Starve by Victoria Kenneficksource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Living Weapon by Rowan Ricardo Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Lyonesse by Penelope Shuttlesource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Many Different Kinds of Love by Michael Rosensource (opens in a new tab)
  10. New and Selected Poems by Ian Duhigsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Notes on the Sonnets by Luke Kennardsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Osebol by Marit Kaplasource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Out of Time: Poetry from the Climate Emergency by Kate Simpsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Kids by Hannah Lowesource (opens in a new tab)

Politics

  1. A Farewell to Calm by John Cracesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Always Red by Len McCluskeysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Beyond a Fringe by Andrew Mitchellsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Broken Heartlands by Sebastian Paynesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Chief of Staff by Gavin Barwellsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Empireland by Sathnam Sangherasource (opens in a new tab)
  7. End State by James Plunkettsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Spike by Jeremy Farrar and Anjana Ahujasource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Authority Gap by Mary Ann Sieghartsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Prime Ministers We Never Had by Steve Richardssource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Scout Mindset by Julia Galefsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. There Is Nothing for You Here by Fiona Hillsource (opens in a new tab)

Science

  1. Being You: A New Science of Consciousness by Anil Sethsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Helgoland by Carlo Rovellisource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Sleeping Beauties: And Other Stories of Mystery Illness by Suzanne O’Sullivansource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Under a White Sky by Elizabeth Kolbertsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Until Proven Safe by Geoff Manaugh and Nicola Twilleysource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Vaxxers by Sarah Gilbert and Catherine Greensource (opens in a new tab)

Science fiction and fantasy

  1. Cwen by Alice Albiniasource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Far from the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovskysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. The Actual Star by Monica Byrnesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Employees by Olga Ravnsource (opens in a new tab)

Sport

  1. All In by Billie Jean Kingsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Barça: The Inside Story of the World’s Greatest Football Club by Simon Kupersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Revolutions: How Women Changed the World on Two Wheels by Hannah Rosssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Too Many Reasons to Live by Rob Burrowsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Why We Kneel, How We Rise by Michael Holdingsource (opens in a new tab)

About the The Guardian Best Books of the Year

The Guardian's year-end picks, one list per category, each chosen by a Guardian critic (fiction, crime, science fiction and fantasy, poetry, biography, politics, nature, food, sport, children's, graphic novels and others). 2009-2012 lists ran as critics' Christmas books-for-giving pieces. Left out: Observer pieces (a separate source here), roundups where many writers or public figures each name favourites, readers' and publishers' picks, stocking fillers and gift guides, books a critic panned, and picks with no named author. theguardian.com's robots.txt bars Claude crawlers, so pages were read through the Wayback Machine. Missing: 2006-2008 (no qualifying critic list found) and some categories in 2009-2014 and 2016-2017 that Wayback did not capture or index. Approved for use by the site owner on 2026-11-05.

Organization: The Guardian. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2021