2025 Top Books (Non-Fiction)

2025 Top Books (Non-Fiction)

Is it me, or does the word non-fiction make you stop for a second and say, “Does that mean real or fake?”  Well, to set the record straight, I read a lot of books this year, and 100% of them are non-fiction i.e,. not made up.  I also promised one specific client, not of mine, that I would keep up this tradition and list my top books of the year.

Reminder from last year, I will only list the 5-star books I ranked, as there are lots of quality 4-star books.  Alright, without further ado, here are my must-read books of the year.

1. A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them, by Timothy Egan– This book was awesome on so many levels.  For starters, I love everything Timothy Egan writes as he tells such a good story.  This book is an absolutely enthralling recount of the rise and sudden fall of the KKK in America.  Fascinating tale and serves as a great reminder that those who don’t know the past are doomed to repeat it.
2. The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century’s Greatest Dilemma by Mustafa Suleyman– If you don’t already know my affinity for AI, well, now you know.  This book is super interesting, and a bit terrifying, about where this AI revolution could lead us.  I definitely recommend reading.
3. The AI-Driven Leader: Harnessing AI to Make Faster, Smarter Decisions by Geoff Woods– Speaking of AI, this one is a bit more prescriptive on great ways to maximize the power AI holds, especially in business.  Hint, it isn’t only a better search engine.
4. Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight– If you saw the movie on Nike, good news, virtually no relation.  This book talks about the start and massive growth of the Nike brand.  Loved this book.
5. The Siege: A Six-Day Hostage Crisis and the Daring Special-Forces Operation That Shocked the World by Ben Macintyre– Funny enough, I’m currently reading another one of Ben’s books.  His story reads like a fiction (fake) action thriller.
6. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson– Bill is one of my favorite author’s period, end of story.  This book had me chuckling throughout, and he honestly retells a story so well I have no need to now hike the Appalachian Trail!
7. Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant– Love these kinds of books that are like self-help and human psychology.  Adam is truly a thought leader, and I’ll read anything he puts out.
8. The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday– I’ve spoken about my love for stoicism many times.  Ryan is the modern-day guru on the topic.  Love this book and, more importantly, love stoicism.
9. Who Is Government?  The Untold Story of Public Service by Michael Lewis- One of the top authors of our time comes out with another great, easy-to-read book on the fascinating story of some of the unsung heroes of government (this book is 0% political).
10.  Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green- Freaking loved this book and was shocked that I did.  The title sounds terrible, and so does the topic.  That said, pick it up and you will be enthralled, I promise.
11.  Educated by Tara Westover- Want to feel bad about how little you’ve accomplished, given so much?  Well, definitely read this book then, as it is an awesome memoir of one lady’s incredible trials and tribulations.
12. Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap by Ben Westhoff– Yeah, I grew up listening to 90’s hip hop, so what?  If you were like me, then snag this book and listen to the early stages of the West Coast hip hop scene.
13.  Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America by Annie Jacobsen– Annie is another one of those storytellers I’ll always read.  This was a great book about bringing Nazi scientists to America post-WWII.
14.  The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing by Lara Love Hardin– Another really good memoir, except I can’t tell if I love or can’t stand Lara Love.  Regardless, you’ll find it interesting and an easy read.
15.  The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger, Joel Lovell– I thought I would like this book from the start, but not love it.  Well, I was wrong, as Bob’s story as a business leader myself was super inspiring.
16.  Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela– Long and incredible.  Sorry to say, I didn’t know enough about this amazing man until I read his biography.  The good news is there is still time for all of us to make a change.
17.  The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal, Survival, and Hope in Israel’s Borderlands by Amir Tibon– Up there for my favorite book of the year, although it is also quite terrible.  A harrowing recount of the terrorist attacks on October 7^th and one family’s fight to survive.
18.  Killing the Rising Sun: How America Vanquished World War II Japan by Bill O’Reilly, Martin Dugard– Obsessed with Bill’s killing series, say no more.
19.  The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton– Awesome memoir on Anthony Ray Hinton’s time on Death Row and how he fought a wrongful conviction.
20.  Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot- Same as above, but on a different topic.
21.  The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperialism Russia by Candace Fleming- I know so little about Russia and the Romanov dynasty.  This served for me as a great eye opener, and I loved every moment of it.
22.  Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell by Tom Clavin– Yeah, how can this book not be great, right?  Love the wild west and the lawmen who made history.

Phew, that was a mouthful, but I didn’t want to shortchange any of the 5-star books I read this year.  They were all great in their own right, and I would happily read any of them again.  I still find it funny that if you told me 20 years ago I was writing a weekly blog, I’d smack you upside your head.  Then, if you told me I would write a blog about reading books, I would likely throw something at you.  That said, reading has become my newest obsession, and I find it very therapeutic, and I freaking love learning.  Feel free to follow me on Goodreads and shoot me a note if you have any good suggestions or want to chat on any of these.  Have a great holiday season and keep reading!

Stay wealthy, healthy, and happy.