Our favourite reads of the year! Welcome to episode 146.
We turn the whole episode over to our run-down of our ten favourite books from a year in reading. As has become a tradition, we will then choose one book from each other’s list to read for the next episode.
You can support the podcast at Patreon – where you’ll also get access to the exclusive new series ‘5 Books’, where I ask different people about the last book they finished, the book they’re currently reading, the next book they want to read, the last book they bought and the last book they were given.
Rachel’s top 10 books are:
10. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
9. Small Domb at Dimperley by Lissa Evans
8. The Butchering Art by Lindsey Fitzharris
7. Voyaging Out by Carolyn Trant
6. Crooked Cross by Sally Carson
5. Catherine Carter by Pamela Hansford Johnson
4. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
3. Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico
2. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
1. Braided Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Simon’s top 10 books are:
10. Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a Novel by Mark Hussey
9. Bookish by Lucy Mangan
8. Love by Elizabeth von Arnim
7. Catherine Carter by Pamela Hansford Johnson
6. Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico
5. Treasure Hunt by Molly Keane
4. The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster
3. The Equations of Love by Ethel Wilson
2. Blue Postcards by Douglas Bruton
1. Follow Your Heart by Susanna Tamaro
The other books and authors we mention in this episode:
On the Calculation of Volume vol.1 by Solvej Balle
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
Their Finest Hour by Lissa Evans
Anne Bronte
Lady Living Alone by Norah Lofts
A Curious Friendship by Anna Thomasson
The Spring Begins by Katherine Dunning
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck
Hetty Dorval by Ethel Wilson
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Nice!
East of Eden is my favorite by Steinbeck
I was keen to read, but that number of pages before the next episode felt undoable…
Braided Sweetgrass made my top 10 several years ago, and East of Eden also made my top 10 last year. Thanks for all the recommendations!
Rachel’s description of Braided Sweetgrass didn’t necessarily make me think it would be my cup of tea, but more and more people are pro…
Hi Simon – I am so thrilled that ‘Blue Postcards’ made it onto your list of top reads of 2025. That is such a boost. Thank you. And I am also knocked out that Rachel has chosen to read the book too. Wishing you both the very best for 2026.
Thanks for commenting, Douglas, and for such a wonderful book!
I loved Bookworm so am very excited to read Bookish! A Little Life and Braiding Sweetgrass are also both superb.
Bookish EVEN better than Bookworm IMO
I loved Blue Postcards so will really look forward to revisiting it when you both discuss it next time. Thank you for all the bookish inspiration.
Yes, really hoping Rachel loves it as much as I did (/we do!)
oh good grief, you have just added massively to my tbr!
Sorry not sorry!
Spotify auto-played this episode of the podcast to me, and I’m really glad. It sounds like I’ve got some good reading ahead. My daughter gave me both Braiding Sweetgrass and The New York Trilogy for Christmas. The Dutch translation of the Susanna Tamaro book (De stem van je hart = The voice of your heart) has been on my shelf for countless years but I kept ignoring it. I’ll definitely be boosting it up the TBR now.