Selected by Emmanuel Hidalgo-Wohlleben
I was largely unfamiliar with Han Kang's work before she took home the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature. I've since learned that her work often focuses on painful moments in Korean history, such as the Gwangju Massacre which took place in her hometown in 1980. Given Korea's turbulent political moment, I am especially interested to explore her latest books.
Selected by Fernanda Gorgulho
For me, the most inspiring way to kick off my reading year is an around-the-world voyage guided by one of the most celebrated travel writers alive today: Paul Theroux, author of the masterpiece adventure thriller The Mosquito Coast.
Selected by Romina Raimundo
Palestinian American writer Betty Shamieh is a successful playwright and screenwriter, and I imagine she will bring out a theatrical style that I love from a novel. In this multi-generational family saga, a New York theater director finds herself in an unexpected romance, while her mother and grandmother confront buried family secrets and the weight of their shared past. I can’t wait to dig in!
Selected by Lynda Hammes
I’m excited to discover some new authors in 2025, and I’m intrigued by this debut, which is getting glowing reviews (ranging from Dolly Alderton and James McBride) as a smart and funny novel about mid-life love, marriage and ambition.
Selected by Fernanda Gorgulho
I’m always drawn to a powerful coming-of-age story, and this one about a young actor caught between family, fame, and a complicated affair in 1980s Manhattan grabbed me right from the high praise in its blurbs—Brandon Taylor says it “deserves a place in the pantheon of Great New York Novels,” while Lisa Taddeo calls it “a modern masterpiece” with a protagonist you’d follow anywhere. Sold!
Selected by Romina Raimundo
A remote Scottish island, a missing wife, a tormented marriage and a tortured writer all converge in the latest mystery from the acclaimed author of Rock Paper Scissors and Sometimes I Lie. I’m always up for a good British mystery and this one promises to be the best excuse to curl up in a blanket and start canceling any plans to go out this winter.
Selected by Lynda Hammes
I’m a long-time fan of Bolaño, and Amulet was one of the first books of his I read before (the devastating) 2666 and (my absolute favorite) The Savage Detectives were even available in translation. Many of his works are being reissued over a few years in these gorgeous new editions from Picador, making a perfect opportunity to re-read them or gift to friends — especially this manageable dose of <200 pages of his haunting storytelling.
Selected by Emmanuel Hidalgo-Wohlleben
I'll listen to MSNBC host Chris Hayes on just about any topic, and I was excited to see he's writing about one of the most crucial issues of our time. It has never been more difficult to stay focused and undistracted, and Hayes shines a light on the dangers or our distraction epidemic.
Selected by Iliyah Coles
"Reframing death" struck me as a bold claim, but once I looked into Hospice Nurse Penny's platform, I started to understand. She's worked almost two decades now in palliative care and has seen death from so many angles. In one of her social media posts, she responds to a follower who had recently given their mother the morphine that sent her on. The first thing Hospice Nurse Penny explains to the person is that they didn't send their mom anywhere. She told them their mother was already dying and she needed that medication to have a peaceful death. One thing about death is that the feelings are always left to those still living. I see now that Hospice Nurse Penny is using her experience to help others navigate those feelings, and I think her book will be a must-read for those who find themselves trying to make sense of death.
Selected by Emmanuel Hidalgo-Wohlleben
I can always count on Pico Iyer's writing as an opportunity to ponder life's biggest questions, whether exploring the meaning of paradise to examining the concept of "home" for people who come from many places. In his latest, Iyer draws on his monastic experiences at a small Benedictine hermitage above Big Sur to think about the power of solitude and silence. As we enter the new year, I am looking forward to recenter myself by joining Iyer on his endless quest to understand how to exist.