So I fell woefully short of my goal to read 24 books this year. I read 13. That’s the second year in a row I didn’t make goal, so I’ll scale back my 2025 goal to 18.
The good news is that almost every book I read this year was terrific. Quality over quantity, right? Here’s my top 8 (in alphabetical order):
A Swim In The Pond In The Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders – one of the best books on writing ever (h/t to Ron for recommending); Saunders literally gives a masterclass; I’ve quoted it extensively in this blog and plan to re-read; the stories alone are worth the price; (Saunders also has a great Substack called “Story Club” which you can check out here)
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan – winner of the Pulitzer Prize; not just an incredible surfing memoir, but also the story of a remarkable life
Mike Nichols: A Life by Mark Harris – a phenomenal read about the director of my all-time favorite film, THE GRADUATE and a fellow alum from my alma mater; has been on my shelf for a while and so glad I finally got around to reading this year (h/t to my wife Amy for a great Christmas present!)
Sonny Boy: A Memoir by Al Pacino – another phenomenal memoir, this one an autobiography about one of the greatest actors ever; so many inspiring nuggets in here about love of the work and perseverance; a must read for any actor (h/t to Robert D. for recommending)
Something Happened by Joseph Heller – Heller’s highly satirical and controversial follow up novel to his stunning debut, Catch 22; largely overlooked when it first came out, but it shouldn’t have been; the prose is dazzling and Heller gives a clinic in voice; a good one to pair with the show MAD MEN and the film The Apartment; (h/t to Ron for recommending)
The Creative Act: A Way Of Being by Rick Rubin – I’ve quoted extensively in the blog and re-read chapters all the time; a must read for any artist (also check out Rubin’s great podcast Tetragrammaton)
The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by Tim Gallwey – don’t let the title fool you, it’s about so much more than tennis; I read it twice this year; a must read for anyone (h/t top Robert D. for recommending)
The Way Of Baseball: Finding Stillness at 95 mph by Shawn Green – like a Tao of Baseball and overall Zen approach to life; chop wood, carry water, hit home runs; a great overall read
P.S. – I’m halfway through the novel What Makes Sammy Run by Budd Schulberg (he also wrote the screenplay for ON THE WATERFRONT). Great so far! I suspect it might make my 2025 list.
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