My Year in Books (a Surprisingly Weird One)

As always, I did not keep my StoryGraph account as up-to-date as I could've - but I'm proud of myself for keeping track of most of my books. It for sure helped me to look back and make some conclusions about it, and as drawing summaries and analysing often does, it got me off-guard here and there to see how my reading year went.

Before I share my yearly analytics (although not perfect, but they show my general trends, I guess), I wanted to list some odd and random facts that would, most probably, be interesting only to me.

I think my reading year was rather underwhelming, even though it feels like I have read more than in previous years. All in all, I'd say, the best word to describe it would be weird.

So, some random bits of info:

2025 was the year when:

-I started reading the Bible. It came from East of Eden by Steinbeck, where certain characters loved having existential talks. I found a great interest in the Bible, but it's one of those books that one would need guidance with. Quite on the very first pages, I ran into some doubts about the translation. Who knows, I might come back next year with the news: I've read and studied the Bible. Moreso from a historical point of view than a religious one. (Even though, I do believe in God.)

-I read surprisingly diversely. It could've been much better, of course, but I think I read quite a few originally not English books (albeit in translation), and that was a much-welcomed surprise.

-I read quite a few poetry collections, short story collections, and plays as well.

-I, unfortunately, didn't really have gigantic book loves (or at least, if I'm being honest, I only had one.)

-I also didn't read any very bad books, nor did I have massive disappointments.

-Most of my reads stagnated somewhere around 'good' or 'solid.' But if you love reading, good and solid might just not be enough.

-I know I read books that were not on The StoryGraph, and I just didn't have the energy to add them to the system myself.

-This is the first SHOCKING year a Kazuo Ishiguro book just didn't make the cut. (The Buried Giant is his weakest work - in my opinion.)

-I listened to Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, but it's a favourite of mine, and I have read it so many times, I just couldn't let it compete (so, it's not on my top list.)

-I think I need to read other novels by Italo Calvino, because I can feel he is going to be a favourite, but I enjoy his longer prose more than his shorter works.

Based on not having been massively surprised or horrified, I must say I think I didn't take enough risks and read solely what I thought I would love. What's wrong with that? - You may ask me. I think I comfort-read, didn't try to curious-read. So, let's set one, and only one, reading new year's resolution:

Reading something different.

In my case, this might mean fantasy, romance, crime, thriller, or sci-fi. We'll see. (You too, if you stay.)

Due to this reading year being rather 'bleh', if I'm being honest, it was quite hard to find five books I'd confidently put on my top list - and if I'm being very, strictly, deeply honest, this year's list would be a top list of two. But what's the fun in that? So, I did put some effort into it and gathered five titles I could still stand behind.

Before we go there, let me share some honorary mentions - poetry and short story collections that I enjoyed a lot, but where the quality, I found rather inconsistent (a problem often present in collections). Most works I liked but some I truly didn't enjoy in My Poems Won't Change the World by Patrizia Cavalli (some, I found far too banal), Under the Jaguar Sun by Italo Calvino (the title story was excellent, the other two just didn't hit quite the same spot for me), Three Poems by Hannah Sullivan (the last poem, I just didn't really vibe with, but the first two were excellent at depicting different places and their atmosphere), and Everyman Library's Love Poems - amongst many others.

And now, to some The StoryGraph stats:

And last but not least, my top 5 books of the year:

Nr.5

Ways of Seeing by John Berger

This book is the only nonfiction one on the list. It's a very fast-paced but also quite deep book on the history of our perception of art. It touches on philosophy just to the right level to be accessible for everyone, while, thank God, it doesn't aim for entertaining superficially. If you read it, you will surely gain something, and that is already a success if you hate walking away from books feeling they just didn't do anything for you. And yes. It is full of pictures (and that would impress even Alice.)

Nr.4.

White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky

To be fair, I should've added this book to the previous (hit and miss) list as well, as the title story is simply far superior to the other two. The reason it still did make the cut is because White Nights is a unique one and strong enough to elevate the whole collection. It is about a fated meeting and is very psychological; it doesn't try to do anything else. It's refreshing to read books (at least for me) that are set in a very tight world - here, in the minds of two young people having a fleeting connection and conversation. Perfect for book clubs and discussions. I have just two remarks to make. I would recommend a standalone edition (where it is not combined with other stories). And also, just as there can be perfect timings for books, there can also be imperfect ones. I did not read White Nights at the right time, and I know that if I had done so, it could've become a very formative reading experience. It wasn't. But it was still very impressive.

Nr.3

Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas

This play was probably my hardest read of the year by a Welsh literary Giant. Thomas was a poet first and foremost, and Under Milk Wood is maddeningly dense where the sound of language is the main focus (or at least I'd say so), with a cadence that would lull anyone into hypnosis. While playing mainly with musicality, it's also the depiction of a town, their curious characters (I have the feeling, maybe very Welsh characters), their dreams and nightmares - something the following famous quote expresses much better than I ever could:

'We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives under Milk Wood. before you let the sun in, mind he wipes his shoes.'

What I find absolutely shocking is that it was originally a radio play, and now, kudos to people who could keep up with the text by only listening to it.

Nr.2

Literary Advent Calendar - Italian Poets edition

I'm cheating here, but I don't care - when I asked myself what literary 'anything' has affected me the most this year, one thing that came into my mind with force was a literary advent calendar composed of Italian poems from various poets from various centuries. There's no way I could give comprehensive feedback here, but I must say, literary calendars are simply the best. Will I turn the calendar into a little booklet? Maybe. Will I document the process of making my booklet? Also maybe. (I've been fake bookbinding. It's odd what one might come up with if one has paper and glue.)

Nr.1.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

So, this was a massive read (700+ pages), but incredibly readable. It was also the odd case - the counter-example to White Nights - where the timing was just right. I knew I wanted to read something longer, something narrative, and as I had heard East of Eden being mentioned alongside One Hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez (the other big and formative family saga, and my favourite book of all time), I was intrigued. I was lucky, because this book gave me massive support in a time of massive struggles, while it also became my most annotated book ever. East of Eden is clear and concise, but so very deep, it's the type of read that would wipe the floor with you every second page by casually dropping some big wisdom while not sounding banal at all. It's highly psychological with a set of characters and depth that should be illegal. There's not much action or plot, characters just exist, and due to their way of existing, occasionally do things - and then there are repercussions. It has lives, and so many different ones, you (and your problems) might shrink in exchange (a feeling I, personally, welcomed gratefully). It is a book that gave me comfort but did not shake my world (it didn't rewire me the way One Hundred Years of Solitude did); nonetheless, I'm beyond grateful for having read it. It's a book of slow effect, a book that will creep up on you and stay in your mind rent-free and forever.

What a reading year it was! It was 'bleh'. But I guess not all reading years are supposed to break you (or make you). And we'll see about 2026.

And sometimes reading is so very heavy, you kinda don't wanna do it (for a while). Guess who's gonna do crafts now instead of reading. Try to be well, that's all we can do.

Bye-bye for now.:)