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For some people, 2021 was a year full of books. Whether the goal was to read as many books as possible or update the TBR pile thanks to wonderful world of BookTok (the hashtag has 23.9 billion views and counting), reading became a lifeline throughout another turbulent year when many people were still spending a lot more time at home.
While reading for escapism is still a great way to spend your free time, many Americans turned to books to learn something last year, delving into political and social issues through motivational and thought-provoking non-fiction.
As part of a recent survey to determine the year’s best in pop culture, OnePoll surveyed 2,000 Americans to indicate which books they’d read from the coveted New York Times Best Seller list in 2021.
Politics and current events reigned with three of the top five most popular books specifically focused on President Trumps’ final year in office.
The most-popular non-fiction book among survey respondents was “Walk In My Combat Boots: True Stories from America’s Bravest Warriors,” by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann with Chris Mooney. A moving and powerful collection of original interviews, the book is an eye-opening look into what wearing the uniform, fighting in combat, losing friends and coming home is really like.
Another political bestseller, “Midnight in Washington,” is a first-hand account of Congressman Adam Schiff’s role in both impeachment trials, including his firsthand account of the Jan. 6 capitol insurrection.