I read these books in 2025

1. Wild Swans by Jung Chang (Memoir)

   I learned about the China before I was born and came to understand the

   choices my family made.

   

2. The American Heritage Dictionary, 4th Ed.,

   On Sat Apr 5, I finished copying the tome, after more than five years, one

   page a day.

   

3. Downtown: My Manhattan by Pete Hamill (Memoir),

   I loved the stories including that of the first skyscraper on the island and

   learned the word knickerbocker here.

   

4. The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe (Fiction),

   It took me to see the races and classes of NYC through a gripping tale. It

   even offered a financial lesson.

   

5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (Fiction),

   I learned about the Williamsburg and Bushwick neighborhoods, the airshaft,

   and sadly another Irish dad given to drinking.

   

6. Bright Light, Big City by Jay McInerney (Fiction),

   The funniest book I read this year. I went through it twice, made notes, and

   cannot remember a single line.

   

7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Fiction),

   Long overdue. I loved the writing. Culpernia made crackling bread, Atticus

   Finch needed exercise, and Tom Robinson shouldn't run.

   

8. A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich (Non-Fiction),

   the book I should've read and re-read in the past 20 years. I gifted it to

   both my son and nephew for Xmas. The latter had already said he liked it.

   

9. Do I Make Myself Clear? by Harold Evans (Non-Fiction),

   a book on writing I actually enjoy reading.

   

I also read a few anthologies including 50 Short Stories from the New Yorker. I

re-read Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and most of Michael

Dibdin's Aurelio Zen series (Mystery) and learned more about Italy.

[7grizzly]

回複 '暖冬cool夏' 的評論 : Thanks, my friend. Happy New Year!

I recommend the whole list except, maybe, the AHD but feel certain that I'll re-read Gombrich, Wolfe, Hamill, and Evans.

I even bought a copy of Wild Swans and will gift it in time. Every kid is different and I don't think Tim's ready for it now.

Happy Reading!

[暖冬cool夏]

Bravo on finishing the dictionary，an incredible feat few can achieve!
I have 5 and 7 at home, which I bought for J for her high school. I will read or re-read.
Happy New Year, my friend, and Happy Reading!