My Ten Favourite Books of the Year

Plus Every Other Book I Read In 2025 - and a special offer

Girl Reading, Lucian Freud, 1952.

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Because it’s nearly Christmas and because I’m a fool to myself I’m offering a 25% discount on new paid subscriptions, up to and including December 1st. You’ll get access to the whole archive and full access to every new post, including every Rattle Bag. If you already have a paid sub, you can give one as a gift to a highly discerning friend or family member (just click on the appropriate button within).

Here we go: capsule reviews of my ten favourite books of the year. The list includes three novels and seven non-fiction (although at least one of the non-fiction books reads like a novel). Plus a list of all the other books I’ve read at least some of over the year, with a brief note on each. I hope you find some great reading and gifting ideas here. (This one is ‘too long for email’, so click on the title above and read online.)