Books I read (and those I gave up on) in 2025
I read some absolutely fantastic books this year. Although it's not a numbers game, in some ways, I'm disappointed with the number of books I started overall (30) and those I finished (18).
Some of those I didn't finish took up quite a bit of my time. For example, I got more than half way through the tome that is Don Quixote before giving up.
Most of my daily reading is online and consists of blog posts and articles. Usually I'm scanning these for useful information and so, as I realised after coming across this post a few days ago, this means also end up also reading too quickly for pleasure.
So, with my current book, Flights by Olga Tokarczuk. I've slowed right down, meaning it will definitely last me into the new year. As a result, I can confidently list the books I've read in 2025.
Books I finished
Here are the books that I completed this year, in order of the rating I gave them on literal.club. The book symbol indicates I've read it before, and clicking on the links will take you to my short review (no spoilers!)
- Gulag by Anne Applebaum – 5/5 ★★★★★
- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig – 5/5 ★★★★★ 🕮
- The Jeeves Omnibus by P.G. Wodehouse – 5/5 ★★★★★ 🕮
- Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter – 4.5/5 ★★★★⯪
- Russia by Martin Sixsmith – 4.5/5 ★★★★⯪
- Jeeves and the King of Clubs by Ben Schott – 4.5/5 ★★★★⯪
- Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter – 4/5 ★★★★
- The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk – 4/5 ★★★★
- The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman – 4/5 ★★★★
- The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman – 4/5 ★★★★
- The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman – 4/5 ★★★★
- Enchantment by Katherine May – 3.5/5 ★★★⯪
- Jeeves and the Leap of Faith by Ben Schot – 3.5/5 ★★★⯪
- The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman – 3.5/5 ★★★⯪
- The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – 3.5/5 ★★★⯪
- The Overstory by Richard Powers – 3/5 ★★★
- Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age by Raphael Cormack – 3/5 ★★★
- The Stone Raft by José Saramago – 3/5 ★★★
- A History of Ambiguity by Anthony Ossa-Richardson – 3/5 ★★★
Books I didn't finish
Now let's talk about the books I didn't finish. Some I'd read before and, for one reason or another, decided to give up re-reading them. However, the fact that I even considered returning to them suggests I enjoyed them the first time around:
- Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks 🕮
- The Jeeves Omnibus, Vol. 3 by P.G. Wodehouse 🕮
- Lila by Robert M. Pirsig 🕮
- The Joke by Milan Kundera 🕮
Another list of books I didn't finish is those I may come back to in future. I might not have been in the right frame of mind at the time, or I may have started reading something else, or perhaps it's because I lost context or the plot thread. These books include:
- American Ghosts and Old World Wonders by Angela Carter
- To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf,
- A Room with a View by E. M. Forster
- We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
- Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Unamuno.
Finally, there are those books that I put down for a reason and don't intend to pick up again. Those were:
- How to Read Donald Duck by Ariel Dorfman
- Rest Is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
- Pragmatism by John R. Shook
Next year's reading
Sometimes, I discover an author and read as much of their work as possible. A good example this year would be Richard Osman, who I dismissed as a mere 'popular' author, but whose books (and podcast) are insightful, funny, and well put-together. Most of the time, though, I just pick whatever takes my fancy.
I usually read in the evening on my A4-size e-reader. but one of the things I'd like to do in 2026 is read more physical books. One of the benefits of this is that you can pass on those you enjoy to others. I've got plenty of credit at Barter Books so I think I'm due a trip to stock up.
Other than serendipitous finds, I've currently got 194 books on my want to read list – along with some excellent ones I was gifted for Christmas. So I've plenty to keep me going!