Needing the gift of escapism even more than ever, I set a goal of 37 books in 2025, with the idea being to focus on longer, deeper books. However, I ended up reading 41 in all, to the tune of 15,937 pages (more than 1,200 pages more than the previous year), with the shortest book checking in at 128 pages and the longest at 1,318.
As always, I went back and forth a bit on my top five, and as a general note, I was fortunate enough to find a number of tremendous non-fiction books this year.
Without further ado ...
1. "The End of the Myth," by Greg GrandinWhat I Say Now:
Grandin does meticulous research in outlining the chronology of the nation's founding. By documenting our country's long reliance on myths and brutality, the author unequivocally decimates the entire concept of American exceptionalism.
Passages to Remember:
“It’s America’s new myth, a monument to the final closing of the frontier. It is a symbol of a nation that used to believe that it had escaped history, or at least strode atop history, but now finds itself trapped by history, and of a people who used to think they were captains of the future, but now are prisoners of the past.”
“There’s nothing united about these States anymore, except Standard Oil and discontent. We’re no longer a small people living and dying for a great idea; we’re a big people living and dying for money.”
~Owen Wister
“Increasingly politicized elites began to invest vast sums in any intellectual, lawyer, economist, or philosopher willing to tell them they were the new pioneers, that the individual was the sole source of virtue, the only creator of value, that the world was divided between makers and takers, that market solutions were the only effective solutions, and that new economic frontiers were always open to conquest.”
What I Say Now:
One of my favorite authors, Johnson created this profound, absorbing short-story collection for a posthumous publication. The work captures a true American treasure’s brilliance just after his death.
Passages to Remember:
“Before long, we wandered into a discussion of the difference between repentance and regret. You repent the things you’ve done, and regret the chances you let get away.”
~“The Largesse of the Sea Maiden”
“That’s what we gotta do is get down to just one story, the true person we are, and live it all the way out.”
~“The Starlight of Idaho”
“Have I loved my wife? We’ve gotten along. We’ve never felt like congratulating ourselves.”
~“The Largesse of the Sea Maiden”
What I Say Now:
Thrall has built a devastating tale of what's required to eke out a life amidst fraught Palestinian-Jewish interactions. Out of respect for the subject matter, his prose is straightforward and succinct, but his work should be required reading within the current geopolitical climate.
Passages to Remember:
“We do not see our hand in what happens, so we call certain events melancholy accidents when they are the inevitabilities of our projects, and we call other events necessities merely because we will not change our minds.”
~Stanley Cavell
“‘You’ve turned our autonomy into a prison for us,’ the lead Palestinian negotiator, Abu Ala, said.”
What I Say Now:
Green evokes an absorbing sentimentality through is depiction of an Alabama boarding school that serves as the setting for coming-of-age misfits dealing with grief and love. Yes, this is technically a YA book, but I make absolutely zero apologies for ranking it here.
Passages to Remember:
“She didn’t leave me enough to discover her, but she left me enough to rediscover the Great Perhaps.”
“‘Oh, they suck,’ replied the Colonel. ‘But we always beat the shit out of the deaf-and-blind school.’”
“She taught me everything I knew about crawfish and kissing and pink wine and poetry. She made me different.”
“So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane.”
“He was gone, and I did not have time to tell him what I had just now realized: that I forgave him, and that she forgave us, and that we had to forgive to survive in the labyrinth. There were so many of us who would have to live with things done and things left undone that day. Things that did not go right, things that seemed okay at the time because we could not see the future. If only we could see the endless string of consequences that result from our smallest actions. But we can’t know better until knowing better is useless.”
What I Say Now:
Stunning Norway is the setting for Rebanks's non-fiction depiction of a dying tradition being upheld by a force of nature. The author weaves his personal challenges into the experience, making for a rich and emotional read.
Passages to Remember:
“I couldn’t stop thinking about the old woman on the rocks … It was like someone had shown me a few lines of a truly great book and then closed the covers tight shut.”
“She had built herself out of the old stories, as had each generation before her, and now those who told them were dying out. Sometimes, in the days that followed, if Anna told me a story and I didn’t scribble it down she would look at me like maybe I hadn’t understood its importance, and would glance at the paper as if I ought to record it.”
“Our lives are a series of choices – about what we do, and don’t do. Over time we decide what to let go of, what must die, and what we will fight to keep alive. Sometimes these are big, deliberate decisions, other times change happens in a thousand thoughtless little moments.”
“Anna reminded me that the first rule of living is to live. To see, hear, smell, touch, and taste the world. The more I tuned in, the closer Anna and I were growing as friends. I was beginning a journey back to the person I had once been – and needed to be again.”
“Anna’s example was simple: if we are to save the world, we have to start somewhere. We just have to do one damn thing after another. Hers was a small kind of heroism, but it was the most powerful kind. The kind that saves us. We all have to go to work in our own communities, in our own landscapes. We have to show up day in, day out, for years and years, doing the work. There will be no brass band, no parade. And we have to accept and keep the faith in each other, and somehow work together. It is the only way we can make our own tiny deeds add up to become the change we all need.”
Narrow Misses (in 15 words or less):
"Vera, or Faith," by Gary Shteyngart: Hysterical, gut-wrenching look at contemporary politics and how technology compromises what passes for culture.
"Barbarian Days," by William Finnegan: Melodic, mystic autobiography details the author’s quixotic search for the perfect, unexplored wave–and peace.
"Montpelier Parade," by Karl Geary: Stark, oppressive look at two sides of same Dublin, through the eyes of futureless Sonny.
"Foster," by Claire Keegan: Tale of the bond between neglected niece and caregivers in rural Ireland is devastatingly emotional.
"The Intuitionist," by Colson Whitehead: Memorable debut of generation-defining novelist is a many-genred racial allegory with compelling characters.
"Down and Out in Paris and London," by George Orwell: Seedy underbelly of two of world's most renowned cities revealed in tragic, stark, hysterical memoir.
"Master and Margarita," by Andrei Bulgakov: Subversive, posthumous work uses a satanic presence to offer satirical takedown of Moscow, Russian society.
"Isola," by Allegra Goodman: Privileged orphan suffers abuse, imprisonment, and abandonment, finding her spiritual center in a harsh environment.
"An Oral History of Atlantis," by Ed Park: Short-story collection feels like fever dream shot through with social commentary, ennui, and hilarity.
"Stranger in a Strange Land," by Robert A. Heinlein: Dense, intriguing sci-fi adventure loses steam as it devolves into commentary on religion, sexuality.
Honorable Mention (in 10 words or less):
"A Really Strange and Wonderful Time," by Tom Maxwell: Triangle takes center stage in meticulously researched indie-music memoir.
"Tentacle," by Rita Indiana: Queer politics, other social issues clash in short, challenging book.
"Rogues," by Patrick Radden Keefe: Meticulous researcher displays investigative gifts in collection of finest work.
"The Freaks Came Out to Write," by Tricia Romano: Dizzying number of interviews document definitive counterculture institution Village Voice.
"The Hum," by Helen Phillips: Poignant tale of budding AI terror diminished by slow pacing.
"The Boys of Riverside," by Thomas Fuller: Dedicated group of deaf boys embrace challenges, win state title.
"1Q84," by Haruki Murakami: Sprawling tale crosses worlds, but undercut by repetition, distracting fetishizing.
"The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2024," edited by S.A. Cosby: Memorable collection of short stories boasts unique formats, styles, themes.
"Rebel Hearts: Journey Within the IRA's Soul," by Kevin Toolis: Painstaking research into history of the Troubles, impact of violence.
"The End of the World As We Know it: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand," edited by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene: Ambitious tales set in Stephen King's world. to varying effectiveness.
"Lazarus Man," by Richard Price: NYC takes the fore in tale of atonement, hope, community.
Notable (in 7 words or less):
"On Air," by Steve Oney: NPR's origin story is dense and invaluable.
"Everybody Knows," by Jordan Harper: Hollywood noir showcases underdogs toppling fixed game.
"On the Hippie Trail," by Rick Steves: Global trek as coming-of-age story.
"Brothers," by Alex Van Halen: Emotional tale of brotherhood overcomes sudden ending.
"Where the Line Bleeds," by Jesmyn Ward: Barren Gulf Coast features twins finding identity.
"CivilWarLand in Bad Decline," by George Saunders: Depressing, confusing short stories reveal future satirist.
"Never Flinch," by Stephen King: Holly Gibney, killer, stalker converge in Ohio.
"The Geek Way," by Andrew McAfee: Can speed, science, openness foster change, culture?
"The Emergency," by George Packer: Satirical parable worthy read for current moment.
"King of Ashes," by S.A. Cosby: Formulaic Southern noir gives what it promises.
"Black Woods Blue Sky," by Eowyn Ivey: Girl's connection to a mysterious Alaskan creature.
The Rest (in 5 words or less):
"Creation Lake," by Rachel Kushner: Weak protagonist sinks promising premise.
"Talent," by Tyler Cowen and Daniel Gross: Iffy role models undercut theme.
"Kill Joy," by Holly Jackson: Fun prequel set in Scotland.
"The Reappearance of Rachel Price," by Holly Jackson: Coincidence, formula deter YA tale.
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