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July 18, 2025

The New York Times

Dear readers,

Whether or not you’ve been waging war on 85 percent humidity (as New Yorkers have), I think we all could use a little joyful treat. This is why today’s letter is dedicated to the best books of 2025 (so far).

I can’t claim clairvoyance so I will make no predictions about which, if any, of these titles will end up on our annual 10 Best Books list. (Who knows what might arrive later this year?) But my colleagues and I have assembled a list of the books that have stayed with us for whatever reason. It’s a wide-ranging array, and I am confident you will find something to enjoy.

On this week’s podcast episode, I spoke with Gilbert Cruz, the editor of the Book Review, about some of the titles on our list. I’m partial to “Isola,” “The Director” and “Wild Thing,” but there’s plenty to admire.

As always, my colleagues and I would love to hear what you’re reading, whether or not it was published this year! Please feel free to drop us a line by emailing books@nytimes.com.

See you next week.

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LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT READ?

Editors’ Choice 7 New Books We Love This Week Reading recommendations from critics and editors at The New York Times.

The Essential Jane Austen A peerless chronicler of class and romance, the “Pride and Prejudice” author was never prolific. But her work remains remarkably relevant, more than two centuries after her death. By Sarah Lyall

The Best Books of the Year (So Far) The nonfiction and novels we can’t stop thinking about. By The New York Times Books Staff

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THIS WEEK IN THE BOOK REVIEW

Top: via Master and Fellows of St John's College, Cambridge; Bottom: British Library Nonfiction The Meaning Hidden in Wordsworth’s Teacup and Mary Shelley’s Hair Examining artifacts from the archive of British Romanticism, a scholar finds evidence of intimate, if often overlooked, connections to slavery. By Michael Gorra

Photo illustration by Ricardo Tomas Critic’s Notebook How Empathy Became a Threat It was once considered a virtue. Why do some people now think it’s a bad thing? By Jennifer Szalai

Fantagraphics Nonfiction The Passion of the Cartoonist A new graphic biography of Caravaggio draws a provocative line from the old masters to the outsider artists of today. By Sam Thielman

Alex Merto Poetry An Instagram Poet With Hints of Interesting Darkness David Gate has a popular following online, but his best poems suggest he’s not entirely comfortable as an influencer. By Jeff Gordinier

Library of Congress nonfiction Where to Be Female, Bohemian and Free in 1890s Paris? In “The Club,” Jennifer Dasal investigates a refuge for (some) expat artists in the City of Light. By Joanna Scutts

Adrian Dennis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Fanny Howe, Poet of Unsettled Dreams, Is Dead at 84 Her heritage, as a scion of Boston Brahmins and the mother of biracial children, shaped a discursive verse style that veiled sharp edges and melancholy resolutions. By Adam Nossiter

THE BOOK REVIEW PODCAST

The Book Review The Best Books of the Year (So Far) 2025 is more than halfway gone. On this week’s podcast, Gilbert Cruz and Joumana Khatib discuss some of the books that have stayed with them most this year. 47 MIN LISTEN

ETC.

Sam Hepburn Children’s Books My Teacher Is a Robot. Wait Till You Meet My Mom. Two darkly amusing graphic novels for kids pit machine learning and rocket science against good old-fashioned humanity. By John Schwartz

Ben Hickey Do You Know These French Books Adapted for Stage and Screen? France has produced many novels and stories that have gone on to become internationally popular musicals and movies. Try this short quiz to see how many you know. By J. D. Biersdorfer

Rebecca Clarke By the Book Join the Club: Lisa Murkowski Hasn’t Finished ‘Master of the Senate’ The Alaska lawmaker was given a copy when first appointed to the Senate in 2002 and it’s still on her bedside table. “Far From Home” is her new memoir.

BEST SELLERS