My top 7 Books for 2025

The end of 2024 is approaching, and it is time to set my reading goals for 2025. As a member of the Goodreads community, I eagerly dive into a yearly reading challenge.

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In 2024, I read 22 books, slightly surpassing my goal of 20. The books I read ranged from thought-provoking nonfiction to gripping novels.

For 2025 I’ll again set my reading goal to 20 books (hoping to surpass that goal). As I did for 2024, I’ve started putting together a reading list for the year. I don’t want to plan every book too strictly, but I’ve picked out some must-reads.

1. Hidden Potential (2023): I almost finished the book in 2024, but as I won’t finish it, it’ll be put on my 2025 list. This is the newest book by the renowned author Adam Grant. The book illustrates that potential isn’t about where you begin but how far you go.
2. War and Peace (1867): This classic novel by Leo Tolstoi is a must-read and it is my non-fiction pick for 2025. It is not just one book, but a whole literary collection - so let’s see how far I can go next year.
3. Freiheit (2024): The book is by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She talks about her life and reflects on her politics - quite self-critical according to some reviews. I’m already looking forward to reading it!
4. Never Split the Difference (2016): Chris Voss provides powerful negotiation strategies rooted in his experience as an FBI hostage negotiator. It emphasizes empathy, active listening, and tactical communication. According to different sources, it is a must-read for the topic of negotiation.
5. The Burning Earth (2024): The book tells the global story of how humans have harmed the planet in the quest for profit.
6. Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity (2023): Peter Attia shares the latest science on health and aging, along with practical tips to live better now. It focuses on fighting four major chronic diseases using four key areas: exercise, nutrition, sleep, and emotional well-being.
7. The Prince (1532): The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli is a timeless book on politics. It offers pragmatic advice on gaining and maintaining power, often prioritizing effectiveness over morality. It is controversial, but every leader should read it at least once.

These were my 7 must-reads for 2025. Further considerations for next year are the following books:

• Thinking in Bets (2018): In her book, Annie Duke teaches decision-making under uncertainty by framing choices as bets by highlighting the importance of emotional control and learning from outcomes to improve future decisions.
• Get the Picture (2024): Bianca Bosker dives into the art world by working at places like the Guggenheim and helping artists, showing both the weird side of the industry and the joy of discovering art in unexpected ways. The book is different to what I usually read, but I’d be quite curious about the topic
• The Art of Thinking Clearly (2013): This one has been on my reading lists for a few years now. The book explores common cognitive biases and logical fallacies, offering practical insights to enhance decision-making and promote clearer thinking in various aspects of life.
• Martyr! (2024): The novel by Kaveh Akbar has been quite well received so I had to put it onto my reading list as well. It tells the story of Cyrus Shams, a first-generation Iranian American poet recovering from alcoholism while coping with the tragic murder of his mother, Roya, by the U.S. government.
• The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control (2023): The content is simple: it helps perfectionists stop trying to control everything and learn to accept imperfection and uncertainty.
• The Feeling of Life Itself (2019): The book explores integrated information theory, offering a new way of understanding consciousness and personal experience in neuroscience and philosophy.
• Just One Thing (2024): Dr. Mosley shares his goal of finding small, simple changes you can make to your routine that can greatly improve your mental and physical health.
• Why We Sleep (2017): Matthew Walker explores the science of sleep, explaining its crucial role in our health, brain function, and overall well-being.

Thank you for reading and have a great 2025 full of interesting and engaging books!