Things I liked in 2021

Like most people, I spent a lot of my year watching TV, reading books and listening to podcasts. This is a list of the stuff I thought was great.

Disclaimer: None of these things were made in 2021, that’s just when I watched/read/listened to them.

Favourite novel: Shantaram

I’m kicking off with a bit of a cheat. I began reading Shantaram in December 2020 during one of the worst parts of the pandemic but finished it in early January.

Put simply, the book helped get me through that lockdown. Not only did it consume a huge amount of time — Google tells me it’s 968 pages long — its colourful descriptions of life in India quenched my urge for escapism.

The book is a real-life(ish) account of a fugitive on the run who winds up in India. He gets engulfed in the city’s mafia underworld and slowly climbs his way up the greasy pole — encountering plenty of well-written characters along the way. The protagonist, Lin, is complex rather than lovable but the story is an epic page-turner that never wanes in quality writing.

As soon as I finished, I downloaded the sequel — Mountain Shadow. I can report that it’s a worthy follow-up but equally long. You have been warned.

Favourite author: Matthew Harffy

Early medieval England is a well-served timeframe for historical fiction novels, with big-name authors like Bernard Cornwell (The Last Kingdom) leading the way. Matthew Harffy has a very similar style of writing to Cornwell but I find he does the fun bits better, particularly big battles.

Characters never stand still and tend to criss-cross around Britain, making it fun to discover ancient place names and follow their journeys via Google Maps. Meanwhile, the tumultuous seventh century always provides a fascinating backdrop for the action-packed tales to unfold.

I went way over the top and read pretty much everything Harffy’s ever written, so it’s fair to say I’m a fan. Below I summarise which of his books to read, depending on what you’re looking for:

Looking for a series? Try the Bernicia Chronicles.
Want a stand-alone book? Try The Wolf of Wessex.
After a short story? Try Son of Cain.

Favourite non-fiction book: Atomic Habits

I’m usually immensely sceptical about the self-help genre, so I naturally approached this book with caution. However, it came highly recommended through some trusted work colleagues and is a #1 New York Times bestseller.

There’s nothing revolutionary in the book but the author presents some solid research to reinforce his key points. The concept that small incremental self-improvements can ladder up to big changes, makes a lot of sense. The book mixes useful, practical tips with real-life examples, my favourite being the British Cycling team’s rise to success through hundreds of tiny improvements.

I found the real power of this book came after I had finished it - I now notice habits EVERYWHERE. Specifically, I’ve noticed areas in my own life where I can make small, daily improvements without too much effort. It’ll take a while to notice big changes as a result but it’s satisfying to redefine those auto-pilot habits that come so naturally.

Favourite TV show: Vikings

I was very late to the party on this one — it started way back in 2013. I can’t remember if I started watching it in 2020 or 2021 but either way, it’s consumed many evenings over the last 12 months.

Vikings is all about the characters. Big hearts, big hair and big axes combine in a whirlwind of stories that effortlessly intertwine. The series centres around the indomitable Ragnar Lothbrok, the fierce shieldmaiden Lagertha and their son Bjorn Ironside. You’ll pick your own favourites after a few episodes because the supporting cast is equally entertaining.

The creators do a good job of weaving in people and events from history. I often find myself on Wikipedia mid-episode to find out if something happened in real life. Side note: several characters also appear in the Bernard Cornwell novels I mentioned earlier in this post.

Favourite podcast: The Adam Buxton Podcast

I found it nearly impossible to pick a favourite podcast. Initially, I went for ‘You’re Dead To Me’, the comedy-history podcast with Greg Jenner. It’s the perfect blend of entertaining and informative, plus just listening to Jenner talk is like a big podcast hug.

However, after consulting Spotify, I’ve actually listened to The Adam Buxton Podcast more in 2021 and I have to say, if I could only listen to one or the other, I’d pick Buxton.

The best thing about the podcast is how many episodes there are to choose from. You can pick and choose the guests you listen to and skip the ones that don’t interest you. I recommend the episodes with Buxton’s schoolmates Louis Theroux and Joe Cornish. Their natural back and forth conversation is a joy to listen to and is a surefire remedy if you’re feeling a bit down. Plus, look out for the homemade jingles that never fail to make me smile.