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The Books We’re Excited About in Early 2025

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12 months ago

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The Books We’re Excited About in Early 2025

A new year means new books to look forward to, and 2025 already promises a bounty — from the first volume of Bill Gates’s memoirs to a new novel by the reigning Nobel laureate, Han Kang, to a biography of Rosemary Woodruff Leary, the wife and psychedelic collaborator of the counterculture pioneer Timothy Leary.

On this week’s episode, Gilbert Cruz and Joumana Khatib talk about some of the upcoming books they’re most anticipating over the next several months.

Books discussed:

“Stone Yard Devotional,” by Charlotte Wood

“Silence,” by Pico Iyer

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“Onyx Storm,” by Rebecca Yarros

“Gliff,” by Ali Smith

“The Dream Hotel,” by Laila Lalami

“The Colony,” by Annika Norlin

“We Do Not Part,” by Han Kang

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“Playworld,” by Adam Ross

“Death of the Author,” by Nnedi Okorafor

“The Acid Queen: The Psychedelic Life and Counterculture Rebellion of Rosemary Woodruff Leary,” by Susannah Cahalan

“Tilt,” by Emma Pattee

“Dream Count,” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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“Hope: The Autobiography,” by Pope Francis

“Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church,” by Philip Shenon

“The Antidote,” by Karen Russell

“Source Code,” by Bill Gates

“Great Big Beautiful Life,” by Emily Henry

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“Sunrise on the Reaping,” by Suzanne Collins

We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, and about the Book Review’s podcast in general. You can send them to books@nytimes.com.

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Culture

Do You Know the Notable Buildings Mentioned in These Books?

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1 day ago

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January 5, 2026

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Do You Know the Notable Buildings Mentioned in These Books?

A strong sense of place can deeply influence a story, and in some cases, the setting can even feel like a character itself. This week’s literary geography quiz highlights buildings that inspired authors, often to the point of including the structures in their novels. (Many of the buildings are still open to visitors.) To play, just make your selection in the multiple-choice list and the correct answer will be revealed. At the end of the quiz, you’ll find links to the books if you’d like to do further reading.

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Culture

Video: 250 Years of Jane Austen, in Objects

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3 weeks ago

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December 18, 2025

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Video: 250 Years of Jane Austen, in Objects

new video loaded: 250 Years of Jane Austen, in Objects

To capture Jane Austen’s brief life and enormous impact, editors at The New York Times Book Review assembled a sampling of the wealth, wonder and weirdness she has brought to our lives.

By Jennifer Harlan, Sadie Stein, Claire Hogan, Laura Salaberry and Edward Vega

December 18, 2025

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Culture

Try This Quiz and See How Much You Know About Jane Austen

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3 weeks ago

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December 16, 2025

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Try This Quiz and See How Much You Know About Jane Austen

“Window seat with garden view / A perfect nook to read a book / I’m lost in my Jane Austen…” sings Kristin Chenoweth in “The Girl in 14G” — what could be more ideal? Well, perhaps showing off your literary knowledge and getting a perfect score on this week’s super-size Book Review Quiz Bowl honoring the life, work and global influence of Jane Austen, who turns 250 today. In the 12 questions below, tap or click your answers to the questions. And no matter how you do, scroll on to the end, where you’ll find links to free e-book versions of her novels — and more.

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