If you’re like me, then your bingo card for 2025 is all over the place. I’m not going to use this post to get into details, but, yeah, the world is a dumpster fire right now. I feel like, since COVID, we have been downtrending as a society. This isn’t isolated to the United States, of course. As readers, we spend time immersed in the lives of others, both real and made-up. Soaking up the words in a book is like a massage for the brain; we learn new ideas and cultural aptitude, and the stories often feel good. Books take us away from the screens and social media that have turned our world into a never-ending dumpster fire.
Here are three books I recommend to anyone feeling a need to give the internet a break and soak up some knowledge.
Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman
I reviewed this book earlier in the year. In fact, this one received its own exclusive review and was named my favorite book of 2025. So far, that record hasn’t been broken.
The first book I chose for this list is non-fiction and gives us a not-so-distant look into our past—the Cold War. This book captures the emotions, tragedies, and suffering of humanity during the days of the Berlin Wall. Reading Tunnel 29 was like taking a time machine back to an era rich with adversity. In my review, I noted that this book reads like a spy thriller (it’s very well written). I found it challenging to put the book down, and I think a large part of that was because I could view the events of the Berlin Wall and Cold War through eyewitness accounts. Following the lives and adversaries of the characters in this book gave me much to ponder.
I think that the anodyne to the events we are seeing in the world right now is taking a moment to look at what history can teach us. That is why my first book on the list is non-fiction. Perhaps the most efficacious step to remedy the chaos right now is to put the social media and phones down. I recently made my phone “dumb” and wrote about it here.
I want to be clear: I’m not advocating for people to simply ignore current events; rather, take mental stock of them and keep a clear and open mind. Continue protesting, donating, and helping those in need. Simultaneously, relax your mind and continuously educate yourself in fiction and non-fiction works.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Where to even begin… This book IS the masterpiece of the 21st century. It is a book that, similar to the Iliad or any other Homeric work, will be around for centuries (that is my opinion, of course).
It’s been a few years since I read All the Light We Cannot See, and it is rare for a book to choke me up and bring me to tears. Similar to East of Eden by John Steinbeck, this book did it for me. All the feels.
Similar to Tunnel 29, this book takes us to a point in history—in this case, WW2—and gives the reader perspective. This isn’t a happy-go-lucky/feel-good novel, but it is a powerful one. In a very short synopsis, a blind French girl and a German boy’s paths collide amid the devastation of the Second World War, revealing the immense strength of human connection and resilience (the latter part being key for reading a book that can teach us about modern woes.)
Of course, this is a work of fiction, but it paints a powerful scenario based on real events. Perspective is important, and, sadly, we are losing those first-hand accounts of eras like the Nazis. In the United States, we have groups of men in masks marching around with Nazi flags and other white-nationalist symbols. What was once kept behind closed doors is now being waved out in the open.
If you haven’t read this book yet, you need to. That’s all I can say about it. It’s life-changing (and I’m not alone in this sentiment—Doerr’s novel is extremely popular and well-received around the world). Read it!
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
It was difficult to make this list because there are so many suitable options. In fact, most books (fiction and not) offer us insight and escape from the cavernous doom that seems to be running rampant. My reading list for most of 2025 has been fiction, and Project Hail Mary is a title that I haven’t read in a few years, but it still continues to shine in the reader-sphere. In fact, most book review channels I see have mentioned this one at some point.
Project Hail Mary is a blend of so many things, at least that’s how I felt when reading it. There are elements of helplessness, comedic relief, and resilience, and it’s just an overall astonishing story. Weir really knows how to pull out all the stops. Like the book I mentioned above, I think this one will be around for a long time.
I chose this title because it’s a satisfying story, and it’s one that will pull you in rather immediately. It’s one to pick up whenever you need that reminder to stop the scrolling and news checking.
I recommend the audiobook version of this one. Ray Porter does a phenomenal job in bringing each character to life. He is truly a giant in the sphere of narration.
In Closing
The titles that could fit this list are endless. Once again, I’d like to touch on the point that we shouldn’t ignore the events happening around us; rather, don’t get caught up in them so much that it takes a toll. Likewise, count your blessings and don’t take for granted the time and ability to read novels. There are many around the world who cannot access works like these, whether for socioeconomic or other maladies.
I used to think that reading fiction was a waste of time; that there is so much non-fiction knowledge to soak up that there simply cannot be time for reading made-up stories. Oh man, was I wrong. Fiction teaches us a critical skill: EMPATHY. And, sadly, this skill is challenging to find these days. Reading isn’t always about finding the grandiloquence of literature. It’s about finding connections to our past, present, and future.
Please let me know in the comments of this post which book(s) you would pick for this list. As always, thanks for reading.
