For a better future, study the past.
For a better future, study the past.
Books I Read in 2025 jumps on the recent bandwagon of sharing (bragging really) about the number of books a person has read during a year. Many of the numbers I have seen for 2024 seem highly suspect. Of course, if a reader is reading short, fluff fiction and has no job, I suppose reading 150+ books a year could be possible. Should quantity be the goal rather than quality? I think not, but for many readers it’s a chance to brag about a high (and to me pointless) number.
For the purposes of this exercise, I will be including books I have physically read whether an actual book or electronic, AND books I have listened to through Audible. I am not going to argue the semantics of what reading is. Reading and listening ARE different, however does it really matter in the mid of the consumer. I drive an hour and a half to two hours per day round trip to work and back. Often times it’s the only chance I have to get through certain books. I may not be reading in the traditional sense, but I feel it’s worth including these titles as long as they are unabridged. If it’s abridged, I will note that.
Please remember, books on this list are not all that I read. I read portions of (but seldom full) MA Thesis and Ph.D. Dissertations, numerous academic journal articles, dozens of mainstream magazine articles, and literally hundreds, if not thousands, of historic newspaper articles throughout the year.
I suppose an exercise such as this should include a goal. Let’s set it ridiculously high (remember, I read non-fiction almost exclusively, much of it academic in nature, and it just takes longer than reading most NYT bestselling fiction.) In addition, I am not a fast reader. I never have been. Let’s have a goal of 52 books; one per week. Realistically, let’s stick to 26; one every other week. Maybe with some effort I will surprise all of us.
I will be listing books and authors, most of which will have a link for you to learn more and purchase if you so desire. I may say something briefly about the book, especially if I really liked it. Or didn’t. If I post a separate book review, I will provide a link to that. Unless noted, these are the physical book. Books will be listed in the order read and not in alphabetical order by author or title. I may or may not own copies of these books.
And without further ado, lets kick off Books I Read in 2025!
Destination Dixie: Tourism & Southern History edited by Karen Cox.
Unfortunately, this was not quite what I thought it was going to be and so it took a while longer to read than if I had enjoyed it more.
The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore written by Evan Friss. Listened to using Audible.
While interesting, I had higher expectations.
America’s Alligator: A Popular History of Our Most Celebrated Reptile written by Doug Alderson
Read as preparatory research for a forthcoming book.
Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits written by Aaron Goldfarb. Listened to using Audible.
No matter what they say, or how the author tries his hardest to portray them, these people are about two things, money and fame. They came off very unlikable to me.
Disney’s Land: Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park that Changed the World written by Richard Snow. Listened to using Audible.
A fascinating look at the creation of the California park that launched all the Disney theme parks we know today. We meet an interesting cast of characters (see what I did there) and learn of the financial struggles, the innovations, the highs, and the lows, as Disney and his team brought Disneyland to life.
Into Thin Air written by Jon Krakauer. Read using Kindle.
Mount Everest climbing disaster. I read this every few years.
100 Things to Do in St. Augustine Before You Die written by Amy Angelilli.
Read as part of research for a similar book I am writing in the 100 Things series. Look for it in 2026.
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland written by Patrick Radden Keefe. Listened to using Audible.
So far, the best book I have read this year. By far.
The Bible Told Them So: How Southern Evangelicals Fought to Preserve White Supremacy written by Dr. J. Russell Hawkins. Listened to using Audible.
South Carolina racists trying to hold on to their power using religion as the basis for their claims.
100 Things to do in Orlando Before You Die written by Jon Busdeker and Brendan O’Connor.
Read as part of research for a similar book I am writing in the 100 Things series. Look for it in 2026. Keep up with everything going on in Orlando by following O’Connor’s amazing website Bungalower.
The Jackson County War: Reconstruction and Resistance in Post-Civil War Florida written by Daniel R. Weinfeld. Listened to using Audible.
A bit difficult to follow in audio format. Keeping the names and locations straight was difficult for me. Thoroughly researched. Jackson County seems like it was a bad place in the immediate post war years.
Burdine’s: Sunshine Fashions and the Florida Store written by Seth Bramson. Read using Kindle.
My grandfather worked for Burdine’s for many years so there was some family interest, I suppose. If you know Mr. Bramson, this is vintage Seth. He has a very high opinion of his knowledge (which I am not refuting here) and he can be quick to toot his own horn and put down the work of others. I could do with less of that to be honest.
A Night to Remember: The Sinking of the Titanic written by Walter Lord. Read using Kindle.
This book is still the starting place for all study of the Titanic tragedy.
Isaac’s Storm: A Man, A Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History written by Erik Larson. Read using Audible.
A bit slow to get going and dragged in places for me. A tragic story that highlights just how little weather forecasters knew, know now, and how inaccurate they are even today.
written by Andrew Fink. Read using Audible.
I guess I expected more. Maybe it was too home town hyped since I live near Sanford. The “headless miser legend” seemed almost an add on at the end of the book. An interesting local history story though.
Under a Flaming Sky: The Great Hinkley Firestorm of 1894 written by Daniel James Brown. Read using Audible.
A combination of weather, land conditions, disbelief, and the convergence of two fires led to the deaths of more than 400 people. An incredible story.
Hidden History of Civil War South Carolina written by D. Michael Thomas. This book was provided by Arcadia Publishing.
Fifty short takes on South Carolina history from the “War for Southern Independence” as the author calls it.
Lincoln Comes to Gettysburg: The Creation of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Written by Brad and Linda Gottfried. Read using Kindle.
An excellent, brief introduction to this important after battle aspect of Gettysburg.
Historic Jacksonville Theatre Palaces, Drive-Ins, and Movie Houses. Written by Dorothy K. Fletcher. Read using Kindle.
A tough topic to research. This book is based mostly on a few newspaper articles and “good old days” memories. A fun look back if you lived in Jacksonville during the days of these businesses even if not overly historically useful.
Whiskey Master Class. Written by Lew Bryson. Read using Audible.
A very useful book but would have been better using a physical book.
The Great Gatsby. Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Read using Kindle.
We recently watched the documentary, Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story, on Amazon Prime Video. Afterward, I figured, maybe I should read the book. Can someone please explain what the big deal is? I seem to have missed something.
A History of the Alligator: Florida’s Favorite Reptile. Written by Donald D. Spencer.
Read as research for a book I am currently working on.
Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and the People’s Temple. Written by Jeff Guinn. Read using Audible.
Excellent book! It might be argued that while Jones started out with a positive motive, he quickly became an evil and controlling individual. This is a sad look at how easily desperate people can be duped into throwing everything away, including their lives.
The Trafficantes, Godfathers from Tampa, Florida: The Mafia, the CIA, and the Kennedy Assassination. Written by Ron Chepesiuk. Read using Kindle.
While the title may be a bit overdramatic, who knew there was so much Mafia history in Florida. Well, I knew a bit, but you know what I mean. An interesting part of Florida history I might explore more on.
Fire and Brimstone: The North Butte Mining Disaster of 1917. Written by Michael Punke. Read using Audible.
What a terrible and mostly preventable incident. I am not sure how much we have advanced in reigning in the political power of corporations. The latter part of the book, while having some post disaster relevance, went on too long for my taste. If it hadn’t been included, I wouldn’t have felt cheated.
Long and in depth look at John Calhoun and the politics of the early to mid 19th century. Calhoun found himself on the wrong side of history as a pro slavery South Carolinian and his long term reputation has of course suffered. The question about what to do with figures such as Calhoun in the historical narrative is an important one that is asked.
G-Men, Gangsters & Gators: The Deaths of Fred Barker and Kate “Ma” Barker in Florida. Written by Brian Hunt.
Read as background for a project I am working on. I was looking for something that didn’t go into the entire Barker story, which I don’t need. Unfortunately, this book is in need of considerable editorial help. Issues include shaky narrative, inconsistent spelling/naming/formatting, and very confusing and unexplained notes.
The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time. written by John Kelly. Read using Audible.
Written pre-COVID, Kelly works to humanize the impact of a plague that killed approximately 75 million people during the 1340s rather than providing a straight statistically based book.
A Strange and Blighted Land: Gettysburg: The Aftermath of a Battle. Written by Gregory Coco. Read using Kindle.
What took place in the days, weeks, and months after the Battle.
The Graves are Walking: The Great Famine and the Saga of the Irish People written by John Kelly. Read using Audible.
Why does every book on Irish history in Audible have to be ready by someone with a heavily Irish accent? That doesn’t make it seem more authentic.
Gainesville Punk: A History of Bands & Music written by Matt Walker. Read using Kindle.
A bit disjointed. This is a lot of UF students who I am not sure would have made it in the early days and locations of punk. Is the music any good? Admittedly, I did not seek it out to sample. Less Than Jake is the breakout band.
Lost Restaurants of Jacksonville. Written by Dorothy K. Fletcher. Read using Kindle.
Much like her movie theaters book I read earlier this year, I accept this is a difficult subject to research. This is really a book of “good old days” stories. It is certainly not an in depth history or look at any of these restaurants. Still, there is value to these memories and for many history enthusiasts today, this is what they consider to be good history.
Historic Theaters of the Tennessee Tri-Cities. Written by Robert Sorrell.
One of the better books in the Arcadia “theater” series I have read. This book takes more of a history based angle, rather than a “good old days” approach. This is a tough topic to write on as source material is spotty at best for most of these facilities. Newspaper articles are often all there is.
Adventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World’s Greatest Museum. Written by Elaine Sciolino. Read using Audible.
A very interesting look at the Louvre. It’s a much better book when the author isn’t trying to make broad, and somewhat irrelevant, social commentary. For me, that type of moralizing is better left for a different book with that as the main theme.
The Great American Retro Road Trip: A Celebration of Roadside Americana. Written by Rolando Pujol.
An absolute must read for every arm chair traveler. A visual feast, but don’t skip the text. This will be a strong contender for my favorite book of the year.
North Georgia Moonshine: A History of the Lovells & Other Liquor Makers. Written by Judith Garrison. Read using Kindle.
Interesting, but the focus was so singular as to make it almost a promotional piece of the now defunct Ivy Mountain Distillery rather than a true examination of north Georgia Moonshine. Nowadays, please see R.M. Rose Distillery.
Practicing History: Selected Essays. Written by Barbara Tuchman. Read using Audible.
I have tried to read and like Barbara Tuchman. I really have. I’ve tried WWI, I’ve tried the American Revolution. I have always found her difficult. These essays did nothing to change my view. If I had been trying in physical form, the book would have ended up unfinished, just like the others of hers I have tried.
The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever. Written by Prudence Peiffer. Read using Audible.
Robert Indiana, James Rosenquist, Ellsworth Kelly, and more got their start and found fame, at this dead end street at the lower tip of Manhattan. This is a biography of not just artists but also time and place.
Box Broken Open: The Architecture of Ted Pappas. Written by Tim Gilmore and Mark Pappas. Read using Kindle.
An interesting look at the famous Jacksonville based architect. I read this to try and gather insight on how biographies of architects are written. I have a project in mind for some time in the future.
The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Written by John U. Bacon. Read using Audible.
My first read on the legendary Great Lakes freighter. A bit slow getting started but once the story really got to the Edmund Fitzgerald, I found this to be a very good book. Definitely recommended.
Confessions of an Art Addict: Peggy Guggenheim’s Fascinating Memoir of her Life in the World of Modern Art. Written by Peggy Guggenheim. Read using Audible.
The worlds of modern and contemporary art owe a debt of gratitude to Peggy Guggenheim. You might not learn a lot about the art itself, but the stories she tells are fascinating. It’s amazing the art that passed through her hands.
Picasso’s War: How Modern Art Came to America. Written by Hugh Eakin. Read using Audible.
A look at the early years of what is not called modern art and the struggle artists and dealers had in finding acceptance in the United States. Includes the interesting story of the early days and hardships of the Museum of Modern Art.
Florida Soul: From Ray Charles to KC and the Sunshine Band. Written by John Capouya.
This one has been in my “to be read” pile for quite a while. Unfortunately it let me down. Each chapter stands independently and there is really no continuity in the book. That’s OK, but it just seemed that the story wasn’t really there. It was a series of independent stories that didn’t really go anywhere.
Sunlit Arches: How William Manly King Shaped South Florida. Written by Janet Naughton.
Full disclosure: I was provided a complimentary review copy and received mention in the book acknowledgements. These issues aside, this is an enjoyable and important book. Architecture in Florida is often overlooked and demolished on a seeming whim. Janet Naughton works to preserve the work of important south Florida architect William Manly King, in print, if not in usage. Highly recommended.
My final total number of books read for 2025 is 44. While the last couple of months were extremely slow in results the holidays can do that to people. In addition, I started two different books through Audible that proved unfinishable. Don’t go strictly by the sample audio alone. Both provided different readers once the main book started. The samples came from Introductions. One title was completely unlistenable after getting about a third of the way through. Authors, please do not get suckered into reading your book. You are not voice actors and it shows. The second, I made it about an hour in before the sheer boredom took over. Finally, I have two Kindle titles going, one is a real slog but I’ll stick it out. The other is a work of fiction provided by the author as a review copy that I have only just begun.
I suppose I should select my favorite titles I have read this year. Four completely different titles stand out above the crowd. If you are a history reader, you won’t go wrong with any of these. In no particular order.
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland written by Patrick Radden Keefe.
Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and the People’s Temple. Written by Jeff Guinn.
The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Written by John U. Bacon.
The Great American Retro Road Trip: A Celebration of Roadside Americana. Written by Rolando Pujol.
Reviewing this list has showed me I am really all over the place in my reading and I don’t have any true subject focus. I really thought I might be a bit more targeted in a couple of areas than what I have found. I hope in 2026 to be able to focus a bit more on a couple of key subjects including Florida history as a primary target. I also hope to focus on works that are a bit more rigorous in their scholarship. That doesn’t mean university press so much, just a move toward works with more research and backing materials.
A question I will have moving forward is where do I begin. I am going to spend some time over the next few years filling in gaps in my Florida history book collection. I know I will buy considerably more than I will be able to read. An area I have not done well in is keeping up with is new history releases. I need to make a more concerted effort to have open eyes for what is new and pick up those titles, even when not Florida related.
So there you have it. My 2025 reading round-up so to speak.
What did your 2025 reading list look like? Do you have a similar type of listing? What are the favorite books you read during 2025? Please share in the comments so others can pick up titles that might be of interest to them.
