4 More Enjoyable Books To Read in 2021

This is the sequel to one of my first blog posts.

It’s October already. The colder nights are beginning to come upon us. The days are getting shorter and leaves are starting to fall off the trees. In the evenings, it's time to put on a jumper and have a warm drink to relax. Maybe you could be jumping into a new book? Hold that thought.

Let’s go back 5 months to May. “The sun is shining, the weather is sweet”, were the words Bob Marley I hum. I read Tim Denning’s book. I get over the initial fear of putting myself out there. I publish my first story. Here it is.

Shortly afterwards I write about one of my favourite pastimes. Reading.

Jump back to the present. I’m ready to give you 4 more enjoyable books to read while cosied up on the couch this autumn and winter.

If you’ve got this far then chances are you probably enjoy reading. If you’re new to reading then please check out my original article above for why you should begin to do so.

Again, there’s a mix of genres from spiritual to spy thriller.

Let’s go!

The Mindful Athlete by George Mumford

I first heard Mumford on The Tim Ferris Show. I was blown away by the way in which he talks about his battle in overcoming addiction to then working with Phil Jackson and the Chicago Bulls during their famous run in the 90s.

Mumford turned his life around from a heroin addict to one of the leading mindfulness teachers in sports today. He did so by committing himself to meditation under the tutelage of Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn (an American medicine professor specialising in stress reduction and mindfulness).

While the book is aimed at athletic performance and getting to your best in your sport, the book is ideal for anyone who’s looking to take themselves to the next level of performance.

The book acts as a stepping stone into meditation and mindfulness and is summed up nicely below:

The hardest thing, after all the work and all the time spent on training and technique, is just being fully present in the moment — George Mumford.

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

Yes, this may be classed as a children’s book according to Wikipedia, however, it evokes the spirit of adventure no matter what age you are.

Published in September 1937, the book has gone on to sell over 100 million copies, as of 2012.

Bilbo Baggins (I’m sure you’ve heard of him) is the main character who leaves his cosy home in the Shire to embark on a quest with 13 dwarves to the Lonely Mountain. This also happens to be the home of the dragon, Smaug.

The story focuses on themes of personal development and heroism — particularly in our main boy Baggins. His own journey from being terrified at the thought of leaving his warm home filled with food to eventually leading the group highlights his coming-of-age.

Box 88 by Charles Cumming

I had a few late nights reading this one as I couldn’t put it down near the end. The story follows Lachlan Kite, both in present-day and in 1989, a spy for a top-secret organisation who he was recruited for shortly after leaving school.

The fictional school Alford is based on Cumming’s own experience of attending Eton College.

Following the geopolitical tensions of the time, Box 88 takes on a journey from the boy recruit to senior spy in the present day.

If you’re looking to swap out late nights of Netflix then pick this one up and give it a try.

Breath by James Nestor

This was interesting and literary made me say, “huh”, numerous times. The book is part evolutionary science, part health and fitness.

Nestor dives into how humans are no longer breathing properly which has, in turn, resulted in a long list of conditions that we see and experience every day. These include snoring, sleep apnea and allergies to name but a few.

Even getting teeth removed from our crowded mouths is a product of the way our lifestyles have evolved.

Since reading (listening in my case) to this book, I’ve actively become more aware of how I breath. Less mouth breathing and more breathing only through the nose.

Mouthbreathing, it turns out, changes the physical body and transforms airways, all for the worse. Inhaling air through the mouth decreases pressure, which causes the soft tissues in the back of the mouth to become loose and flex inward, creating less space and making breathing more difficult. Mouthbreathing begets more mouthbreathing — James Nestor

Nestor put himself through a series of gruelling experiments to see and experience what mouth breathing does to a person. His results are alarming and awakening at the same time.

Nestor has made appearances on podcasts such as Joe Rogan Experience, Modern Wisdom and Feel Good Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee.

Reading is good for us. You don’t have to be reading hours and hours each day. A simple 15 to 20 minutes before bed will put you on course to making the habit stick.

I hope you find these 4 books are interesting as I did. If you’re looking to get into reading then The Hobbit is a great place to start. I’m always on the lookout for new titles and authors so if you have any recommendations please leave a comment.

Enjoyed this? Check this one out.