A Strangeness in My Mind by Orhan Pamuk
A Strangeness in My Mind by Orhan Pamuk is one of the Top 5 best novels I’ve ever read.
Fiction
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100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
I picked this one up at the library with a pretty specific checklist in mind: I wanted a long novel, a Latin American novel, and something with a thread of magical realism running through it. I already love the way magical realism shows up in Haruki Murakami, and I’ve always had a soft spot for Southern Gothic — so a book that pulls both of those threads into a sweeping multigenerational epic seemed like it would check every box.
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Ministry of the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
The Ministry for the Future is one of the better science fiction novels about climate change that I’ve read. It’s fast-paced, well-written, and grounded in realistic scenarios. The setting works. The characters work. The whole thing works.
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The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo
The Redeemer is not Nesbø at his absolute best, but “not his best” for Nesbø still means it’s a very good book. The plot pulls Harry Hole into the world of the Salvation Army, a contract killing, and a web of secrets that gets darker the further in you go.
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Best American Short Stories 2015
I picked up The Best American Short Stories 2015 at a used bookstore sale. The price was right, the premise was appealing – a curated collection of the best short fiction published that year – and I’ve always been curious about the short story as a format.
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Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco
I picked up Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco for the same reason I pick up most literary fiction I know nothing about — it won a pile of awards and the setting intrigued me. A murder mystery that opens in New York City and winds its way back to Manila? That sounded like exactly the kind of ambitious, globe-spanning novel I’d enjoy.
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The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor
The Complete Stories is the only collection that includes every short story Flannery O’Connor ever wrote — including “The Geranium,” which she submitted as part of her master’s thesis at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. If you’re going to read her, this is the one to get.
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The Elephants Vanishes by Haruki Murakami
The Elephant Vanishes is a short story collection by Haruki Murakami, and it’s one of his best. I’m generally a…
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This Dark Road To Mercy by Wiley Cash
This Dark Road to Mercy is another memorable novel from Cash. Without getting into too many spoilers, the book follows two young sisters in 1990s North Carolina who find themselves on the run with their estranged father. It’s a tense, propulsive story that weaves together themes of family, poverty, and redemption against the backdrop of Appalachian culture.
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A Happy Death by Albert Camus
A Happy Death by Albert Camus is essentially a prequel to The Stranger — and it’s best understood that way.
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The Myth of Sisyphus & Other Essays by Albert Camus
The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays by Albert Camus is one of those books I’ve read a couple of times and finally just decided to own. I picked up the Vintage Books edition specifically because it includes bonus essays — particularly “Summer in Algiers” — that I think represent some of Camus’s best work.
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Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
I picked up Oedipus Rex as part of reading through the Theban trilogy. I was browsing Standard Ebooks and the collection caught my eye. I hadn’t read it since a required literature class in college, so I figured it was time to revisit and see how it held up.
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The First Man by Albert Camus
The First Man is the manuscript that was found at Albert Camus’s side after his death in a car accident in 1960. It sat unpublished for decades — held back by his estate, his daughter and granddaughter — before finally being released to the public.
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Antigone by Sophocles
I read Antigone by Sophocles after finishing Oedipus Rex. Both are part of the Theban Trilogy, which I grabbed from Standard Ebooks.
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Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles
I picked up Oedipus at Colonus from Standard Ebooks as part of the Theban Trilogy, along with Antigone and Oedipus Rex.
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Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle
I’ve read the entire Sherlock Holmes canon. He’s my favorite mystery character, and I’ve worked my way through every story…
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Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
A Study in Scarlet is really two completely separate stories. One takes place in Victorian London with Holmes and Watson investigating a murder. The other takes place in the American West—Utah, specifically—decades earlier.
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Tobacco Road by Erskine Caldwell
Tobacco Road follows the desperate lives of the Lester family, poor white sharecroppers struggling to survive in Depression-era Georgia. The novel’s unflinching portrayal of poverty and moral degradation shocked readers when it was published in 1932, sparking controversy while highlighting the harsh realities of rural Southern life.
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The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami
I’ve been a Murakami fan for years. I’ve read most of his major works and loved the surreal, dreamlike quality…
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Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle
I re-read the entire Sherlock Holmes canon every few years. It’s my favorite mystery genre, and I never get tired…
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Books Read in 2025
Everything I read in 2025! It was a weird year for book selection. It was much more of a “cluster read” than a deliberate choice. But – serendipity felt good.
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As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
I picked up As I Lay Dying from Standard Ebooks — a great free source for public domain classics —…
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Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
I re-read Brave New World and was surprised at how well it has held up. Definitely worth a re-read.
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Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is an underrated collection of eleven short stories, published in 1893.
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Cup of Gold by John Steinbeck
Welsh farm boy Henry Morgan becomes notorious Caribbean pirate, only to find achieving his wildest dreams brings cruel disappointment. Excellent novel!
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Books Read In 2024
This year was a pretty random year with what I read. It was purely driven by interests at the moment rather than any plan or queue.
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Casebook of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
The last collection of detective stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle is still surprising, fun, and better than most detective fiction today.
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Dad Camp by Evan Porter
Dad Camp by Evan Porter is an inverse coming of age novel about how parents experience their children growing up….
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News of The World by Paulette Jiles
News of The World by Paulette Jiles is a novel set in Reconstruction-Era Texas, specifically beginning in 1870 in Texas….
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North Woods by Daniel Mason
North Woods by Daniel Mason is a novel set against the backdrop of a single house in the woods of…
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The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash
The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash is a powerful and moving novel that tells the story of Ella May Wiggins,…
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Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a classic Sherlock Holmes novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1901. The…
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Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamson
Growth of the Soil is a novel by Nobel laureate Knut Hamsun, first published in Norway in 1917. The story…
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Quiet American by Graham Greene
Quiet American by Graham Greene is a thought-provoking novel set against the backdrop of 1950s Vietnam, a time of French…
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Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro is a story that delves into the life of Stevens, an English butler…
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The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Buried Giant is a fantasy novel set in a post-Arthurian England, where a mysterious mist has caused collective amnesia…
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The Revenant by Michael Punke
The Revenant by Michael Punke is a thrilling tale of betrayal and revenge set against the backdrop of the nineteenth-century…
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Books Read in 2023
This year, I tried to read a bit more fiction. Here’s what I read.
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Last Days of California by Mary Miller
Last Days of California by Mary Miller is a short, fun coming-of-age novel about the Metcalf family, embarking on a…
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11 Ways to Discover Great Books
It took me a while to realize that reading every book ever published was an impossible feat. With countless books…
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A World Lost by Wendell Berry
A World Lost by Wendell Berry is a poignant and introspective novel that delves into the themes of memory, loss,…
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Ministry For The Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson is a science fiction novel set in the near future. It…
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Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle is a captivating collection of 13 detective stories penned by the renowned…
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The Glass Kingdom by Lawrence Osborne
The Glass Kingdom by Lawrence Osborne is a darkly atmospheric thriller set in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The novel…
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The Ballad of a Small Player by Lawrence Osborne
The Ballad of a Small Player by Lawrence Osborne is a captivating novel penned by the British author, Lawrence Osborne….
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Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a novel by Mohsin Hamid that tells the story of Changez, a young Pakistani man who…
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Moth Smoke by Mohsin Hamid
Moth Smoke is the debut novel by British Pakistani novelist Mohsin Hamid, published in 2000. The story revolves around Darashikoh…
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Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt
The Sisters Brothers is a Western novel set in the American West in 1851. The story follows the notorious assassin…
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Salmon Fishing in Yemen by Paul Torday
Salmon Fishing in Yemen is a debut comedy novel written by Paul Torday and published in 2007. The story revolves…
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Parrot and Olivier by Peter Carey
Parrot and Olivier in America is a historical novel by Peter Carey that explores the lives of two very different…
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Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman Book Review
The Amber Spyglass is the third and final book in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials fantasy series (after The Subtle…
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Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Golden Compass is a science fiction/fantasy novel that tells the story of 11-year-old Lyra, who embarks on a quest to…
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Lyra’s Oxford by Philip Pullman
Lyra’s Oxford is a novella set in the world of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. The story follows Lyra…
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Once Upon A Time In The North by Philip Pullman
Once Upon A Time In The North is a prequel to Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. The story is…
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Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
The Subtle Knife is the second book in the His Dark Materials trilogy, a young-adult fantasy novel published in 1997…
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The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman
The Secret Commonwealth is a fantasy novel and the second volume of Philip Pullman’s planned trilogy, The Book of Dust….
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The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage is the first book in a new trilogy by Philip Pullman and…
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American Rust by Philipp Meyer
American Rust is a novel that explores the decline of the American middle class and well-paying manufacturing jobs, and the…
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The Narrow Road To The Deep North by Richard Flanagan
The Narrow Road to the Deep North is an ambitious historical fiction book that centers on Dorrigo Evans, an Australian…
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I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
I Am Legend is a post-apocalyptic horror novel that follows the story of Robert Neville, the last human being left…
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The Overstory by Richard Powers
The Overstory is a novel that explores the relationship between humans and trees. The book follows the stories of nine…
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God’s Debris by Scott Adams
God’s Debris is a thought-provoking novella by Dilbert creator Scott Adams. The book proposes a form of pandeism and monism,…
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Religion War by Scott Adams
The Religion War is a sequel to God’s Debris, and it takes place right before the last chapter of that…
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War & Turpentine by Stefan Hertmans
War & Turpentine is a historical fiction novel based on the life of the author’s grandfather, Urbain Martien, during World…
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Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chhobsky
Perks Of Being A Wallflower is a coming-of-age novel that follows Charlie, an introverted and observant child, through his freshman…
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Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
The Cellist of Sarajevo is a novel that explores the impact of war on humanity, the power of music to…
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Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Played With Fire is the second book in the Millennium book trilogy. The story takes place in…
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The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest is the third novel in the best-selling Millennium series by Swedish writer Stieg…
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Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is about a journalist named Mikael Blomkvist who is hired by an aged uncle…
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Ultimatum by Matthew Glass
Ultimatum is a political thriller set 24 years into the future, during the presidency of Joe Benton. The novel explores…
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Breath by Tim Winton
Breath is a coming-of-age novel that explores the themes of risk-taking, adolescence, and finding a balance between being ordinary and…
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The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
The Summer Book is a brief novel that tells the story of Sophia, a six-year-old girl, and her grandmother, who…
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Island of The Day Before by Umberto Eco
Island of The Day Before is a historical fiction novel set in the 17th century during the search for the…
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Death Comes For The Archbishop by Willa Cather
Death Comes for the Archbishop is a novel by Willa Cather that tells the story of Bishop Jean Latour and…
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Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Life of Pi is a fantasy novel that won the Booker Prize in 2002. The story follows the journey of…
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Kite Runner by Kholed Hosseini
The Kite Runner is a novel that tells the story of Amir, a young boy from Kabul, Afghanistan. The story…
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Thousand Splendid Suns by Kholed Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a powerful and emotional novel that tells the story of two women, Mariam and Laila,…
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East of Eden by John Steinbeck
East of Eden is a novel set in the Salinas Valley, California, that follows the intertwined destinies of two families,…
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The Buddha In The Attic by Julie Otsuka
The Buddha in the Attic is a historical fiction novel that tells the story of Japanese picture brides who immigrated…
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Noli Me Tangere by Jose Rizal
Noli Me Tangere is a novel written by Filipino political activist and author Jose Rizal, published in 1887. The book…
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Netherland by Joseph O’Neill
Netherland is a novel by Joseph O’Neill. It concerns the life of a Dutchman living in New York in the…
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Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris
Then We Came To The End is a contemporary novel that follows the quirky employees of a failing advertising agency…
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Short History of Tractors In Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian is a novel that tells the story of two Ukrainian-English sisters who must…
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Strawberry Fields by Marina Lewycka
Strawberry Fields is a satirical novel that follows the lives of a group of migrant workers from Eastern Europe, China,…
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Midnight Sun by Jo Nesbo
Midnight Sun is a crime fiction novel that tells the story of a hitman named Jon who is on the…
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The Leopard by Jo Nesbo
The Leopard is a crime novel by Norwegian author Jo Nesbo and the eighth book in the Harry Hole series….
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The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
The Snowman is a crime novel by Norwegian author Jo Nesbo, published in 2007. The story follows Norwegian police inspector…
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Lost Horizon by James Hilton
Lost Horizon is a novel by James Hilton, published in 1933. The story follows Hugh Conway, a veteran member of…
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On The Road by Jack Kerouac
On The Road is a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations. The novel is based on the…
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Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
Siddhartha is a novel by Hermann Hesse that tells the story of a young Brahman named Siddhartha who embarks on…
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Wind Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami
Wind Up Bird Chronicles is a novel by Haruki Murakami published in 1994-1995. The story follows Toru Okada, a young…
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Wind / Pinball by Haruki Murakami
Wind/Pinball is a collection of Haruki Murakami’s first two novels, Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball, 1973. These novels are…
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Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami
A Wild Sheep Chase is a novel about a chain-smoking narrator who embarks on an adventure to find a mythical…
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Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami
Sputnik Sweetheart is a novel by Haruki Murakami that tells the story of a tangled triangle of uniquely unrequited love….
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South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami
South of the Border, West of the Sun is a Japanese novel by Haruki Murakami that centers on Hajime, a…
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After Dark by Haruki Murakami
After Dark is a novel that takes place in Tokyo over the course of a single night. The story follows…
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Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage is a coming-of-age novel that tells the story of Tsukuru Tazaki, a…
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Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami
Dance Dance Dance is a novel by Haruki Murakami that explores the themes of gender, sexuality, loss, and abandonment. The…
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Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami
Killing Commendatore is a novel about a portrait painter in Tokyo who is abandoned by his wife and finds himself…
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Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Norwegian Wood is a novel by Japanese author Haruki Murakami, published in 1987. The story is told from the first-person…
