Books I read in 2021
18 Books
That was the goal at the beginning of 2021. To read 18 books. Why? Because in 2020 I read an embarrassingly low amount. I cannot even share with you the single digit number of books I read in 2020. (Hint: it was less than two) So, in typical Sagittarius fashion – all or nothing - I set an audacious goal to read 18 books.
As of today, December 28, I have read 17 books. Will I get to 18 books in three days? Probably not. But this audacious goal pushed me to read books out of my comfort zone and finally get to some of the books I had on my list for years.
So, without further ado, here are the books I read in 2021 (in no particular order) along with a brief review.
1. The Wisdom of Finance, by Mihir A. Desai
Reading this book feels like attending the "Last Lecture” event in business school – a tradition where professors share words of wisdom with graduating students. In fact, that was the catalyst for this book. Desai demystifies finance by mapping its concepts to the ways we think about life. He does this through stories – from the bible, history, fiction, etc. One of the stories shared is The Merchant of Venice – and what it teaches us about debt, bonds, and commitments to each other. If you are curious to understand finance underlying ideas and their connection to humanity – then you might want to read this book. It’s a bit nerdy but I enjoyed it.
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2. The Affair of the Falcóns by Melissa Rivero
I highly recommend this book to everyone in the Peruvian diaspora. This novel is the story of a Peruvian family who escapes Peru in the 1990s and immigrates to New York. Starting over is tough; now add the complexity of being undocumented. This novel is a poignant portrayal of the pressures and stresses of an undocumented immigrant life from the perspective of a Peruvian Indigenous woman with two young children. The book masterfully depicts how Peruvians bring our culture and ingrained beliefs with along our immigrant journey, and how difficult it might be to shed some of those beliefs. Listen to my interview with author Melissa River on Peruvians of USA podcast, episode 22.
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3. Dear America by Jose Antonio Vargas
Ni de aqui ni de alla. We are all familiar with the feeling of not belonging anywhere. In this book, Jose Antonio Vargas shares his immigrant story coming to the U.S., surviving and thriving professionally, and coming to terms with his undocumented status and activism. This book gives you a glimpse to the internal battles undocumented immigrants might experience. The inner battles of wanting to be a contributing citizen, not being able to connect with our homeland, and feeling rejected in our new home.
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4. Persuasion by Jane Austen
I read this book as part of a book club. It’s basically an 18th century novela. There is drama, unrequited love, ambition, gossip, etc. Personally, I didn’t like this book. I know it’s a classic. I never read it before so it was on my list. The drama was not dramatic enough for me. I wasn’t expecting Soraya-level of novela drama but British drama is a bit to tame for me. The book is a commentary on class rigidity, social mobility, gender inequality, etc.
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5. Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
I read Luvvie’s first book, I’m Judging You and it had me laughing out loud so much. Luvvie’s unique and sharped humor is very much present on this book where she shares how she has learned to tackle fear – and live courageously. This is one of the books I wish I would have read as a young adult. Reading this book feels like getting advice from your big sister.
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6. One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
I read this book as part of a book club – and am happy I did. Although it’s a young-adult book the story and themes covered touched my heart. The story is about a teen activist mysteriously killed and her family going through the aftermath of her death. The book takes the reader on a journey of connecting the family’s past and present. The book touches on police brutality, sisterhood, and legacy. It was impactful to read a young adult book that discusses tough subjects that even adults don’t want to talk about. Recommended.
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7. Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America by Maria Hinojosa
I’m a Maria Hinojosa fan. I am also a fan of the LatinoUSA. In this book, Maria shares her story coming to the U.S. In her story she embeds moments in history that shaped immigration policy or people’s attitudes towards immigrants. As a journalist, she has had a front seat to some of these moments. I learned quite a bit from the political and historical context included in the book, but my main takeaways came from her personal stories juggling her different roles and responsibilities a Latina daughter, reporter, wife, and mother.
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8. The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber
This book was recommended to me by Diego Corzo, a Forbes-featured millennial real estate entrepreneur, investor, mentor, and TEDx speaker. I interviewed Diego on episode 28. Overall, this book focuses on shifting your mindset as a business owner. One of my main takeaways is ” build your business as of you were going to sell it. Build your business so that it runs independent of you; otherwise, you are still an employee.” RECOMMENDED.
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9. Set for Life: Dominate Life, Money, and the American Dream by Scott Trench
If you want and/or respond to tough love, then this book might be for you. In this book, Trench provides strategies to get your financial life in order, earn more, reduce your expenses, etc. Nothing in this book is revolutionary - expect (maybe) the "tone" of the book. This book can be harsh and at times sound insensitive. If you don’t respond to tough love, I wouldn’t recommend this book. I think the author wants to motivate and light a fire under the reader because he is passionate about financial freedom, but his delivery might fail to appeal to all audiences.
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10. For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts: A Love Letter to Women of Color by Prisca Dorcas Mojia Rodriguez
Loved this book. Loved the title. The author and founder of Latina Rebels, Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez, shares lessons from her journey as the oldest daughter of an immigrant family, to finding herself in an elite educational institution, to finding her voice to speak up against sexism, racism, and classism – not only in this country but within her family and community. Her insights on toxic masculinity in the Latinx household was on point. One of my favorite quotes from the quote is “ When I say I am mi mami’s revolution, I mean I am who she could not become. I am because of her, and everything I do, I do for her.”
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11. The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
This is one of the books I wished I would have read in college or even before grad school. Why? Because it challenges us to think creatively about how to structure our life. It challenges us to be intentional with our life. Spoiler alert: a 4-hour workweek might be possible ONLY after long hours invested upfront. There is no shortcut to a 4-hour workweek. The book provides many resources on how to get started. Planning to re-read this book every year.
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12. Steal like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You about Being Creative by Austin Kleon
This is another book I wish I would have read it sooner. I never saw myself as a creative person. At some point in life, I was told I was not creative, and I just continued believing this about myself. This books shows you how you can cultivate your creative side – and drown some of the doubts you might have. Spoiler alert: Nothing is original. “ All creative work builds on what came before.”
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13. The Exquisite Pain of Flowering by Michelande Ridoré
This poetry book was written by a friend. In her first poetry book, Michelande Ridoré shares the beauty and ugliness of growing and healing. This book reacquaints the reader with deep emotions about feeling broken, people pleasing, and reconnecting with your inner strength.
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14. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
I have never read Harry Potter before nor watched any of the films. Growing up my default choice for books was always non-fictional. If I was going to read, I needed to learn something tangible. Unfortunately, the spell “ Petrificus Totalus” does not work in real life. Since most people I know have read it, I don’t have to recommend it. But if you haven’t, the book is well written, the plot is intriguing, and the characters entertaining. Will I continue reading the series? Probably not but I enjoyed reading the first book.
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15. Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler's Journey Home by Matthew Kepnes
The pandemic made me appreciate travel more than ever and it made me nostalgic for my days as a backpacker. Yes, I have backpacked in Southeast Asia, Europe, and Central America. I picked up this book because I wanted to reconnect with my adventurous side. Overall, the book allowed me to reminisce about my own travel experiences, like finding hidden gems in Europe, partying in the beaches of Thailand, and realizing how travel restores my faith in humanity. People I have met on the road have been kind and generous. This book gave me an understanding of why and how the author started became Nomadic Matt. However, I couldn’t relate to some of his insights or growth experience. This is perfectly understandable since we had different starting points. He was a sheltered kid from Boston; I grew up in a shantytown in Lima, Peru. If you have not ventured much outside of your bubble, then maybe give this book a try for inspiration. If you are immigrant, you already have the inner strength and spirit to travel the world. It’s just a matter of taking the first step.
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16. Get Good with Money: Ten Simple steps to Becoming Financially Whole by Tiffany Aliche
Do you find personal finance overwhelming? Confusing? Would you rather have someone explain it to you like you are a 5-year-old? (without sounding condescending) Then, look no further than Get Good with Money by Tiffany Aliche. Aliche, former kindergarten teacher, breaks down lessons and concepts to make them accessible to a broad audience. Her writing style also shows the same level of patience and kindness she probably has in a classroom full of kindergarten kids. This book also shares many resources to start in your journey to financial wholeness.
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17. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
Finally read this book – it has been on my list for a long time. Many financial literacy experts or influencers recommend this book. The book was originally published almost a century ago, but it remains in print due to the popularity of the lessons taught in parables. The book is about a fictional Babylonian character, Arkad, who shares lessons in wealth creation and management, such as paying yourself first, living below your means, investing in what you know, etc. The parables are simple to understand but require discipline to implement. I think this book should be required reading in high school. The principles shared as just as applicable today as they were when the book was first published.