Book List of 2025

I often wonder how many books I read in a year. My goal is usually one a month or so. So here I’ll list the books I’ve read this year and update it through the remainder of the year. I may miss a few books I read earlier on, so next year’s list will likely be more comprehensive. Of course, I’m also the kind of person who starts a book and leaves it on the windowsill atop two other books with bookmarks made of post-its or slivers of paper.

I’m interested to see how this list develops, as it likely will share a secret or two about who I am. I often consider myself a historical fiction or non-fiction reader. Perhaps this view of myself will change. In the past, I read a lot about the Civil War and most of Tom Clancy’s fiction work. Jeff Shaara is an author of excellent historical fiction. We’ll see how this year goes with reading.

If you choose to purchase one of the books, please consider using the links provided. They’re associated with my Amazon Affiliates account. No extra cost to you…maybe a few cents sent my way.

• With Students: Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
  Next year, I may choose other books for 8th Grade English. I’ll likely keep Diary of a Young Girl, but too many of my students had already read The Outsiders. Instead, I’ve been pondering A Series of Unfortunate Events.
• The Stand by Stephen King
  A government-made virus wipes out most of the population, leaving behind a scattered handful of survivors who are pulled toward two opposing forces: good and evil, literally. It’s post-apocalyptic, but with a strong spiritual spine and a cast of characters that somehow all feel familiar. Despite its length, I finished this book rather quickly. That tends to be the case with King: you can’t put the book down. The show, based on the novel, is decent.
• 4 3 2 1 by Paul Aster
  One boy lives four parallel lives. We follow Archie Ferguson down diverging paths shaped by small twists of fate. The result is a fascinating narrative about identity, history, and the butterfly effects of growing up in mid-century America. I really enjoyed this book! Archie’s lives felt relevant and endearing.
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
  Four college friends navigate adulthood in New York, but one of them, Jude, carries the deepest scars. The book is brutal and relentless. It’s a commitment, but it’s also unforgettable. This book, I’ll admit, took two attempts to get through. But once I reached the end, it felt worth it.
• Binge by Douglas Coupland
  A collection of quick-hit stories that feel like scrolling through a stranger’s internet history. Coupland connects many of the stories to show the different perspectives of the same event. I had started this last year, but just finished it. This is a book you could read in a weekend or even a day.
• Clash of Eagles by Alan Smale
  The first book of a trilogy: The Roman Empire never fell, and now it’s sending legions into North America, where it meets a fierce and unexpected resistance from Native cultures. Think alternate history. After finishing the first book in a week, I returned to Twice Told Tales in Farmington to buy the two other books in the series.
• Eagle in Exile by Alan Smale
  Book two of the trilogy. I shan’t ruin a story here. However, I will say that I love the way Smale weaves the cultures of various Native tribes, in addition to the Roman way of life. The second book is just as attention-grabbing as the first. How the trilogy will end draws me to the last book.
• Eagle and Empire by Alan Smale
  Well, that’s the trilogy! It’s been a great sneak into an alternative universe where Roma marches on. This series might be an excellent target for adaptation to a limited series. What I really like about this series is that the main character is not infallible — he makes mistakes and he gets hurt. Highly recommend this series!
• Nobody’s Perfect by Woody Hanstein
  Woody, a lawyer, taught one of my college courses about Maine Law. It was a great three-hour class once a week. One time, he brought us to the Franklin Courthouse, and we practiced cross-examination techniques. This collection of stories stems from his experience in law. The stories are fun, short, and full of plot twists. I found this copy at Twice Told Sales in Farmington; I’m not sure where else you may find it. Happy to share my copy!
• First Friends by Gary Ginsberg
  There are studies on the influence of First Ladies and members of cabinets. This is the first book I’ve heard of that details the relationship between presidents and their friends. Ginsberg begins with Thomas Jefferson and his friend, James Madison. That connection is well known by some, but the stories that follow are fascinating. Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed, FDR and Daisy Suckley, and Bill Clinton and Vernon Jordan. These are the chapters I enjoyed the most –learned the most. For folks interested in presidential history, this book is for you.
• A Great and Noble Scheme by John Mack Faragher
  This is an excellent source book on the upsetting case of the deportation of the Acadians in 1755. Filled with references, quotes, and clear depictions of events, Faragher tells the story from the French arrival in Nouvelle France in 1604. He also includes how the tragic expulsion was used as the basis for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1847 Evangeline, as well as other more contemporary references to the unfortunate history. The information is dense but fascinating.