By Ron Charles, Book Critic for the Washington Post
In 2025, readers were treated to an array of remarkable books. To enrich your reading list, here are five titles we found particularly captivating over the past year:
“The Slip” by Lucas Schaefer
Lucas Schaefer’s debut, “The Slip” (Simon & Schuster), clinched the Kirkus Prize for Fiction. Set in a boxing gym in Austin, Texas, it follows two isolated teenagers striving to reshape their identities.
This humorous yet poignant narrative engages with pressing social issues, delivering a compelling punch. Read an excerpt: “The Slip” by Lucas Schaefer
“Guilty by Definition” by Susie Dent
Susie Dent’s first novel, “Guilty by Definition” (Sourcebooks Landmark), features a dictionary editor in Oxford who begins receiving enigmatic notes related to her sister’s old disappearance. As she investigates, literary puzzles and unresolved memories surface.
This clever mystery is a must-read for fans of wordplay intertwined with suspense. Read an excerpt: “Guilty by Definition” by Susie Dent
“Black Moses” by Caleb Gayle
“Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State” (Riverhead Books) by Caleb Gayle recounts Edward McCabe’s journey through Kansas and the Oklahoma Territory as Black migrants sought land and security during the Jim Crow era.
Facing a backdrop of political hostility and violence, McCabe’s struggle for community and self-determination highlights a critical but often overlooked chapter in the fight for freedom. Read an excerpt: “Black Moses” by Caleb Gayle
“The Antidote” by Karen Russell
Karen Russell’s “The Antidote” (Knopf) is an imaginative tale that straddles the line between fable and historical fiction. Set during the Great Depression in Nebraska, it tells of a prairie witch and a high school girl caught in a dramatic western narrative about the challenges and aspirations of Manifest Destiny.
Read an excerpt: “The Antidote” by Karen Russell
“The Fate of the Day” by Rick Atkinson
Rick Atkinson’s “The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780” (Crown) is the second installment of his ambitious trilogy chronicling the American Revolution.
Through a compelling narrative that interweaves battles and diplomacy, he brings figures such as Washington and Franklin to life, illustrating the struggle for independence just in time for America’s 250th anniversary. Read an excerpt: “The Fate of the Day” by Rick Atkinson
In closing, it has been a pleasure discussing great literature with you this past year! Here’s to many more in 2026!
Best wishes,
Ron Charles
