I got “2061: Odyssey three” as a gift but I didn’t read first two books. Can I start with 2061 or should I read 2001 and 2010 first?
You will absolutely not understand what’s going on in #3.
That being said, the books aren’t perfect sequels to each other, so don’t expect exacting continuity.
Have you seen the movies? That could be a basis for reading the 3rd book, but it’s been so long I don’t remember any details that you would miss.