Hello! This is my first time on the substack! I'm reading All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It's so beautiful and I'm really enjoying it. I find it's been a while since I've read a book with such a heavy subject matter. Sometimes I dodge them because reading needs to be relaxing for me, but this one is so beautiful it softens the difficult topic (that's not to say it romanticises or glosses over the horrors of war, just intersperses those horrors with beauty).
I'm also obsessively collating ideas for other books I'd like to read this year and already have a long tbr. I'm signed off work with a hand injury for the next month so plenty of reading time!
Loved that book. It was a surprise to me too, that I fell into it so quickly, due to the daughter's disability. I didn't expect her to become the protagonist. And it covers so much of the emotional side of war. I actually really like WWII books. This one was tops. Happy reading while you're recovering!
I totally relate. I loved that book so much more than I expected ( I resisted starting it because I thought it would be too heavy for my mood. I’m glad my book club chose it or I’d have missed out!)
My wife suggested this book, as she read it in 2015. ‘Howard’s End is on the Landing’ written by Susan Hill is a memoir in which in her search around her house for a certain book, she realized there were many books she had never read in her personal library. She decided to take a year and only read books that were in her house. She lists the final 40 as an appendix. I love this idea since I have over 1,500 books at home that I haven’t read. But I can’t go cold turkey on new books, for I work part-time in retirement at an Indie book shop and need to read ARCs to recommend to customers, I have made a resolution that for every ‘new title’ brought into the house over 2025 (which I will read), I will read 3 books that already were in our home on January 1st.
I used to work in a bookstore. It was a policy that employees could take a book home for free, read it and bring it back in excellent condition. If damaged, you had to buy the book. I was able to read a book a week. It was the best "library" to work in. I was also introduced to many authors that I never knew existed.
I think of this book every time I go up the stairs in my house and the books are teetering! I loved this book and never met anyone else who ever read it. I read all her books. I make a resolution every year to read what I have. Not going so well. I will see if I can follow your rule!
What a great idea! I have also resolved to read at least 50% backlist again this year (I accomplished that last year) but also that I will read 70 books from my own library.
I've started with The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi. I've been listening to her podcast for a while now, but have yet to get around to reading the book. So what better time than the beginning of the year! *Fingers crossed* for a lazy genius 2025! :D
Yes! I've started it, too! Plus, I bought The Lazy Genius Kitchen, too. I heard about Kendra Adachi & her books/podcast on The Minimal Mom (Dawn Madsen) on YouTube. Here's hoping these books will make a real difference in our lives!
I just finished A Walk in the Park - The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure In the Grand Canyon. Throughly enjoyed - talk about a Strong Sense of Place! The author, Kevin Fedarko, definitely takes you along for the journey - the struggle, the challenge, the fortitude, as well as the awe and wonder of the Grand Canyon.
That’s one of my major tbr’s for 2025! Have you read Fedarko’s first book, The Emerald Mile? Also about the Grand Canyon; an attempt to set the speed record boating the Colorado River. But the book was SO much more than that…I came away with a much fuller understanding of the canyon itself. He is an excellent narrative nonfiction writer!
No, I have not. Thank you for the recommendation. We’ve done a lot of boating on Lake Powell, but I’ve not come across that book. I look forward to reading it.
My aim this year is to read the 'other' books written by authors I love. For example I've read White Fang more than a dozen times, it's one of my favourite books of all time but aside from Call of the Wild I haven't read any other London. I just finished Stalky & Co by Rudyard Kipling. It's about 3 school boys at a public school in Devon who, according to their own creed of conduct, wage cunning and subtle war on whoever gets in their way. It's pretty funny and clever but jam packed with slang popular at the turn of the last century.
I hope The Frozen River is made into an on-screen adaptation, it would be amazing! Did you know there’s a book about the real Margaret Fuller? I bought it last winter after I devoured The Frozen River, but I haven’t read it yet…
I'm enjoying one of Mel's favorites - The Historian by Eliabeth Kostova. SO exciting and I'm almost finished ! And thanks also for your Christmas crimes recommendations. I love the Shedunnit podcasts and read through the collections of shorts in Silent Nights. So glad you enjoyed your holidays and even more glad that you're back ! Blessings in 2025.
This is Happiness by Niall Williams. Saw it on a friends table & inquired. She had read it twice & her husband read it aloud once. I borrowed it & am doing the same! Beautiful.
That was a favorite of mine the year it came out. He has a new book, Time of the Child, that was released in November 2024. From what I understand, it's not a sequel, but is set in the same town. It's on my TBR for this month and I can't wait to return to Faha.
For Dave - may I suggest a pairing? I'm a children's librarian and I just picked up "Believe in the World: Wisdom for Grown-Ups from Children's Books," edited by Eleanor Davis and Amy Gash. It's a lovely collection, organized by theme of quotations from children's books - quick snippets that are perfect for waiting for your tea to steep.
I'm going to be picking up "The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman" by Nancy Marie Brown and pairing it with "Madsi the True" by S.J. Taylor, a middle grade historical fantasy set in Norway.
Gaskell's North and South is one of my all-time favorites...and winter seems like the perfect time for a re-read, then re-watching the mini-series with Richard Armitage (swoooon)
I finished reading Hannah Coulter a few days into the new year. What a beautiful book to both end and start a year! I’m glad I finally took it off my TBR pile and will definitely read it again.
I'm reading The Pearl by John Steinbeck. I read it over 20 years ago but am picking it up again because I've been invited to join a book club and this is current month selection. I remember nothing about it from the first reading. I'm really enjoying the fable-like telling of the story so far.
Hello! This is my first time on the substack! I'm reading All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It's so beautiful and I'm really enjoying it. I find it's been a while since I've read a book with such a heavy subject matter. Sometimes I dodge them because reading needs to be relaxing for me, but this one is so beautiful it softens the difficult topic (that's not to say it romanticises or glosses over the horrors of war, just intersperses those horrors with beauty).
I'm also obsessively collating ideas for other books I'd like to read this year and already have a long tbr. I'm signed off work with a hand injury for the next month so plenty of reading time!
Loved that book. It was a surprise to me too, that I fell into it so quickly, due to the daughter's disability. I didn't expect her to become the protagonist. And it covers so much of the emotional side of war. I actually really like WWII books. This one was tops. Happy reading while you're recovering!
Make sure to watch the film adaptation once you’ve finished the book.
I’d definitely read the book first. There were some changes in the film version.
I love All The Light We Cannot See! It has some of the most magical prose I've ever read.
Such a beautifully written novel! One of my favorites.
I loved the streaming series even more!
That's good to hear. I've been hesitant to watch since I enjoyed the book so much.
I also have read this book and saw the movie. The book was a good read. But the movie was different. A few things were changed but it turned out okay.
I totally relate. I loved that book so much more than I expected ( I resisted starting it because I thought it would be too heavy for my mood. I’m glad my book club chose it or I’d have missed out!)
I love that book so much!
My wife suggested this book, as she read it in 2015. ‘Howard’s End is on the Landing’ written by Susan Hill is a memoir in which in her search around her house for a certain book, she realized there were many books she had never read in her personal library. She decided to take a year and only read books that were in her house. She lists the final 40 as an appendix. I love this idea since I have over 1,500 books at home that I haven’t read. But I can’t go cold turkey on new books, for I work part-time in retirement at an Indie book shop and need to read ARCs to recommend to customers, I have made a resolution that for every ‘new title’ brought into the house over 2025 (which I will read), I will read 3 books that already were in our home on January 1st.
I used to work in a bookstore. It was a policy that employees could take a book home for free, read it and bring it back in excellent condition. If damaged, you had to buy the book. I was able to read a book a week. It was the best "library" to work in. I was also introduced to many authors that I never knew existed.
I think of this book every time I go up the stairs in my house and the books are teetering! I loved this book and never met anyone else who ever read it. I read all her books. I make a resolution every year to read what I have. Not going so well. I will see if I can follow your rule!
What a great idea! I have also resolved to read at least 50% backlist again this year (I accomplished that last year) but also that I will read 70 books from my own library.
What a neat concept for a book and for a reading plan for you!
I am reading Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, and am loving it so far. I really enjoyed his Covenant of Water which I read in 2024.
Covenant of Water is on my books to read list.
I’m reading Still Life by Sarah Winman at Mel’s recommendation. Loving it so far!
This is one of my all-time favourites! ❤️
Enjoy! I read that this past year. It’s wonderful.
One of my top reads ever as well!
I read Still Life a couple of months ago, also on Mel's recommendation, and I'm so glad I did! Glad you're loving it too
I listened to Sarah Winman’s Still Life in December (read brilliantly by the author) and was blown away! Sooo beautiful.
I've started with The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi. I've been listening to her podcast for a while now, but have yet to get around to reading the book. So what better time than the beginning of the year! *Fingers crossed* for a lazy genius 2025! :D
There are some fun tips in that one 😊
Yes! I've started it, too! Plus, I bought The Lazy Genius Kitchen, too. I heard about Kendra Adachi & her books/podcast on The Minimal Mom (Dawn Madsen) on YouTube. Here's hoping these books will make a real difference in our lives!
I just finished A Walk in the Park - The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure In the Grand Canyon. Throughly enjoyed - talk about a Strong Sense of Place! The author, Kevin Fedarko, definitely takes you along for the journey - the struggle, the challenge, the fortitude, as well as the awe and wonder of the Grand Canyon.
That was one of my favorite reads of 2024.
This sounds just up my alley! Thanks for sharing.
That’s one of my major tbr’s for 2025! Have you read Fedarko’s first book, The Emerald Mile? Also about the Grand Canyon; an attempt to set the speed record boating the Colorado River. But the book was SO much more than that…I came away with a much fuller understanding of the canyon itself. He is an excellent narrative nonfiction writer!
Looking forward to A Walk in the Park!
No, I have not. Thank you for the recommendation. We’ve done a lot of boating on Lake Powell, but I’ve not come across that book. I look forward to reading it.
I just finished James by Percival Everett. It deserves all the accolades it has received and more! This one is already a contender for Top 10 of 2025.
This one is fantastic on audio!
I'm reading this now. It is a great read. Very interesting from the perspective of Jim.
My aim this year is to read the 'other' books written by authors I love. For example I've read White Fang more than a dozen times, it's one of my favourite books of all time but aside from Call of the Wild I haven't read any other London. I just finished Stalky & Co by Rudyard Kipling. It's about 3 school boys at a public school in Devon who, according to their own creed of conduct, wage cunning and subtle war on whoever gets in their way. It's pretty funny and clever but jam packed with slang popular at the turn of the last century.
First book I finished this year was The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. An excellent 5/5.
Followed 2 more 5/5 The God of the Woods by Liz Moore and Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
Loved Frozen River! My book club all loved it too.
I hope The Frozen River is made into an on-screen adaptation, it would be amazing! Did you know there’s a book about the real Margaret Fuller? I bought it last winter after I devoured The Frozen River, but I haven’t read it yet…
Oh I would definitely watch that!
I knew about the biography but didn’t buy it
That was my last read of 2024. Very good book!
I'm enjoying one of Mel's favorites - The Historian by Eliabeth Kostova. SO exciting and I'm almost finished ! And thanks also for your Christmas crimes recommendations. I love the Shedunnit podcasts and read through the collections of shorts in Silent Nights. So glad you enjoyed your holidays and even more glad that you're back ! Blessings in 2025.
Another top read for me that I need to revisit because it has been a while since my last read.
That's next on my list to read and I can't wait to dive in!
Oh I LOVE The Historian! I reread it every October. I listen to Shedunnit a lot as well, has really expanded my knowledge of Golden Age mysteries.
What a great book! So so good!
This is Happiness by Niall Williams. Saw it on a friends table & inquired. She had read it twice & her husband read it aloud once. I borrowed it & am doing the same! Beautiful.
That was a favorite of mine the year it came out. He has a new book, Time of the Child, that was released in November 2024. From what I understand, it's not a sequel, but is set in the same town. It's on my TBR for this month and I can't wait to return to Faha.
Ooh I just looked that up and it sounds beautiful!
Loved this book!!
I adored This is Happiness and just finished Time of the Child last night. Such wonderful books. Enjoy
I love the thought of reading this one aloud.
For Dave - may I suggest a pairing? I'm a children's librarian and I just picked up "Believe in the World: Wisdom for Grown-Ups from Children's Books," edited by Eleanor Davis and Amy Gash. It's a lovely collection, organized by theme of quotations from children's books - quick snippets that are perfect for waiting for your tea to steep.
I'm going to be picking up "The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman" by Nancy Marie Brown and pairing it with "Madsi the True" by S.J. Taylor, a middle grade historical fantasy set in Norway.
I thoroughly enjoyed Dave’s pick as well and just placed a hold for Believe in the World. Thanks for the rec, Cayla!
That sounds amazing! I'm stealing Dave's rec!
Gaskell's North and South is one of my all-time favorites...and winter seems like the perfect time for a re-read, then re-watching the mini-series with Richard Armitage (swoooon)
Oh yeah, the Richard Armitage miniseries is a top fave... rivalled only with the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice...
Definitely agree! Stuff of dreams...
I just learned there was a film adaptation. I loved the book this past fall and will watch the mini-series this winter.
Horse by Geraldine Brooks. Excellent!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Horse was so well-crafted and engaging. It provoked some great conversations in book club and I learned a lot…
I finished reading Hannah Coulter a few days into the new year. What a beautiful book to both end and start a year! I’m glad I finally took it off my TBR pile and will definitely read it again.
That's one of my all-time best books. Thanks for the reminder about it - I feel like it's one I could read every year.
I'm reading The Pearl by John Steinbeck. I read it over 20 years ago but am picking it up again because I've been invited to join a book club and this is current month selection. I remember nothing about it from the first reading. I'm really enjoying the fable-like telling of the story so far.
This one traumatized me as a freshman in high school. My heart still breaks thinking about it 30+ years later.