Best Books of the Year
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The Telegraph Best Books of the Year 2025

The Telegraph Best Books of the Year 2025 names 139 books. 24 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

  1. 107 Days by Kamala Harrissource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Neighbour's Guide to Murder by Louise Candlishsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. A Philosophy of Shame by Frédéric Gros, translated by Andrew James Blisssource (opens in a new tab)
  4. A Sound So Very Loud by Ted Kessler and Hamish MacBainsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Abortion by Mary Fissellsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Aerth by Deborah Tomkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  7. After Party by Dean Brownesource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Against Identity by Alexander Douglassource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Alice with a Why by Anna Jamessource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Ask Me Again by Clare Sestanovichsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Base Notes by Adelle Stripesource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Buckley by Sam Tanenhaussource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Call Me Ishmaelle by Xiaolu Guosource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Cat on the Road to Findout by Yusuf/Cat Stevenssource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Clearing the Air by Hannah Ritchiesource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Clown Town by Mick Herronsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Coming Home by Andrew Flintoffsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Delusions of Paradise by Maiwand Banayeesource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Don't Forget We're Here Forever by Lamorna Ashsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Driven by Susie Wolffsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. Eagle Days by Victoria Taylorsource (opens in a new tab)
  22. El Generalisimo: Franco by Giles Tremlettsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. Everything is Tuberculosis by John Greensource (opens in a new tab)
  24. Evil in High Places by Rory Clementssource (opens in a new tab)
  25. Flesh by David Szalaysource (opens in a new tab)
  26. Fly, Wild Swans by Jung Changsource (opens in a new tab)
  27. Foretokens by Sarah Howesource (opens in a new tab)
  28. Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife by Francesca Wadesource (opens in a new tab)
  29. Get In by Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrundsource (opens in a new tab)
  30. God is an Englishman by Bijan Omranisource (opens in a new tab)
  31. Havoc by Christopher Bollensource (opens in a new tab)
  32. Heartbeats by Björn Borgsource (opens in a new tab)
  33. Hostage by Eli Sharabisource (opens in a new tab)
  34. How to Save the Amazon by Dom Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)
  35. Humanish by Justin Greggsource (opens in a new tab)
  36. I Suffer Therefore I Am by Pascal Bruckner, translated by Stephen Mueckesource (opens in a new tab)
  37. I am Giorgia by Giorgia Melonisource (opens in a new tab)
  38. Injury Time by David Goldblattsource (opens in a new tab)
  39. It's Terrible the Things I Have to Do to Be Me by Philippa Snowsource (opens in a new tab)
  40. Jesus Christ Kinski by Benjamin Myerssource (opens in a new tab)
  41. Keegan: The Man Who Was King by Anthony Quinnsource (opens in a new tab)
  42. King of Ashes by SA Cosbysource (opens in a new tab)
  43. Lawless Republic by Josiah Osgoodsource (opens in a new tab)
  44. Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavassource (opens in a new tab)
  45. Lode by Gillian Allnuttsource (opens in a new tab)
  46. Lone Wolf by Adam Weymouthsource (opens in a new tab)
  47. Men of a Certain Age by Kate Mossmansource (opens in a new tab)
  48. Mining Men by Emily P Webbersource (opens in a new tab)
  49. Mood Machine by Liz Pellysource (opens in a new tab)
  50. Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippmansource (opens in a new tab)
  51. Music as Medicine by Daniel Levitinsource (opens in a new tab)
  52. My Soul, a Shining Tree by Jamila Gavinsource (opens in a new tab)
  53. New and Collected Hell by Shane McCraesource (opens in a new tab)
  54. Nobody's Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffresource (opens in a new tab)
  55. Off the Rails by Sally Gimsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  56. Oh Dear, Look What I Got! by Michael Rosensource (opens in a new tab)
  57. On Bull---t by Harry Frankfurtsource (opens in a new tab)
  58. On Xi Jinping by Kevin Ruddsource (opens in a new tab)
  59. On the Clock by Claire Baglin, translated by Jordan Stumpsource (opens in a new tab)
  60. Open Socrates by Agnes Callardsource (opens in a new tab)
  61. Outcast: A History of Leprosy by Oliver Bascianosource (opens in a new tab)
  62. Perspectives by Laurent Binet, translated by Sam Taylorsource (opens in a new tab)
  63. Pink Dust by Ron Padgettsource (opens in a new tab)
  64. Pots of Gold by David Hendonsource (opens in a new tab)
  65. Power and the Palace by Valentine Lowsource (opens in a new tab)
  66. Rain of Ruin by Richard Overysource (opens in a new tab)
  67. Reparations by Nigel Biggarsource (opens in a new tab)
  68. Sacrifice by Oisin Murphysource (opens in a new tab)
  69. Saraswati by Gurnaik Johalsource (opens in a new tab)
  70. Science Under Siege by Michael Mann and Peter Hotezsource (opens in a new tab)
  71. Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchonsource (opens in a new tab)
  72. Shibboleth by Thomas Peermohamed Lambertsource (opens in a new tab)
  73. Shouting Out Loud by Audrey Goldensource (opens in a new tab)
  74. Silk Work by Imogen Casselssource (opens in a new tab)
  75. Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, translated by Helen Stevensonsource (opens in a new tab)
  76. Softly, as I Leave You by Priscilla Presleysource (opens in a new tab)
  77. Songs in the Key of MP3 by Liam Inscoe-Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  78. Stone Lands by Fiona Robertsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  79. Strange Pictures by Uketsu, translated by Jim Rionsource (opens in a new tab)
  80. The Alienation Effect by Owen Hatherleysource (opens in a new tab)
  81. The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  82. The Beck by Anthony McGowansource (opens in a new tab)
  83. The Best of Peter Lovesey Stories by Peter Loveseysource (opens in a new tab)
  84. The Blood in Winter by Jonathan Healeysource (opens in a new tab)
  85. The Book of Jonah by Luke Kennardsource (opens in a new tab)
  86. The Boundless Deep by Richard Holmessource (opens in a new tab)
  87. The CIA Book Club by Charlie Englishsource (opens in a new tab)
  88. The Chain by Bradley Wigginssource (opens in a new tab)
  89. The Challenges of Democracy by Jonathan Sumptionsource (opens in a new tab)
  90. The City Changes Its Face by Eimear McBridesource (opens in a new tab)
  91. The Director by Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Ross Benjaminsource (opens in a new tab)
  92. The Expansion Project by Ben Pestersource (opens in a new tab)
  93. The Extinction of Experience by Christine Rosensource (opens in a new tab)
  94. The First Year by Matt Goodfellowsource (opens in a new tab)
  95. The French Revolution: A Political History by John Hardmansource (opens in a new tab)
  96. The Genius of Trees by Harriet Rixsource (opens in a new tab)
  97. The Grammar of Angels by Edward Wilson-Leesource (opens in a new tab)
  98. The Great Auk by Tim Birkheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  99. The Hohenzollerns and the Nazis by Stephan Malinowski, translated by Jefferson Chasesource (opens in a new tab)
  100. The Immortalists by Aleks Krotoskisource (opens in a new tab)
  101. The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauersource (opens in a new tab)
  102. The Last Bell by Donald McRaesource (opens in a new tab)
  103. The Library of Ancient Wisdom by Selena Wisnomsource (opens in a new tab)
  104. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desaisource (opens in a new tab)
  105. The Lost Girls of Autism by Gina Ripponsource (opens in a new tab)
  106. The Mad and the Brave by Colin Freemansource (opens in a new tab)
  107. The Mercian Chronicles by Max Adamssource (opens in a new tab)
  108. The Möbius Book by Catherine Laceysource (opens in a new tab)
  109. The North Pole by Erling Kaggesource (opens in a new tab)
  110. The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Daniel Mendelsohnsource (opens in a new tab)
  111. The Origin of Language by Madeleine Beekmansource (opens in a new tab)
  112. The Poems of Seamus Heaney by Seamus Heaneysource (opens in a new tab)
  113. The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundellsource (opens in a new tab)
  114. The Red Brigades by John Footsource (opens in a new tab)
  115. The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovitssource (opens in a new tab)
  116. The Rose Field by Philip Pullmansource (opens in a new tab)
  117. The Soviet Century by Karl Schlögelsource (opens in a new tab)
  118. The Strange House by Raymond Briggssource (opens in a new tab)
  119. The Wax Child by Olga Ravn, translated by Martin Aitkensource (opens in a new tab)
  120. The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz by Anne Sebbasource (opens in a new tab)
  121. Thou Savage Woman by Blessin Adamssource (opens in a new tab)
  122. Tigers Between Empires by Jonathan C Slaghtsource (opens in a new tab)
  123. TonyInterruptor by Nicola Barkersource (opens in a new tab)
  124. Truly by Lionel Richiesource (opens in a new tab)
  125. Uncommon Ground by Patrick Galbraithsource (opens in a new tab)
  126. Under a Fire-Red Sky by Geraldine McCaughreansource (opens in a new tab)
  127. Under a Metal Sky by Philip Marsdensource (opens in a new tab)
  128. Unholy Kingdom by Malise Ruthvensource (opens in a new tab)
  129. Vanished: An Unnatural History of Extinction by Sadiah Qureshisource (opens in a new tab)
  130. Victory in Australia by Richard Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  131. We Live Here Now by CD Rosesource (opens in a new tab)
  132. Wellwater by Karen Soliesource (opens in a new tab)
  133. When the Going was Good by Graydon Cartersource (opens in a new tab)
  134. Why I Care by Ed Daveysource (opens in a new tab)
  135. Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run by Paul McCartneysource (opens in a new tab)
  136. Winter Dreams by Barbara H Rosenweinsource (opens in a new tab)
  137. Yoko by David Sheffsource (opens in a new tab)
  138. Your Life is Manufactured by Tim Minshallsource (opens in a new tab)
  139. Your Name Here by Helen DeWitt and Ilya Gridneffsource (opens in a new tab)

About the The Telegraph Best Books of the Year

The Telegraph books desk's year-end list of the year's best books, chosen by its critics, one combined list a year. 2015 is the ranked 100 best books of 2015 (first run as Best 100 books for Christmas); 2016 is the ranked 50 best books for Christmas 2016; 2017-2024 are the ranked 50 best books of the year, except 2021, which ranked 75. 2025 is The greatest books of 2025, 139 unranked critics' picks in genre sections (history, fiction, crime, children's, poetry and more), folded into one list and stored without rank. Years before 2015 are left out: the Telegraph ran writers' and celebrity picks (2009), genre-by-genre Christmas roundups (2012), a literary editor's top 10 (2010) and running best-of-the-year-so-far pages (2014-2016), with no single critics' year-end list. Running so-far pages, summer reading lists, separate genre lists, gift guides and writers' picks are left out in every year. All pages were read through the Wayback Machine because telegraph.co.uk is paywalled and blocks direct fetches; 2019 comes from the AMP copy captured on publication day, as later full-page captures are cut off by the paywall. Where a line on the page names no author, the author comes from the same page's blurb or Telegraph Bookshop link. Where the page credits only an editor, the editor is the author, unless the title names the writer in full (the Plath and Murdoch letters, the Channon diaries, the Stevie Smith and Seamus Heaney poems).

Organization: The Telegraph. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2025