A great book is one that goes beyond beautiful prose or a clever plot. It’s the kind of story that doesn’t just offer an escape, but subtly reframes a reader’s perspective on their own life. This list compiles books that explore how the past permeates the present, how memory is a selective act, and what it means to carry histories forward—to heal, or simply to reinvent them.
You will find family dramas here, along with a controversial exposé, a poignant memoir, imagined acts of resistance, and stories that blur the line between the personal and the political. These are not books that demand agreement, but they are guaranteed to stay with you long after the final page is turned. They linger not because they entertain, but because they carry significant meaning.
The 10 Best Books of 2025 So Far
While a good page-turner is always a welcome distraction, the books on this list linger for a different reason. They are deeply human, whether they unfold at a deliberate pace or deliver raw emotion in every chapter. They encourage readers to absorb the words rather than simply check off another title, inviting a more profound engagement with the text.
Isola by Allegra Goodman
Allegra Goodman, celebrated for her work in novels like The Cookbook Collector, returns with an equally captivating story. Inspired by the true 16th-century tale of Marguerite de la Rocque, Isola reimagines the life of a young noblewoman exiled for falling in love. Forced to survive in isolation with only her nurse and her lover, Marguerite endures immense hardship, ultimately undergoing a profound inner transformation spurred by physical and spiritual toil. This novel is a powerful example of historical fiction rooted in female resilience and allegorical depth.
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams
This is an essential nonfiction title that is poised to dominate conversations. Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former Facebook executive, delivers an unflinching account of her time inside Big Tech. The book provides a critical look at some of the industry’s most pivotal moments and the true cost of disinformation. Part memoir, part exposé, and part meditation on burnout, Careless People challenges readers to examine their own complicity in the system while simultaneously offering a path to disempower it and forge a new way forward.
Flashlight by Susan Choi
When her father vanishes on a beach one evening, ten-year-old Louisa is left with unanswered questions. His body is never found, and although she was with him, she can’t recall a thing. The narrative traces her father’s life from North Korea to Japan and eventually to America after the war, revealing a life marked by displacement and silence. Years later, his disappearance continues to haunt Louisa, shaping her identity in profound ways. Flashlight spans continents and generations, probing the difficult territory of the memories we hold and the stories we construct to make sense of the truth.
The Antidote by Karen Russell
From the acclaimed author of Swamplandia! comes a brilliantly strange novel set in Dust Bowl–era Nebraska, where a mysterious ailment can be cured and forgotten. At the center is a prairie witch, The Antidote, who stores her clients’ most painful memories. However, after a catastrophic dust storm, she discovers those memories have completely vanished. Blending magical realism and satire with vivid characters, this book explores America’s collective unconscious—asking what we are willing to remember and what is lost when we choose to forget.
Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson
In Good Dirt, Charmaine Wilkerson presents a rich, multi-generational novel about the matriarchal legacy of the Freeman family. The story begins in 1803 with Kandia’s enslavement in Barbados. Generations later, Ebby witnesses her brother’s murder, breaks an heirloom jar, and flees to France. The narrative masterfully connects these women across time and space as they navigate grief, identity, and inheritance, demonstrating that trauma can pave the way for transformation and triumph.
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The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong’s debut novel is a work of prose poetry that deftly dissects life’s fragile moments to reveal their inherent beauty. The story follows Hai, a young college dropout dealing with loss, and Grazina, an elderly woman with dementia. As Hai becomes Grazina’s caregiver, their “found family” tale intertwines with that of his new co-workers. The Emperor of Gladness offers a sharp look at a life defined by hard work and overlooked individuals, while also illuminating the profound tenderness we extend to one another when we pause to truly see and care.
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Set against the backdrop of the 2020 pandemic, Dream Count weaves together the lives of four women—Chiamaka, Zikora, Kadiatou, and Omelogor—as they navigate loss, intimacy, and cultural expectations. While the characters’ stories do not align in a traditional way, Adichie masterfully captures the nuances of mid-life reckoning and rebuilding. These women are so compellingly written that readers will be captivated by their journeys.
The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater
Set in January 1942, The Listeners provides an intimate, atmospheric portrait of wartime America at the luxurious Avallon Hotel & Spa. When Axis diplomats are detained at the hotel, general manager June and her staff, many with loved ones fighting overseas, are dismayed. This simmering tension is compounded by the hotel’s location atop a mysterious spring whose waters are said to heal—or expose—whatever lies beneath. The novel explores moral complexity, resistance, and the weight of silence in the face of injustice.
Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks
In a culture that often struggles with grief, Geraldine Brooks’ Memorial Days is a resonant and timely work. The memoir does not shy away from the messiness of the grieving process. Following the sudden death of her husband in 2019, Brooks channels her chaos into this book, chronicling a personal pilgrimage three years later as she navigates new sorrows and old identities. It is a powerful memoir that honors loss with depth and care rather than romanticizing it.
The Director by Daniel Kehlmann
Returning to World War II, this novel provides a riveting look through the lens of real-life Austrian filmmaker G. W. Pabst, reimagined by Daniel Kehlmann. Pabst, who discovered icons like Greta Garbo, fled to Hollywood in the 1930s before returning to Austria to care for his ailing mother. He becomes trapped by the war and is ultimately employed in Nazi propaganda. Kehlmann masterfully builds tension as Pabst grapples with creating art under authoritarian rule, raising questions with no easy answers that will stay with readers long after the book is finished.
All ten of these titles, in their own unique way, prove that a book can be more than just a temporary escape. They challenge readers to confront complex questions about memory, identity, and the stories that shape us. By exploring the depths of what it means to be human—from quiet resilience to public upheaval—these books offer profound insights that are worth carrying forward. Whether you’re drawn to historical epics, intimate memoirs, or thought-provoking fiction, this list provides a starting point for a reading journey that will not only entertain you, but leave you with a changed perspective.
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