Books I've Read in 2025
#books 4 min.
My book choices over the past few years felt a bit stale, and I wanted to mix things up, so this year I’ve made an effort to read more Lithuanian authors.
Sveiko proto motinystė by Austėja Landsbergienė
Being a short book that covers a wide topic, it offers mostly generic advice and personal observations for modern, middle-class parents. If you’ve read any decent parenting book before, you’re unlikely to find much new here. However, it’s not a bad thing - being such an easy read from the best-known child educator in Lithuania makes it a good book to give to grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other extended family who spend considerable time with your child, helping them align on common rules and principles.
Vilnius Poker by Ričardas Gavelis
Pretty much a cult classic and the most difficult book I’ve read in a while - with breaks, it took me something like 3 or 4 months to read through it. I was about to give it up at multiple points, but could not stop. Quite an intense and unique experience that will not be for everyone. P.S. It’s always cool to read a book about your own city.
Nuo Baltijos iki Bengalijos, Indijos palmių paunksnėje (#6) by Antanas Poška
I stumbled across this book while researching Lithuania’s motorcycling history on some random evening. Turns out, almost a hundred years ago, Antanas Poška and Matas Šalčius hopped on a motorcycle and went on an epic road trip through Europe, Africa, and Asia. Later on, they parted ways, and Antanas continued alone. It would take him 8 years to complete the trip. There was quite a bit of drama - Antanas and Matas did not get along. Matas ended up writing his own book Svečiuose pas 40 tautų, which would not even mention his fellow traveler. Antanas ended up writing his own book - or rather, 8 of them. I got my hands on the 6th out of 8 books, the one describing the author’s adventures in India. I was hooked. It’s one thing to read a travel story and live vicariously through the author’s eyes. It’s even more thrilling to read a road trip story from almost a century ago about places and cultures that are very different today. In 2026, I’m reading through the remaining 7 books.
Vilniaus džiazas by Ričardas Gavelis
Some time after Vilnius Poker I felt ready for Gavelis again. Well, this one’s even weirder :). Not as good as the first book, though.
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
I mean it’s Stephen King, so you know it’s gonna be better than 90% of the stuff out there. This time, we’re getting into the mind of a psychopath, and King paints a convincing, compelling character. That said, I don’t intend to read the sequels to this book. I have the same complaint here as before - it’s just too bloated, and King needs a stronger editor.
How Life Imitates Chess by Garry Kasparov
The only book I did not finish. Feels like a book written because enough people told Garry, “Hey, you should totally write a book!” It may have been intended to further his political ambitions or simply for his ego. Kasparov has clearly had an interesting life and would have plenty to teach me. Yet, somehow this did not translate into a compelling book - trying to fit chess techniques to life gets stale, fast. Skip it.
Getting Stoned with Savages by J. Maarten Troost
Continuing my newfound fascination with travel books, I picked this up at a yard sale. The entertaining, funny, and cheeky take on Vanuatu history definitely got me scouting it out on Google Maps and checking flight prices. Spoiler alert: it’s too long and too expensive.
My Nigeria: Five Decades of Independence by Peter Cunliffe-Jones
Another random book picked up at the same yard sale. Part memoir, part history book on Nigeria’s transition from colonial rule to independence. The critical analysis is well balanced with compelling storytelling, and I never found myself bored. Not the type of book to make you wanna visit the place, though.