The Best Books of 2021

Our favorite books of the season come from authors both emerging and established, meditating on everything from life online to life in the intersections of identity. If you have trouble reading this message, view it in a browser.       The 29 Best Books of 2021   We're so very close to living in a world where bookworms can once again enjoy cozying up in a coffee shop, solo at the bar, between the stacks at the library, or wherever their favorite public reading spot may be. When it's time to venture back out into the reading wilderness, we know just the right books to bring with you. This season's releases are an embarrassment of riches, from astonishing debuts to long-awaited new works by veteran writers. This list boasts career-long compendiums from household names, nonfiction works almost a decade in the making, and even a previously-unpublished novel from an American master. Whatever your preference, Esquire's Adrienne Westenfeld has something for everyone here, so get reading, and get back out there. Read More           The 18 Best Lounge Shorts for Taking It as Easy as Humanly Possible   The term "lounge shorts" sounds so, well...self explanatory. Shorts! For lounging! And it's true: That's exactly what we're talking about here. But once you get past that somewhat deceptive simplicity, you realize the issue is a bit more fraught than you may have previously believed. Should you be looking for sweat shorts, those much-beloved counterparts to the sweatpants we've all been living in for the last year? What about stretchy, elastic-waisted chino options? Here's the good news: They're all lounge shorts. The same goes for laidback mesh shorts, multi-pocketed utility shorts, and pretty much any other style you can imagine—so long as the style you imagine isn't too tight, tailored, or taxing to put on. Here are 18 options that will keep you comfortable and relaxed all spring and summer long. Take your pick, and then take it easy. After all, that's the whole point. Read More           The Best Tank Tops Work for Hitting the Gym, Hanging Out, and Everything In Between. Here Are Our Favorites.   It's time to talk tank tops. Many—most, in fact—of the tanks on this list can pull double duty. Wear 'em to work out, then to meet up with friends (remember meeting up with friends!?) afterwards. Thanks to those quick-dry, anti-stink properties, you'll be looking good and feeling fresh when you roll up. Will you get a "sun's out, guns out" comment or two from said friends? Maybe! Or maybe not. But you're a tank-top guy now. You're sleeve-free and feeling top-notch, and you're ready for whatever the world throws at you. Read More           Prince Philip's Final Ride Will Be In a Land Rover He Designed Himself   Prince Philip loved many things: A well-cut suit, a good game of bicycle polo, and Bond, James Bond, the legendary spy he helped break through censors to find a home in the United States. And Land Rovers. Prince Philip really, really loved Land Rovers. He once told the Queen that when he died, "Just stick me in the back of a Land Rover and drive me to Windsor." It looks like Prince Philip will get his wish. Following his death on April 9 at the age of 99, his funeral will take place in the Windsor Castle's chapel this Saturday. The hearse? Instead a traditional horse-drawn carriage carrying his casket, the late prince will ride in none other than a Land Rover he customized himself. It turns out that he's been working on the ride—in tandem with Land Rover, no less—since 2003. The final product is damn impressive, too—and a fitting send off to the Duke of Edinburgh. Read More           The Best Songs of 2021 (So Far)   We've been consuming music in a vacuum for over a year now. There hasn't been the chance to hear a new song at a bar, at a friend's party, or at a club. Instead, we consume what we can find via the Internet. What we hear is recorded—or at the very least performed via livestream. It's different. The great stuff has been able to unite us, physical distance between us be damned. Music has felt essential throughout the last 13 months. It's offered us a short escape, or a way to make sense of our anxieties. In the best instances, an excuse to stand up and push aside the furniture and just move. And perhaps in a year or in a few months, we'll hear some of these songs and be instantly transported to this time and this place, for better or worse. What we do know, is that, for right now, these are the songs getting us through whatever stage of These Times we find ourselves in. Whether it's the escape of Silk Sonic or confronting the looming crisis of climate change with The Weather Station, this is the music we love most, right now. With new voices like Olivia Rodrigo and new subgenres from South Africa or bold statements from Lil Nas X, these are the best songs of 2021 so far. Read More           Lodge's Upgraded Cast Iron Skillet—Now With Even More Character—Hits Every Mark   Lodge's Upgraded Cast Iron Skillet—Now With Even More Character—Hits Every Mark Dek: This cast iron skillet comes with a backstory. All cookware should, shouldn't it? So you can use it to make meals that provide the backdrop for more stories? In this case, it's a story of honoring roots. Lodge, the foundry America has trusted with cast iron since the early days of cowboying and sizzled meat, was originally called Blacklock; that's what Joseph Lodge named it when he founded it in Tennessee in 1896. A hundred and twenty-five years later, Blacklock is Lodge, and Lodge is a company to whom heritage means something. So it crafted and released a special line of cast iron called Blacklock—a circle made full. The Blacklock line falls in that sweet spot between cheap Lodge classic cast iron and upper-echelon-of-cookware cast iron from the likes of Smithey. It has more character, like the vintage cast iron you may've been hunting down. It's good stuff. Read More         Read More on Esquire.com       Follow Us     Unsubscribe  Privacy Notice   esquire.com ©2021 Hearst Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hearst Email Privacy, 300 W 57th St., Fl. 19 (sta 1-1), New York, NY 10019