No shortage of incredible literature was released during 2025. PEN America already compiled a list of 15 titles featured across multiple “best of” lists, but we wanted to offer up some recommendations of our own, too. Scroll down to learn which books our staff just couldn’t put down this year.
These Memories Do Not Belong to Us by Yiming Ma
“This book really met the moment of 2025! It’s an interesting exploration of techno-facism, and the ways in which people resist—even when governmental control extends to one’s memories.
Amanda Wells, Program Coordinator for Digital Safety and Free Expression
The History of My Sexuality by Tobi Lakmaker (translated by Kristen Gehrman)
“Fast-paced and extremely funny; a memoir about trans identity that dismantles stereotypes through comedy, causing the reader to laugh at how ridiculous they are.”
Sarah Dillard, Manager of World Voices Festival & Literary Programs
The Director by Daniel Kehlmann
“It’s about the struggle between how creators behave under ugly authoritarian regimes and make compromises to pursue their art.”
Geraldine Baum, Chief Communications Officer
Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor
“I love the way this novel highlights the shared experiences of those going through crises of art and crises of faith.”
Aileen Favilla, Program Manager of Campus Free Speech
Fox by Joyce Carol Oates
“Joyce Carol Oates is my mom’s favorite author, and now she’s one of mine. She may be the most prolific artist of our time. She can hold my attention for 500+ pages any day of the week!”
Esmé O’Brien Smith, Special Assistant for the Executive Office
Loca by Alejandro Heredia
“Loca stood out for three reasons: It’s deeply rooted in a specific time and place (the Bronx, late 1990s, Dominican community); characters made unconventional, unexpected choices (I won’t spoil anything); and the ending wasn’t clearly happy or sad—it felt as if real people made choices when faced with complex situations, and those choices are ‘happy’ in some ways but ‘sad’ in others, as is often the case in life.”
Irene Xanthoudakis, Director of Foundation Relations and Grants
Bad Bad Girl by Gish Jen
“Bad Bad Girl combined so many things—complicated family dynamics, Chinese history, immigrant struggles, racism, abuse—and did it with such generosity, humor, and honest self-reflection that I felt compelled to share the book with friends who in turn shared their own family stories with me. The best kind of gift from a book!”
Melinda Page, Director of Literary Awards
Sister Europe by Nell Zink
“A document of our generations: flaws, humor, and all!”
Bruce Lampros, Special Assistant
Three Leaves, Three Roots: Poems on the Haiti–Congo Story by Danielle Legros Georges
“Poetry intertwines with letters and interviews so the collection has the perspective of a community instead of a siloed point of view.”
The Black Wolf by Louise Penny
“The latest in the long-running Inspector Gamache series, Penny weaves a complicated tale of intrigue, friendship and corruption with her unmatched and often poetic prose.”
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
“An extremely gripping, elegant fiction novel with an urgent message about incarceration, surveillance, control, and what we’re willing to give up for the sake of convenience—and the people who suffer as a result.”
