6 books for people looking for a fresh start in 2021

Many people were excited to see the end of 2020, but 2021 has so far delivered much of the same.

Some people looking for a fresh start for the new year have been turning to their local libraries and bookstores for some inspirational reading.

Phil Robinson of the Idea Exchange in Cambridge joined Craig Norris on CBC K-W'sThe Morning Edition to make some suggestions.

Here are six books he recommended.

'Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way To Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones' by James Clear

"People are certainly looking for new books to read, and the first place that people often look to is self help books," Robinson said.

Atomic Habits is catching fire right now, despite having been released in 2018, perhaps because people are looking for new ways to think about the world, he added.

Clear eschews the goal-setting focus of many self-help books and instead focuses on people's systems for achieving goals, Robinson said. He encourages people to make small changes that will achieve the change they need over time.

"He calls habits the compound interest of self-improvement," Robinson added.

'Physical Intelligence: The Science of How the Body and the Mind Guide Each Other Through Life' by Scott Grafton

Normally we talk about physical intelligence in terms of athletes, Robinson said, but Grafton, the chair of neuroscience at the University of California chose to look at it in everyday life.

One of the takeaways from the book? "Many of the best writers and thinkers got their best ideas while walking," Robinson said. And walking in nature is particularly fruitful.

'Becoming Duchess Goldblatt'byanonymous

The book is the memoir of an anonymous writer who invented a fictitious Twitter character to get her through a hard time, and whose character subsequently attracts fans from the literary world and gets friendly with Lyle Lovett.

The author went on Twitter after losing her job because she "wanted to demonstrate creativity, generosity and a positive attitude," Robinson explained.

"It is fun, it is intelligent, but it is a nourishing biography of how she has overcome her losing her job eight years ago as a writer and then how this has turned into something new for her."

'The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World' by Patrick Svensson

The Book of Eels is an international bestseller by a man who had a troubled relationship with his father but learned to bond with him over eel fishing, Robinson explained, and when his father died of cancer, Svensson carried on researching the creatures.

The book is partly a memoir focused on Svensson's relationship with his dad and partly an outlet for his enthusiasm about studying a creature that is not well-understood, he said.

"Even though you and I may not see eels on a daily basis, you would be surprised at how interesting they are," Robinson said.

'Afterlife' by Julia Alverez

Though it starts with the death of its protagonist's husband, Alvarez's book is an often-funny story of a woman reconnecting with her sisters and moving through grief with the help of family bonds, while also trying to find herself and figure out who she's become, Robinson said.

'Ballad of Big Feeling' by AriBraverman

The unnamed protagonist in this novel is a woman dealing with an elderly, frail parent who ultimately passes on, Robinson said.

The narrative explores the two women's relationship and how eventually, the younger woman moves forward while dealing with issues of self worth and body image.

"It's a novel about how we see ourselves and make ourselves in the world," Robinson said.