No. 6. My Favorite Books of the Year (So Far)
Some mid-year favorites, rereads, and themes from my library.
I’ve had a heavy reading year, from inhaling escapism in January while finishing book revisions to not touching a speck of modern literature while going through [redacted publishing process.] July is usually my highest number-wise because I tear through so many at the lake. See:
As copied from my read in 2025 page, I’ve noticed some themes across my year overall:
endurance, fatigue, physical limitation, and exhaustion — see: John Muir, Erling Kagge, Peter Matthiessen, Bonnie Tsui, Dick Couch, etc.
the process of translation & the impossibility of verbal precision — Murakami, Emily Wilson, DFW, etc.
various writers tackling craft — Bird by Bird, On Writing, etc.
reverence for nature, the outdoors, and what we lose when we don't seek out real-life experience — Nicholas Carr, The Anxious Generation, The Nature Fix, etc.
the tension between self-reliance and connection (or individual vs. collective identity) — How to Be Multiple, Kate Murphy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Steinbeck, Amanda Montell, etc.
the futility of our silly desire to control and optimize everything — Daniel Levitin, Oliver Burkeman, etc.
wildcard: hockey and cowboy romances — Lyla Sage, Stephanie Archer, etc.
my own debut novel at least a dozen times within the span of two months (but that’s cheating)
Which means it’s time for some mid-year favorites.1
