how and what to read in 2025

a few philosophical approaches for reading books this year

Sometimes I think I overthink writing this letter.

Not everything needs to be about one BIG THING or weave together disparate topics into a coherent whole for me to present proudly like a waiter at a fancy restaurant for someone to say how clever I am.

This is something simpler.

I’m going to say how I’m going to read this year and share a few books that I plan to read.

the how

A few philosophical approaches for reading books this year.

Do not set a target number of books to read in 2025

‘What gets measured gets managed.’

Management expert Peter Drucker’s famous quote illuminates why prioritising the number of books you read, measuring them and recording them like you’re a line manager counting completed tasks is not a good idea.

It’s harder to read a dense, long or difficult book than it is something short and sugary. If you aim for volume, you’ll forget quality.

Your reading would be far richer if you only read Anna Karenina in 2025 than if you read 100 books that you picked purely for their readability.

If you’re counting, however conscientious you are, you’ll have completion in the back of your mind. You’ll cut corners, read the odd rubbish book because it’s short and counts towards your quota and you’ll miss out on something spectacular.

Reading is not a sport. No one should be keeping score and no one should be trying to hit some sort of arbitrary target.

Do NOT be too ambitious.

Podcaster Lex Fridman published a reading list in 2023, setting himself a curriculum of largely fantastic books that he’d finish one of each week. The idea you’re going to take down one of Dostoyevsky’s brutish long books in a week and immediately crack on with something else, in amongst everything life surprises you with each day, felt foolhardy and somewhat joyless. I’d be surprised if Fridman finished this reading syllabus.

Do not make your reading a slog. Make it a joy.

Pick one or two ambitious books for the year, books you’ve always meant to read or have been avoiding for some reason, and have at them first. In January, while your New Year, New You sentiments are still high and the weather is bad, take advantage.

Then for the rest of the year, read whatever you want with abandon, knowing you’ve read something really worthwhile.

Keep a book on your person at all times

I carry books everywhere.

Whether that’s my Kindle or a hard copy, I’ve always got one on me. I grab ten minutes here or half an hour there. If I get the train, I normally get some reading done. If someone’s late, I whip out my book. If I’ve got ten minutes in the morning I’ll pick up my book from my bedside table. To go to sleep I turn off the lights, get my backlit Kindle and find some nonfiction to drift me off.

Like Macaulay Cullen in Home Alone, leave books all around the place, little tripwires for good habits.

Listen to the books

More and more, I audiobook.

This year, I see myself exploring audio more and part of that will be doing more listening. At the moment I mostly listen to memoir, both real and imagined, but I’d like to try a few different genres out this year.

Let me know if you have a favourite audiobook – I’m happy to take recommendations.

Tackle the backlog

My backlog is monstrous.

I get sent more books than anyone could ever read and I can’t resist a Kindle deal. I keep a running wishlist and if something drops to 99p then woe betide me if I don’t buy it and leave it gathering dust in my digital drawer.

So this year, I plan to read a bit of my backlog. One or two of them are in the list below.

Finally, I probably read less often than people think I do.

Everyone’s idea of ‘a lot’ is relative. My impression of it won’t be the same as yours. or someone else’s. In this respect, I’m going to again dredge up Peter Thiel’s phrase,

Competition is for losers.

Do not compare your reading habits to anyone else’s. Do what works for you.

(but if you would like to know what I’m plotting to read, read on below)