Classics Considered

Knowing how busy things would be, I did not make any goals for this past year, but reading was fruitful nonetheless. Perhaps because my reading was so sporadic, it ended up surprising me in huge ways. I found a new favourite author (Rilke), and the best book I read was a historical biography (The Glory and the Sorrow: A Parisian and His World in the Age of the French Revolution by Timothy Tackett. A mouthful of a title, forgivable in such a good book). Notable reads included the ecological novel Storm by George Stewart and the classic What Is History? by EH Carr.

Here are some other 2025 highlights (with likely more that could be added by the time December is over):

• To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
• The Ha-Ha by Jennifer Dawson
• Checkout 19 by Claire-Louise Bennett
• “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (reread)
• Lois the Witch by Elizabeth Gaskell

Looking ahead to 2026—I will be starting a new job that involves a long biweekly commute, and I have access to some incredible bookstores in our new city. I’ve also just rediscovered my appreciation for audiobooks. With all that in mind, I’m making some ambitious reading goals once again. 🙂

My 2026 Reading Goals

The Chronicles of Narnia (reread). I started this in 2021 with The Magician’s Nephew but got derailed when I tried to reread The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. My (piping) hot take is that I don’t really like LWW very much, so I will need to power through it to continue with the series. Also my beautiful paperbacks with the illustrations are still in the US, so I will have to find library copies or ebooks meanwhile.

History (TBD)

Reading the World (2-3 books)

Literary Criticism. I’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to literary criticism, just an academic essay here or there. I’m stoked to start finding new perspectives, especially on books I’ve already read or authors who are new to me.

Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press)

Retrieving Augustine’s Doctrine of Creation by Gavin Ortlund. Pastor Ortlund’s books and YouTube channel Truth Unites have been a huge help to me, as well as friends and family, over the past several years. I have decided I must read this book which has been on my shelf before I order any MORE of his books (and I’ve been seriously eyeing his latest book on Protestantism).

Something American? I have a bit of a situationship with American literature… sometimes we get along, and sometimes we really don’t. I’m currently listening to an audiobook of Willa Cather’s My Ántonia and enjoying it very much, so between that and Storm I’m feeling benevolently towards American lit again. Maybe I will look for another gem next year.