Final Reads of 2025
Final reads of 2025
Read on Kindle:
Dynasty Tom Holland.
The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar
I was so taken with Pax that I decided to read the entire trilogy. This one takes us through Caesar and his murder, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Nero, the better known Emperors, but he is always fascinating and I could not stop.
Rubicon Tom Holland
The Last Years of the Roman Empire
I followed up with the finale of his trilogy which completes the tale of Rome. So that’s over a thousand years of Roman history by this very fine writer, which I enjoyed immensely. I have several more by him waiting in the wings, which is the great advantage of Kindle when you travel.
On Human Nature Edward O. Wilson
The 25th Anniversary edition of this lovely book by this fine writer which tells us all about ourselves and how we came to be here, and let some of the chapter headings inform you of what we are learning: Heredity, Development, Aggression, Sex, Altruism, Religion and Hope.
1929 Andrew Ross Sorkin
A highly readable account of the stock market crash of 1929 with lots of obvious and scary connections with our own time.
Also the Carl Hiaasen craze in our family has continued with
Native Tongue
Sick Puppy
Skinny Dip
Star Island
Squeeze Me
Razor Girl
Strip Tease
All of which continue to amuse and pass long journeys agreeably, with many giggles.
Books.
I re-read a couple of Don Winslow books while awaiting delivery of his next one.
A Cool Breeze on The Underground. Don Winslow
The Trail to Buddha’s Mirror Don Winslow
Which I found fascinating as I think they are early books of his, and also set in England.
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh Michael Chabon
And I re read this because I found a nice first edition of his first novel and very much enjoyed it again.
The Eleventh Hour Salman Rushdie
A Quintet of Stories
But I finished the year off with a magnificent and wonderful read by Salman at his finest, which reminded me of just how enjoyable and inspiring great writing can be. And this is really great writing.
I’m already re-reading it!
Happy New Books everyone.
2026
January thru March
House of Meetings Martin Amis
A signed edition with a compliments slip from Mike Nichols. 2006. Nice to read again.
The New York Stories of Elizabeth Hardwick
Born in Kentucky in 1906 I had not read any of her stories before. A very fine writer.
Captain Alatriste Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Translated from the Spanish. About a 17th Century swordsman. He is the “master of the intellectual thriller.”
Departure (s). A Novel Julian Barnes.
Written at 80. Is it a novel? Or a memoir? Or a bit of both.
The Little Sister Raymond Chandler
I read my First edition from 1949 and enjoyed it but have to say at times I didn’t quite follow it. It’s not his best but it’s still him.
Kindle Reads
The Cold Cold Ground. 1. Adrian McKinty
I started to re-read The Sean Duffy Series again. This is the first of a totally gripping series. He grew up in Carrickfergus in Ulster and the central idea follows a young police detective trying to do his job in the midst of all the chaos of Northern Ireland. He’s a bright Catholic cop in a primarily Protestant Police force and in this one the homicide he’s investigating is not the gay serial killer that at first it appears to be….
Double Whammy Carl Hiaasen
Also the first in a series, this is Skink Book 1. Macabre, comedic, this is set around a Bass Fishing set who compete and cheat to win, money and cars and cash in Florida. I have read some of the other ones, but not in the correct order. I don’t think it really matters. Hiassen gets funnier and funnier.
The Woman in White Wilkie Collins
I can’t believe I never read this. It’s wonderful. A brilliant thriller from a contemporary of Dickens.
The Final Score Don Winslow
Six short novels from the thriller writer who never disappoints.
The Island Adrian McKinty
I thought I’d give his best sellers a chance since I am so enamoured of his earlier books. Fairly gripping story of a family threatened by a wild Australian family who live on an island near Melbourne.
Half His Age Jeanette McCurdy
I found her very readable. And frequently very funny. For instance this is how she opens this book:
It’s bad form to groan when a guy’s going down on you, I know that, but right now it’s hard not to…
How can you resist such an opening…?
March Violets Philip Kerr
I must be in a sentimental mood, for this is the third first book of a series I re-read. Bernie Gunther is a Policeman in Berlin in Nazi Germany. I loved the whole series.
The Most of Nora Ephron
She was so brilliant and writes with so much wit and style, one can only miss her a little more.
Why the Neanderthals ( and the Others) are Gone. Lonnie Goff
About African migrations. The Neanderthals evolved in Europe some 430,000 years ago and remained there 170,000 years. Fascinating stuff.
