Every year I try to keep a running list of what I’ve read, with short notes while the impressions are still fresh. 2025 was a good year for reading — thirty-two books, roughly split between fiction and non-fiction.
Highlights
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke — A book that rewards patience. The world-building is extraordinary, and the narrative structure mirrors its own themes of memory and discovery.
How Buildings Learn by Stewart Brand — Changed how I think about design. The idea that buildings (and by extension, all designed things) are best understood as processes rather than products.
Stoner by John Williams — Quiet, devastating, and perfect. A novel about an unremarkable life told with remarkable precision.