The 10 Best Books of 2021

2020 was the year we stayed inside and read until our eyes went dry; 2021 was supposed to be the year that the outside world competed, once again, with our literary attention spans. Nothing about these last 12 months have been what we expected, but at least publishing provided — there were so many good stories to keep us company, whether on our first flights to reunite with loved ones or as we spent holiday breaks grounded, once again. Our Top 10 list offers a book for every mood: There's a lot of melancholy, of course, but there are also epic adventures, tales of triumph, descriptions of delicious food, and, as always, beautifully written words.