My top reads of 2025: nonfiction, poetry, plays, short stories

My 2025 was full of tremendous reading. This is first of two videos sharing my absolute favourites. Part 2 will have the novels. 0:00 Summing up the year. 03:50 Top 4 non-fiction 09:55 Top 4 books of poetry 17:40 Two best plays 20:27 A surprise short story collection win 21:43 The books I wish I hadn't read Channels mentioned: Katja ‪@PageTurnersWithKatja‬ and Jack ‪@spreadbookjoy‬ my fellow Reading the Globe hosts. Join us for more great global literature in 2026. Angelia ‪@readandre-read‬ who is running Endless Drama again in 2026. Dear Shawn ‪@shawnbreathesbooks‬ thanks for Nishga! Katie ‪@katiejlumsden‬ and Charlotte‪@CoynieReads‬ the perfect Rebecca Romney buddyreaders. Thomas ‪@art.and.lit.matters‬ who prompted a revisit of TS Eliot. Books mentioned: Raising Hare Chloe Dalton Black and British David Olusoga Jane Austen's Bookshelf Rebecca Romney Nishga Jordan Abel The Wickedest Caleb Femi Forest of Noise Mosab Abu Toha Stung With Love Sappho translated by Aaron Poochigian Homer's Odyssey translations by Robert Fagles and Emily Wilson TS Eliot Collected Poems The Laramie Project Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Tom Stoppard Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling The Forgotten Book Mechthild Glaser Reckless Cornelia Funke translated by Oliver Latsch The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat Oliver Sacks All Fours Miranda July