2021 was a lighter reading year for me in terms of the quantity of books I read. I simply didn't have the capacity to go hard in the biblio paint. I also strove to lean into reading for pleasure and to read longer books than my typical novella affairs. And by the metric, 2021 was a success! Still, several books rose above the rest. What follows are my 10 favorite reads of the year. (You can find the full list of books here.)

1. The Hole, Hiroko Oyamada (fiction): After her husband transfers jobs closer to his parents and hometown, Asa drifts aimlessly, trying to adjust to her new rural surroundings and kill time. Soon, she follows a creature to the riverbank and falls into a hole built just for her. No surprise here, perhaps if you know me. I'm a sucker for books featuring wells and holes in the ground. Fans of "My Neighbor Totoro," David Lynch and "Alice in Wonderland" will def enjoy this Japanese novella. 
2. The World of Edena, Moebius (graphic novel): Moebius (aka Jean Giraud) is perhaps the most influential science fiction writer/artist that you've never heard of. Name the film, chances are the French artist has his fingerprints on it in some fashion "Star Wars," "Blade Runner," "Dune," "Alien," "TRON," "Space Jam," "The Fifth Element." Oh, and he also co-founded the iconic sci-fi and fantasy magazine Heavy Metal. 
3. Transcendent Kingdom, Yaa Gyasi (fiction): I'm probably alone in my relative ambivalence toward Gyasi's debut, Homegoing, but her follow-up, Transcendent Kingdom, about a Ghanian family in Alabama and the daughter who must balance her faith with her science training, absolutely FLOORED me. 
4. Signs Preceding the End of the World, Yuri Herrera (fiction): Pro-tip: Buy anything from the publisher And Other Stories and/or the Mexican author Yuri Herrera. 
5. The Hole, Hye-Young Pyun (fiction): The second Asian book by this title I read this year and I'm not sure which I liked better. This one is basically an Asian version of "Misery."
6. Goodnight, Punpun, by Inio Asano (graphic novel): A school student who appears as a bird to readers, Punpun is a heartbreaking coming of age manga I immediately fell for thanks to its pathos, nostalgia and unrequited romance.
7. Naive, Super, Erlend Loe (fiction): A 25-year-old university student in Norway grows disillusioned and quits his job in this classic Norwegian novella. The perfect read if you're looking for some Great Resignation Inspo.
8. Concerning the Book That is The Body of The Beloved, by Gregory Orr (poetry): An epic poem recalling Rumi, Rilke, Hafiz, etc. Not quite finished with this one, but that's mainly because I prefer reading this on my phone while out and about for opportunities to dip into the sacred and holy among the mundane. 
9. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, by George Saunders (non-fiction): A master class from Saunders on what makes a masterful story so impactful through a page-by-page examination of several short stories by Russian masters like Chekhov and Turgenev. 
10. Anarchy and Christianity, by Jacques Ellul (non-fiction): Recommended this book by my pal Colin, I've been blown away by Ellul's examination of the overlaps between Christianity and Anarchy. Though originally published in the early 1990s, there's much here that's enlightening given the rise of Christian nationalism among the United States' evangelicals. 

The latest issue of The PostScript — the editorial wing of ScriptHero — dropped this week. This is only the second issue, but I'm incredibly proud of the progress we've made from issue one to two. 

For the unaware, here's the mission statement of The PostScript:

In the same way that letters often end with a postscript, this digital magazine aims to be the final word on prescriptions and healthcare. You’ll see this elevated editorial approach throughout The PostScript — from the illustrations to the depth and clarity of the content.

During once-in-a-generation events, a sense of before and after settles in. A fellow creative the other day was musing about the difference a few months make, as earlier this year he was flying daily to different destinations as part of a book tour — shaking hands, signing books, engaging with others face-to-face. Today, those interactions, that world is unthinkable. 

Another friend the other day mentioned how he bought a commemorative poster for a cancelled music festival he attends every year with friends. He wanted to support the fest, he said, but he also was interested in the historical documentation the poster represented. 

My efforts in this regard are lo-fi and low-key; the energy required for much else is non-existent. Said another way: I'm not capable of much more than staying home and making zines — albeit crappy hand-drawn (or messily collaged) ones. 

Still! I'm quite happy with some of these results. 

Reading is my go-to escape. As much as I want — need! — to escape right now into a book, I'm struggling. My input has jumped off a cliff, and that usually means my output is close to follow. 

Though I already practice many of these tips to keep reading from Austin Kleon, being reminded of them has given me a burst of momentum. 

Are you still reading? How are you keeping focused? 

I can't recall the exact statistic, but it's something like 10% of Americans don't know whether they have health insurance — let alone the meaning behind phrases like "high deductible health plan." That seems crazy to me. So as part of my role at CoverMyMeds, I launched a digital magazine on the prescription industry, with an aim to educate Americans on this critical issue. 

Our latest article is live. It's an FAQ-style piece answering some of our most-common questions at ScriptHero around the coronavirus. We've also published our first "issue," a collection of six stories, all themed around buying prescription drugs.

This week I went to Atlanta for a few of focus group sessions led by our ad agency. It was the first time I'd been to this city in 23 years. I know the years specifically because my last visit was for the Olympics. Nothing this trip topped that experience, but I had fun nonetheless. 

Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) is one of my annual favorite events in the city, and this year, with "Hellboy" creator Mike Mignola the keynote, is especially exciting for me. 

Check out my Alive piece to see what else has me geeking about this weekend.