2025 Book List
What a great year of reading. True crime, horror, history, science fiction, historical fiction, mysteries. It was all great. Ken Follett’s “Pillars of the Earth” series was the highlight of the year. I loved every part of that series and didn’t want it to end. I’m excited for all the books that await in 2026.
“Ten Birds That Changed The World” by Stephen Moss - This book was pretty much exactly what I hoped it would be and included lots of world and natural history that tied nature to certain events throughout history. Just super interesting and fun to read.
“The Silence of the Lambs” by Thomas Harris - Kindle - Great book even though I’ve seen the movie a thousand times. Hannibal Lecter is an amazing character, although I wonder if I would think he was as creepy if I had only read the book and never seen Anthony Hopkins portray him on the big screen.
“The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle - My buddy Tom told me about this book, and I’m pretty sure he changed my whole life. This past 18 months was hard on my mental psyche, and the principles and techniques outlined in this book have helped me get some peace. Highly recommend.
“A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle - Another great Tolle book that I will revisit again and again. Really made me think about my ego, what really matters, and what defines me as a person.
“Framed” by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey - Outstanding book with ten independent chapters featuring stories of wrongful convictions. Books like this are crucial in understanding the fallibility of our justice system. Highly recommend.
“Hannibal” by Thomas Harris - Kindle - I tore through this book and really enjoyed it. Some of the descriptions of Italian art and architecture got kind of old, but this book delivered every bit of gruesomeness a person would want in the Hannibal Lecter series.
“Hannibal Rising” by Thomas Harris - Kindle - I’m a sucker for a good prequel, and this one did not disappoint. This book provides some interesting backstory on Hannibal Lecter with the bonus of some historical fiction mixed in. So glad I finally read this series.
“The Moonshiner’s Daughter” by Donna Everhart - Kindle - This was an unexpectedly great book that I stumbled upon in the free Prime Reading books section of the Kindle bookstore. The title gives you the gist of what the book is about, and the main character had a lot of soul and struggles that pulled at my heartstrings. Highly recommend.
“The Want-Ad Killer” by Ann Rule - Kindle - Hard to go wrong with a true crime book from Ann Rule. Great book on kind of a bold serial killer from the 1970s. Unreal some of the shit a person could get away with back then.
“Blind Faith” by Joe McGinniss - Excellent true crime book from 1980s New Jersey. Centered around one of those families that looks perfect in the public eye, but has all kinds of issues. True crime fans will enjoy this one.
“Scores” by Michael D. Blutrich - Kindle - Highly entertaining book about a Manhattan strip club and dealing with the Mafia. Heard about this one from one of my favorite podcasts, and it did not disappoint.
“A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey - I remember people reading this Oprah’s book club selection back when I was in college, but I had no idea it was about addiction and a guy’s journey through rehab. I really enjoyed the story and characters.
“The Greatest Nobodies of History” by Adrian Bliss - Kindle - This book was absolutely hilarious. Kind of a goofy world history using ten different chapters and plenty of artistic license by the author. Fun, easy, and educational.
“Finders Keepers” by Stephen King - This was a fun and easy book in the Detective Bill Hodges trilogy (“Mr. Mercedes” is the first book and “End of Watch” is the third). It’s cool to see King writing some classic detective stories devoid of fantasy and otherworldly horror.
“End of Watch” by Stephen King - After reading “Finders Keepers” I just had to finish the Detective Bill Hodges trilogy. This was a great book and a fitting end to a fun series. It was a bit more paranormal than the first two books in the series. Really enjoyable.
“The Devil is Here in These Hills: West Virginia’s Coal Miners and Their Battle for Freedom” by James Green - Kindle - Great book about the growth of the West Virginia mining industry and the largely unknown labor wars in that region. Just a super interesting American history book that sheds insights on the formation of unions and industrial labor.
“The Mysterious Affair at Styles” by Agatha Christie - Kindle - Fun little whodunnit with the very enjoyable character of Detective Hercule Poirot on the investigation. Highly recommend if you want an easy and light read.
“The Crusades” by Thomas Asbridge - Just an amazing nonfiction book that made a complicated part of world history accessible and enjoyable to the reader. Highly recommend.
“And the Mountains Echoed” by Khaled Hosseini - Kindle - Like “The Kite Runner” and “A Thousand Splendid Suns” this book will teach you a bit about Afghanistan while providing several plot lines that pull at your heart strings. Solid read.
“The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett - Kindle - This first book of Follett’s “Kingsbridge” series could be considered historical fiction set in 11th and 12th century England. Truly one of the best, most epic fiction books I have ever read with well-developed characters and interesting information about life in that era. I didn’t want it to end and am excited to get started on the next book in the series. Highly recommend.
“World Without End” by Ken Follett - Kindle - The second book of the Kingsbridge series, and every bit as enjoyable as the first (see #19). I’m all in on this series and can’t wait to start on the next book. Highly recommend.
“A Column of Fire” by Ken Follett - Kindle - Another great saga from the Kingsbridge series. This historical fiction book highlights the Catholic-Protestant religious turmoil across Europe in the 16th century. A great read.
“The Evening and the Morning” by Ken Follett - Kindle - This is the fourth book in the Kingsbridge series, but it was written as a prequel to the entire series. Fantastic and fun addition to the series.
“The Armor of Light” by Ken Follett - Kindle - The fifth and final book in the Kingsbridge series. I was excited to get through it, but also didn’t want it to end. Would absolutely read more installments in this series. I loved every minute of this series.
“She Throws Herself Forward to Stop the Fall” by Dave Newman - Great collection of short stories. Classic Dave Newman with gritty characters based in and around Pittsburgh.
“How to Live Like Li Po in Pittsburgh” by Dave Newman - Almost like a memoir told through short stories. Enjoyed reading more about Newman’s life.
“My Friend Leonard” by James Frey - Great follow-up to “A Million Little Pieces” (#11 on this list). This is a work of fiction, but it was fun to read the spin-off of characters from Frey’s previous book.
“We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families” by Philip Gourevitch - Kindle - Super interesting but very heavy book about the Rwandan genocide from the mid-90s. An important reminder about what happens when huge parts of a population start to “other” their fellow citizens.
“Holly” by Stephen King - Awesome addition to King’s Holly Gibney series, which reads like a fictional detective novel rather than King’s usual fantasy horror stuff. Be aware that this was written at the height of Covid, so there is a lot of 2021-era bullshit sprinkled into the story.
“Deadwood” by Peter Cozzens - Kindle - Outstanding book about a fascinating piece of U.S. history. Fans of the HBO series of the same name will love this book.
“Interview with the Vampire” by Anne Rice - Kindle - I’m not disappointed I read this book, but I was not super impressed. Lots of talking without much action. Maybe I just missed the whole point. Or maybe I just had higher hopes.
“Needful Things” by Stephen King - Classic King tale based in Castle Rock, Maine. I don’t think a King fan could dislike this one. Solid part of the universe.
“How the Post Office Created America” by Winifred Gallagher - Kindle - Great book about one of America’s greatest, albeit much-maligned institutions. Really made me think about the services of the Post Office currently and historically. Highly recommend.
“Thunderstruck” by Erik Larson - Kindle - Like every other Larson book I have read, this one was fantastic. Larson always weaves unique pieces of history together to tell a fascinating narrative nonfiction story. In this case, it was the discovery of telegraphy and a seemingly totally innocuous doctor from, of all places, Coldwater, Michigan. Highly recommend. Also, see “Devil in the White City” and “Dead Wake”.
“The Talisman” by Stephen King and Peter Straub - A tale about an epic journey with plenty of mysticism and alternate reality. Not my favorite King book, but worth the read.
“The Bronx Zoo” by Sparky Lyle and Peter Golenbock - Kindle - Fascinating book written through Sparky’s diary during the 1978 Yankees season. Lots of inside baseball and entertaining characters. Kind of reminded me of Jerry Kramer’s “Instant Replay” book.
“Red Rising” by Pierce Brown - Kindle - Great sci-fi book with a real Hunger Games bent to it. A friend recommended this book, and now I’m pretty much hooked on the series. I have not read a ton of science fiction and/or fantasy, but this book kept me entertained.
“Golden Son” by Pierce Brown - Kindle - Excellent second book of the Red Rising series. The ending made me excited to dive into the next one.