This is a super cool list! I have read all of Ishiguro except When We Were Orphans (which I own, but am loathe to crack it open as I’ve heard it is his weakest). Also been looking to read Winter’s Night for a few years, and I feel like 2025 will be the year for me too. Good luck to you, and happy reading!
I’ve been meaning to read Winter’s Night for a few years now too 😂 Just couldn’t try to squeeze it in. I would love to read all of Ishiguro but his older books are hard to find. Which one is your favorite Ishiguro so far?
I think in terms of enjoyment it’s An Artist of the Floating World. Although The Unconsoled, weird and dense as it is, creates an atmosphere unlike anything I’ve ever read. Both are amazing books. The Buried Giant too, such an absorbing fantasy novel.
Andrei, just wanted to come back in here to say I finished Klara and The Sun, propelling even more the need to read all of Ishiguro’s books. It’s so good, so pure, hopeful, and eye-opening. My first five star of the year.
Jam, this looks great. I loved Don Quixote, Great Expectations, and Jane Eyre so I am glad to see them on your list. I love that you have set yourself an attainable goal but allow yourself lots of flexibility. Thanks for the mention as well. I am excited to hear about your reading as the year progresses. All the best.
This year I want to focus on reading more from my physical TBR! Other than that, I mainly set a number goal, this year a bit lower since I have a baby hehe
I like your style. Keep it reasonable! It tend to set big goals for myself and get a little overwhelmed. This year I plan to read several historical biographies including MLK and Frederick Douglass. I will be doing those as a part of my book club so those will be big ones. I also plan to read several C. S. Lewis books and re-read Lord of the Rings, because it is just my favorite!!!
In the past I keep setting ambitious goals then I just get burned out. Over time I’ve learned to set realistic goals. Ahhh I meant do a LOTR marathon then. I also reread Fellowship this year but never got around to reading the other 2 books.
Based on my experience last year, I’ve decided 2025 will be the year of classics (filling in the gaps in my knowledge), poetry (I like it 🤷🏻♀️) and fantasy (makes me feel like I’m adventurous child again).
For classics, I’m following Ted Gioia’s course in humanities. Poetry and fantasy will come from my shelves (I buy books way faster than I can finish them) and an *occasional* new book.
I can’t wait to see what you read in 2025 Jam! Especially looking forward to more Asian lit from you. Have a lovely Christmas !! xxx you’ve had a great newsletter year - proud of you!
I love a good reading list! I have been getting into writing a list every quarter with the books I would like to read in the next 3 months, it really inspires me. 📚
I am also planning on reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens this year too, as I am going to be doing a course alongside reading it. I read A Christmas Carol this December for the first time and I so enjoyed the writing style of Charles Dickens. 😊
I would highly reccomend Jane Austen, I just love her work! I still need to read two of her books (Northanger Abbey & Emma) and I would like to explore some of her unfinished works. I hope you enjoy reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, it is one of my personal favourites! Happy reading ✨️
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the book! 😊
Pride and Prejudice is my firm favourite (it ties with Jane Eyre as one of my favourite books!), but I also really enjoyed reading Mansfield Park and Persuasion when I read them back in the Summer. It's a hard one though as they are all really good! Which one is your favourite so far? 📚
That's interesting to hear! I am intrigued why it is your favourite so far? 😊 I did really enjoy Persuasion and the love story, but I have always grown up with P&P and the characters of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy, so I think it is just nostalgic for me. 😄
omg I hated P&P for years! I couldn’t get past 100 pages of it. I had attempted to read it three times before it clicked. I read it on audio and it just sort of clicked in my head. The whole thing is witty. When I read Persuasion I loved it instantly! I remember a Youtuber saying that Persuasion unlocks P&P because he was having trouble finishing P&P as well. And I think that rings true to me as well.
That's so interesting about reading Persuasion first and then tackling P&P! The first Jane Austen book I actually read was Sense and Sensibility (well my Ma actually read it too my when I was little) and I wasn't to keen on it, but once we started P&P I was hooked with the storyline and got into Jane's way of writing. After that I love everyone of her books I have read so far! 😄 Which Jane Austen book will you read next?
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Don Quixote! Maybe I should pick up more by Jane Austen, I have not read everything by her.
PS: I really liked that you set the two first months of the year to do rereads, that sounds like a really nice tradition and way to starte the new year
Impossible to get sick of these posts! Your style is so easy on the eye as well.
Great goals, and good picks for this year. Am eager to hear what you think about Italo Calvino. If On a Winter's Night...is one of my favourite books.
Re: your Asian challenge - I didn't see where we could leave comments on that post, but if it counts, I'd highly recommend Ali and Nino by Kurban Said (for Azerbaijan). I'm not sure if it qualifies because there's a bit of a mystery about the author's background (that's a pseudonym). But it's a wonderfully evocative book and will give you a taste of Georgia as well.
As for my 2025 Reading Challenge - well, I have one, I won't link to it here but it's easy enough to find on my newsletter. You'll also see a link to it when I do an upcoming guest post for Alicia :)
thank you for the kind words, Daniel. Are you a mind reader because Ali and Nino is my pick for Azerbaijan haha. But the book has yet to arrive as I had ordered it overseas and it takes 2-3 months. Together with the Calvino book. Exciting!! looking forward to your guest post with Alicia.
I’ve reread Persuasion. Still love it. I started Emma but DNFed it but still planning to pick it up again. It took me 4 tries to finish and appreciate Pride and Prejudice!
This is a super cool list! I have read all of Ishiguro except When We Were Orphans (which I own, but am loathe to crack it open as I’ve heard it is his weakest). Also been looking to read Winter’s Night for a few years, and I feel like 2025 will be the year for me too. Good luck to you, and happy reading!
I’ve been meaning to read Winter’s Night for a few years now too 😂 Just couldn’t try to squeeze it in. I would love to read all of Ishiguro but his older books are hard to find. Which one is your favorite Ishiguro so far?
I think in terms of enjoyment it’s An Artist of the Floating World. Although The Unconsoled, weird and dense as it is, creates an atmosphere unlike anything I’ve ever read. Both are amazing books. The Buried Giant too, such an absorbing fantasy novel.
I see. Thanks! I’ll keep these mind when I buy books.
Andrei, just wanted to come back in here to say I finished Klara and The Sun, propelling even more the need to read all of Ishiguro’s books. It’s so good, so pure, hopeful, and eye-opening. My first five star of the year.
Love this. You’ve also inspired me to read Anna Karenina as one of my big books this year. Lonesome dove and Middlemarch are on my list too!
yeyyy. Let me know how you’re liking AK if you get the chance to read it
Jam, this looks great. I loved Don Quixote, Great Expectations, and Jane Eyre so I am glad to see them on your list. I love that you have set yourself an attainable goal but allow yourself lots of flexibility. Thanks for the mention as well. I am excited to hear about your reading as the year progresses. All the best.
Thanks Matthew! See you in 2025! In my inbox at least.
I'm never sick of this kind of posts, hopefully you manage to accomplish all your objectives!!!
Thanks, Ani! Do you set reading goals too?
This year I want to focus on reading more from my physical TBR! Other than that, I mainly set a number goal, this year a bit lower since I have a baby hehe
we definitely need to get those physical tbr moving yeah? 😂 a great goal!
I like your style. Keep it reasonable! It tend to set big goals for myself and get a little overwhelmed. This year I plan to read several historical biographies including MLK and Frederick Douglass. I will be doing those as a part of my book club so those will be big ones. I also plan to read several C. S. Lewis books and re-read Lord of the Rings, because it is just my favorite!!!
In the past I keep setting ambitious goals then I just get burned out. Over time I’ve learned to set realistic goals. Ahhh I meant do a LOTR marathon then. I also reread Fellowship this year but never got around to reading the other 2 books.
Based on my experience last year, I’ve decided 2025 will be the year of classics (filling in the gaps in my knowledge), poetry (I like it 🤷🏻♀️) and fantasy (makes me feel like I’m adventurous child again).
For classics, I’m following Ted Gioia’s course in humanities. Poetry and fantasy will come from my shelves (I buy books way faster than I can finish them) and an *occasional* new book.
The *occasional* new book. *wink wink*. I just googled Ted Gioia’s course and oh my them seem great!
I started his course this year and it has been great. Definitely recommend it.
This is a nice list. Challenging, but not horrific.
I can’t wait to see what you read in 2025 Jam! Especially looking forward to more Asian lit from you. Have a lovely Christmas !! xxx you’ve had a great newsletter year - proud of you!
likewise, Martha! looking forward to more of your newsletters! Happy holidays!
I love a good reading list! I have been getting into writing a list every quarter with the books I would like to read in the next 3 months, it really inspires me. 📚
I am also planning on reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens this year too, as I am going to be doing a course alongside reading it. I read A Christmas Carol this December for the first time and I so enjoyed the writing style of Charles Dickens. 😊
I would highly reccomend Jane Austen, I just love her work! I still need to read two of her books (Northanger Abbey & Emma) and I would like to explore some of her unfinished works. I hope you enjoy reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, it is one of my personal favourites! Happy reading ✨️
Indeed it is exciting to write down what you want to read for the next few months! So excited to read Jane Eyre soon too!
What’s your favorite Austen, Isabella?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the book! 😊
Pride and Prejudice is my firm favourite (it ties with Jane Eyre as one of my favourite books!), but I also really enjoyed reading Mansfield Park and Persuasion when I read them back in the Summer. It's a hard one though as they are all really good! Which one is your favourite so far? 📚
I’ve only read Persuasion and P&P and I like Persuasion more than P&P.
That's interesting to hear! I am intrigued why it is your favourite so far? 😊 I did really enjoy Persuasion and the love story, but I have always grown up with P&P and the characters of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy, so I think it is just nostalgic for me. 😄
omg I hated P&P for years! I couldn’t get past 100 pages of it. I had attempted to read it three times before it clicked. I read it on audio and it just sort of clicked in my head. The whole thing is witty. When I read Persuasion I loved it instantly! I remember a Youtuber saying that Persuasion unlocks P&P because he was having trouble finishing P&P as well. And I think that rings true to me as well.
That's so interesting about reading Persuasion first and then tackling P&P! The first Jane Austen book I actually read was Sense and Sensibility (well my Ma actually read it too my when I was little) and I wasn't to keen on it, but once we started P&P I was hooked with the storyline and got into Jane's way of writing. After that I love everyone of her books I have read so far! 😄 Which Jane Austen book will you read next?
I just googled it. They’re so pretty!
I'm also planning to do a Jane Austen read through as well! All the best for your reading plan.
Enjoyed your post. Great goals and some good ideas!
Thank you, Lois!
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Don Quixote! Maybe I should pick up more by Jane Austen, I have not read everything by her.
PS: I really liked that you set the two first months of the year to do rereads, that sounds like a really nice tradition and way to starte the new year
it is a nice tradition! Also so that I can take a break from all the holiday spending.
Impossible to get sick of these posts! Your style is so easy on the eye as well.
Great goals, and good picks for this year. Am eager to hear what you think about Italo Calvino. If On a Winter's Night...is one of my favourite books.
Re: your Asian challenge - I didn't see where we could leave comments on that post, but if it counts, I'd highly recommend Ali and Nino by Kurban Said (for Azerbaijan). I'm not sure if it qualifies because there's a bit of a mystery about the author's background (that's a pseudonym). But it's a wonderfully evocative book and will give you a taste of Georgia as well.
As for my 2025 Reading Challenge - well, I have one, I won't link to it here but it's easy enough to find on my newsletter. You'll also see a link to it when I do an upcoming guest post for Alicia :)
thank you for the kind words, Daniel. Are you a mind reader because Ali and Nino is my pick for Azerbaijan haha. But the book has yet to arrive as I had ordered it overseas and it takes 2-3 months. Together with the Calvino book. Exciting!! looking forward to your guest post with Alicia.
Let me know when you get around to Jane Eyre, curious to hear what you think! Which Austens have you read already? X
I’ve reread Persuasion. Still love it. I started Emma but DNFed it but still planning to pick it up again. It took me 4 tries to finish and appreciate Pride and Prejudice!