BookMark: Books of 2025
The Books of 2025
“Books are, I find, the best provisions a man can take with him on life’s journey”
Nearing the end of another year, I find it satisfying to go thorough and reflect on all that I read. Not in a “look at this stack of books” kind of way, but more considering what I discovered, what I actually learned, how my behaviour was impacted. How did I choose to spend my limited reading time, and what am I curious to explore next year?
If all I get from these books is some fleeting sense of pleasure or mental gymnastics, then there are many other things I could be doing with my time and attention. The important question is, what do I do with what I’ve learned? How can I share it, incorporate or combine different ideas to create something new of my own?
Josh Waitzkin has this idea of "thematic interconnectedness," which I find summarizes much of what I'm after when I read. To build up a mental framework that allows me to see and create meaningful connections:
“I don’t believe in compartmentalization... I believe in thematic interconnectedness. And the core themes of my life I would say if I had to boil it down would be love, interconnectedness, and receptivity. I only do what I love and I spend time with people who I love and that’s how I live. The study of interconnectedness is my way of life...”
Earlier this year, I hit 100 consecutive months of putting out BookMark, my monthly overview of what I’ve been reading lately. This practice continues to deepen my reading habit, and pushes me to really reflect on the different ideas.
If you’ve missed out on the first 109 editions and you’re looking for your next read, I’d love to send over my top recommendations. Leave your email below and I’ll add you to BookMark for 2026. I’ve got a lot of great books lined up, and I hope there will be a book or two that connects:
If you are still curious, you can also check out the lists I put together for 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016.
On to the books…
Biography
Just Beyond the Light: Making Peace with the Wars Inside Our Head by D. Randall Blythe
Randy Blythe is the lead singer for heavy metal band Lamb of God, and I've previously raved about his first book, Dark Days, which chronicles his time in a Czech prison. I was excited to see this second book coming out, which I quickly read. He has a great recent conversation with Ryan Holiday which covers a lot of what the book is about. One review puts it well: timeless wisdom that was earned the hard way. Much of what I'm trying to accomplish through reading is, when possible, to make conscious decisions ahead of time whether I really want to learn a certain idea the hard way. While my Grandma Griffin might not have related to this type of music, I found a parallel in what Randy says with his band mates each time before they head out on stage: "bring forth the joy!"... Joyful sounds come in a wide variety of forms.
Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir by Mark Morton
I was excited to come across this memoir from Lamb of God's guitarist, and it was great to get another perspective on life in the band. Musician memoirs are some of my favourite books to read, and this one is full of insight and heaviness. His writing and reflections deal with addiction, and the loss of his infant daughter (who happened to share the same name as my firstborn). Maybe not ideal reading right before a new baby arrives - but here we are.
Blue Nights by Joan Didion
My wife often reminds me that I need to explore more female authors, and she's not wrong. I found this to be unexpectedly haunting. It was my first introduction to Joan Didion, after Ryan Holiday has spoken about her so many times (even buying the table and chairs from her estate sale for his office!) I had no idea of the subject matter in this book (it deals mainly with the loss of her daughter), and what I discovered was a concise meditation on aging and loss, parenting and mortality.
Confess: The Autobiography by Rob Halford
I loved this memoir- I've never really been into Judas Priest in the past, but found myself listening to them more and more during this read. There are some great stories in here, many of them shockingly honest. As I noted, my wife mentioned I need to explore different perspectives, so I'm making an effort to expand my reading choices and subjects.
Spare by Prince Harry
I tend to avoid these popular books that you see on every shelf ("If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking" - Murakami). However, I was more interested in this one after learning it was ghostwritten by J. R. Moehringer, who helped write two of my favourite memoirs (Andre Agassi's Open, and Shoe Dog). I recall reading a New Yorker article a couple years ago titled "Notes from Prince Harry’s Ghostwriter", and have been meaning to get around to reading this book. I finally took it out of the library, and flew through it- I'm still digesting how I feel about it, but it was worth reading.
What It Takes: Lessons in the Pursuit of Excellence by Stephen A. Schwarzman
I'd somehow never heard of Stephen Schwarzman until I listened to Michael Ovitz on the Invest Like the Best podcast, and he was going on about his admiration for Stephen. I immediately wondered if there was a book about him, and put this one on hold at the Library. I really enjoyed spending time and hearing his stories about his journey to build Blackstone from the ground up.
Am I Being Too Subtle?: Straight Talk From a Business Rebel by Sam Zell
I had listened to a few conversations with Sam, and came across him again reading Stephen Schwarzman's book. There were plenty of highlights from this one, and it's so great to be able to enter the mind of someone who opens up their valuable life lessons and experiences. It's hard to question the price of a book when there are decades of wisdom condensed and edited down for you to spend time with and learn from.
Business/Other
The Cost of These Dreams: Sports Stories and Other Serious Business by Wright Thompson
There are some great stories in here- Wright can write! As a senior writer for ESPN, he has spent years capturing tales of sports characters. There are several captivating stories on complex individuals like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Dan Gable and more. My favourite piece came at the end, his account of the Masters and his Dad.
Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention--and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari
When Chris Sacca was on Tim Ferriss' podcast, he mentioned a ton of great book recommendations, this being one of them. I don't know about you, but I need almost monthly reminders or boosts of inspiration like this to fight for my attention. After reading this, I'm constantly reminding myself to "heal my attention" and ability to focus. It's well written and insightful, and provides some thought-provoking, tactical advice to "think deeply again".
The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life by Sahil Bloom
I saw Sahil speak when he was in Vancouver a couple of years ago, and I was excited to see his book come out this year. It's well structured and well executed. I often find that life advice books like this can be hit or miss, better as a blog post for example, but there's a good amount of depth to this one.
Tunnel 29: The True Story of an Extraordinary Escape Beneath the Berlin Wall by Helena Merriman
Ryan Holiday listed this as one of his top books of 2024, and it didn’t disappoint. I've always been curious about the Berlin Wall - it came down the year I was born - so this was a perfect dose of narrative nonfiction. Not only did I learn more about the Cold War, but the storytelling kept me engaged from start to finish.
How To Live An Extraordinary Life by Anthony Pompliano
This is a short read that I noticed in a coffee shop that carries a lot of great books, so I decided to check it out. It's full of 65 letters that the author has written to his children about what it takes to live an extraordinary life. There's some good lessons in here, and I'm glad to be doing something similar for my kids, keeping a book for each of them full of notes and ideas for them to read one day.
Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned: The Myth of the Objective by Kenneth O. Stanley & Joel Lehman
As I continue to learn as much as I can about AI, this book offered an interesting perspective. Twitter Co-founder Ev Williams talks about the book in conversation with Tim Ferriss, which is where I came across it. The title captures the key theme well, but it's an interesting premise to consider. Pair it with the recent TED talk from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick
I found this to be a concise overview of the current state of AI and how we might work together with it effectively. With the rapid pace of change in this space, I'd imagine it's a challenge to put together a physical book on the topic, but there are many good principles in here that should be helpful as things continue to evolve.
It's All in Your Head: Get Out of Your Way by Russ
I heard someone on a podcast recently praising Russ, and the fact that he writes, produces and performs all of his own music. I wasn't aware of him, but shortly after that podcast I noticed this in a bookstore. It was a nice little jolt of inspiration, and a reminder of what mindset and self-belief can lead to.
The Sweaty Startup: How to Get Rich Doing Boring Things by Nick Huber
Nick Huber became quite big on business Twitter over the past few years, and I became even more interested in him after his acquisition of recruiting agency "Support Shepherd" from Marshall Hass. This is a solid book from someone who is on the journey.
The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed by John Vaillant
We were on a family date at a local spot that happens to have a ton of books, and I got reading this as we sat there. I was hooked, and they (somewhat hesitantly) let me borrow it. I loved the author's other book, "The Tiger", and this one was just as good. I enjoyed getting to learn more about British Columbia and Haida Gwaii as well.
Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It by April Dunford
I found this to be concise and well-laid out, with plenty of actionable insights. I like to regularly inject some business related reading, and this tied together a lot of things related to marketing, sales and product.
Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity by David Lynch
With David Lynch’s passing earlier this year, I’ve been meaning to read this. It’s full of concise examples on how the practice of meditation impacted his life. A reminder to incorporate more meditation time into my days.
The Masked Rider by Neil Peart
Ghost Rider is one of my favourite books, and Neil is a great writer. I was particularly drawn to this one as a cyclist, and it was interesting to learn a lot more about Africa as well.
Wisdom Takes Work by Ryan Holiday
What I appreciate most about Ryan's books is the process behind them. Knowing how many different books, sources and ideas have been sifted through by the time they arrive on the page is reassuring. It's not that he claims to be wise- it's about the process of pursuing wisdom and discovering examples of wisdom in different places.
Fiction
Augustus by John Williams
One of my favourite fiction books is Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar, and this book is similar in the way it masterfully brings ancient Rome to life. Some of my greatest joys in reading are discovering gems like this that I didn't know existed, books that felt like they were waiting for me at just the right moment.
My Struggle: Book 5 by Karl Ove Knausgaard
Why do I enjoy these books so much? I find them to be like a warm bath for the mind. I didn't really realize how absurd the writing is at times, until one day my wife snatched it out of my hands and read a page out loud. We both couldn't stop laughing afterwards- there was something about hearing it spoken that made it comical, whereas I find when I'm reading it, it's like I'm directly inside the mind of the author. Unique and interesting.
My Struggle: Book 6 by Karl Ove Knausgaard
I looked back and realized I've been reading this autobiographical series by Karl Ove since 2019. Between these and his other books, it's been a lot of time to spend inside the head of just one writer. At 1000+ pages, this final volume was a lot to get through, and there's a certain sadness about coming to the end of this writing that I've spent 6 years with.
One way I've heard his work described: "There are no small moments". He writes with an uncommon and rare honesty, and I feel I've learned a lot about myself and the ways we can be so similar in our inner worlds. Between Knausgaard and Haruki Murakami, I think I've developed a much greater appreciation for the everyday, the intensity and beauty of each passing moment.
The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami
Over the holidays last year, my mother-in-law noticed me reading this and asked- what's it about? I could only laugh in response... How do you describe a Murakami book? Ghosts, unicorns, shadows, alternate worlds... all somehow made to feel like a normal, everyday love story. Here's my yearly reminder to consider reading some of Murakami's work.
The Bear by Andrew Krivak
I read this in the hospital as our daughter was born. "A cautionary tale of human fragility, of love and loss". I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of nature, relationships, and family.
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut
I found this to be interesting and unique. I picked it up based on a recommendation from another email list, and I'm glad I did. It blends fiction and non-fiction in a way I haven’t quite encountered before. Here’s the description: “A fictional examination of the lives of real-life scientists and thinkers whose discoveries resulted in moral consequences beyond their imagining. When We Cease to Understand the World is a book about the complicated links between scientific and mathematical discovery, madness, and destruction.”
On to The Next Dream by Paul Madonna
I enjoyed this, it's a book you can read in an afternoon. The author uses absurdity to reflect on San Francisco housing: "In a series of drawings and stories, Madonna evokes the sense of vertigo induced by being forced from his home, and the roil of emotions that ensue."
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
One of the best novels I’ve read in recent memory- beautifully written and deeply engaging. I won't give away too much of the plot, but it's no surprise The New York Times has listed it as one of the best books of the 21st century.
On the Calculation of Volume (Book 1) by Solvej Balle
The bright and interesting cover caught my eye in a bookstore, and what ultimately prompted me to check it out was the cover quote from Karl Ove Knausgaard, who called it "absolutely, absolutely incredible". I found it intriguing- certainly unique. This review described it well: "a quiet, thoughtful, sometimes unsettling book".
Saga Volume 12 by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
I had been looking forward to this new issue, as it's been a couple years since volume 11. This finally came in at the library, and I was glad to step back into this world for a bit. I'm not typically into comics, but Saga is a fun one.
Goodnight Tokyo by Atsuhiro Yoshida
This was a lighter novel to read in the evenings before sleep, a good dose of Japanese fiction to carry me off into dreams.
The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
Dan Brown’s books, while they seem to follow a similar pattern, are definitely engaging & exciting. The pacing is wonderful, and I spent a few late nights reading just one more chapter.