A long due recap of the best books I've read in 2025. I started the year with a commitment of following my intuition on what books to pick, and this intention has led to insightful reads on Psychology, self-help, and classic literature.
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| Capping off my 2025 readings. |
As I do every year, here are short introductions on the top books I've read, aimed at stirring interest and spreading their renown.
Ranked according to what I consider most compelling to my experience, here are the top five books I've read in 2025:
1. Quiet by Susan Cain (2013)
The Introvert's Manifesto. Susan Cain, a lawyer turned psychology writer, got the inspiration for writing Quiet by drawing upon an often ignored societal bias against introversion.
Growing up as an introvert, it seemed to her that the preference for gentleness and timidity was seen as a dysfunction, an assumption which, as she explains, is actually far from the case.
Filled with real-life stories of famed introverts like Rosa Parks, Albert Einstein, J.K. Rowling, and Eleonor Roosevelt, Quiet makes us rethink society's attachment to extroverted personalities, and helps put the quiet power of introverts into proper perspective.
2. Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945)
What happens when animals become aware of slavery and human cruelty?
Animal farm-initially written as Orwell's satirical comment on Stalinist Russia-chronicles the revolt, the triumph, and the eventual corruption of animals after overthrowing their master.
Filled with symbolic political commentaries disguised as a "fairy tale," Animal farm exposes the similar corruption of the communist regime after taking over the Russian monarchy.
A literary landmark, Orwell's prophetic work remains relevant today. A sobering reminder to all nations that corruption lurks in the dark corners of political systems, and that integrity is of utmost importance to keep it in check.
3. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (1915)
Another literary classic, The Metamorphosis recounts a bizarre story of a man turned insect in the persona of Gregor Samsa. Lying awake one morning to found himself changed into a vermin, the novel describes, in great detail, the consequences of this odd transformation, spiraling from fear and estrangement to Samsa's eventual demise.
Gregor's transformation came like a sucker punch, forcing readers to come to terms with the fact as the story unfolds. The reader is with Samsa when his family started to resent him. The reader is his silent companion when he whispered his life's regrets, and the reader is also the last to hear his dying pleas.
On the symbolic side, this is story of alienation. An allegory about how people, even those close to one like family, could devalue people without economic or social value. It also stands as a powerful message for capitalist working economies not to see people as means but rather as ends in themselves, capable of feeling and expressing their humanity.
4. The Archer by Paulo Coelho (2020)
Wisdom is contained in every detail of our waking life. In this short novel, renowned author Paulo Coelho reflects on the practice of Zen archery, imparting lessons on patience, commitment, and self-mastery.
The story centers on Tetsuya, a retired master archer, who got sought one day by a boy and a skilled archer. The visitors carry with them differing intentions: the boy curious about the way of the bow and the other, as a challenger wanting to prove himself better than the sage.
The master accepted the challenge and eventually triumphed, and thus begins Tetsuya's sermon on the bow. Explained in light prose and accompanied by illustrations of Christoph Neimann, The Archer contains the tenets of Zen archery; it is Coelho's meditation on emotional deftness as reflected through the minutiae of wielding the bow and arrow.
5. Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman (1995)
Another treatise on emotional competence, this time by an acclaimed psychologist. Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence is a foundational work on the Science of managing emotions, drawing upon years of research and therapy practice.
Challenging another societal preference of valuing IQ over EQ, Goleman traces the evolutionary trend of the brain and explains how understanding the dynamics of our amygdala holds utmost gravity in developing emotional awareness.
Filled with patient stories and complementary ideas on the topic such as social, relationship management, and the history of emotions, Emotional intelligence makes us recognize that EQ is necessary for our well-being, and also equips us with practices that makes us mindful stewards of our passions.
Conclusion
Looking back, emotional mastery and mindfulness seemed to be the main themes of the literatures I was drawn to read.
Quiet helped me understand the nature of my introverted psyche, Animal farm and The Metamorphosis were masterclasses in both literature and self-reflection.
Lastly, The Archer and Emotional Intelligence offered the nuances of emotional understanding.
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| My 2025 top reads. |
I believe that the books I seek reflects where I am as a person, like a mirror that reveals my concerns and maturity.
With this in mind, I wonder: where will my reading journey take me next?
As always, I'll be sharing buy links of the books below.
Thanks for reading!
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