Booklist / 2025

 // 2025 BOOKLIST //

A quick recap of my reading year.

Not too many five stars, but still a handful of good ones overall.

Total: 43 

(fiction: 24 / nonfiction: 18)

Audio: 23

DNF: quite a few

Also made it through the Old Testament

(On audio alongside the Bible Recap)

Five Stars:

Stoner

John Williams / 1965 / fiction

A beautiful read that punched me right in the heart.

Thoroughly Enjoyed:

Me Talk Pretty One Day

David Sedaris / 2000 / non-fiction, audio

I listened to this one twice this year. 

A few of these essays really cracked me up.

A Thousand Feasts

Nigel Slater / 2024 / non-fiction

A little comfort book to enjoy a page at a time. 

Thoughtful & beautiful.

Also read his memoir, Toast.

Notable:

Bird by Bird

Anne Lamott / 1994 / non-fiction

Overdue for me & a good one.

Chock-full of wisdom on the human condition.

The End of Loneliness

Benedict Wells / 2016 / fiction 

Caught me off guard a little. Quite poignant. 

Would re-read.

Good Memoirs:

(Engaging, all great audio)

Awake

All the Way to the River

Happy Go Lucky

We Did Okay, Kid

Classics:

Little Women (re-listen, enjoyed)

The Bell Jar (not so much)

East of Eden 

(didn’t love it as much as I wanted to but still enjoyed. Probably would’ve been good to talk about it more in depth with someone)

Honourable Mention / Blast from the Past:

Cat's Eye

Margaret Atwood / 1988 / fiction

A re-visit from my youth! 

Was still quite good. Very Atwood.

I've waited years for a decent paperback copy & they finally made one which Joel gifted to me this year.

Most Read Author:

David Sedaris

I listened to six of his books at random & had a good time getting to know him & his family. Kind of fun to put the pieces together. He’s quite a character in a family of characters. At times poignant, at times bizarre, occasionally profane & often hilarious. All non-fiction (essay & memoir).

Best in Kids:

On the Banks of Plum Creek

Laura Ingalls Wilder / 1937

My current favourite in the series. 

Listened to on our way to Calgary at Christmas. 

Also re-listened to

The Terrible Two series

on our summer road trip.

What the kids were reading…

Asher - a lot of Alan Gratz

Edie - the Mysterious Benedict Society series

James & Davie - listening to the Ramona & Henry series on repeat, the first couple Laura books & lot’s of Circle Round podcast.

Asher & I started The Lord of the Rings which we listen to just a little bit at a time together so it will take us a while but we’re still at it so far.

//

"When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose & their truths, & make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored. We are given a shot at clapping along with the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over & over again."

Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott