Best Books of 2025
Books On The Go
It’s our best books of the year episode! Anna, Amanda and Annie reveal our favourite reads of 2025: by Hannah Kent by Yael van der Wouden by Niall Williams by Bernhard Schlink translated by Charlotte Collins by Megan Majhumdar by Christian Kracht translated by Daniel Bowles by Chimamanda Ngoze Adichie (and audio book) by Brandon Taylor (and substack ) by Lily King Follow us! Email: Instagram: and Substack: Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz
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Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
Books On The Go
Anna and Geoff discuss their reaction to the , by David Szalay, and the winner of the , Australian author Helen Garner for her collection of diaries . Our book of the week is by Rachel Kushner. Her follow-up novel after the Booker-shortlisted Mars Room, this centres on Sadie Smith, an undercover agent who infiltrates a commune in rural France. It was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize. This raised questions we weren't expecting from a literary novel, such as: Is it a spy thriller? Is Sadie enough of a slob to be compared with Jackson Lamb? Which Sesame Street character...
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Flashlight by Susan Choi
Books On The Go
Anna and Geoff discuss their winner predictions. We haven't read enough of the shortlist to know who will win, but Geoff is tipping THE LAND IN WINTER (a DNF for Anna). Our book of the week is by Susan Choi. This is Choi’s follow-up novel after winning the National Book Award for TRUST EXERCISE. It is a sweeping family saga set in America, Japan and Korea. Shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize, we could not say we loved this one but it got us talking. How much cat litter detail is too much? Would Tobias really have gone to Japan or would he be trekking around...
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Seed with Bri Lee
Books On The Go
Annie was lucky enough to catch on her book tour for her second novel, Seed. Set in Antarctica, Seed follows two scientists, Mitch and Frances, as they spend a month at the seed vault that they have been creating and protecting. But as strange things keep happening to the facility, culminating in their helicopter failing to pick them up, they both have to grapple with their life choices and the secrets they have been keeping from each other and themselves. We chat about Bri's research trip to McMurdo Sound, interrogating the Antarctic literary tradition, visions of utopia and...
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I Make Envy On Your Disco with Eric Schnall
Books On The Go
A special episode: Anna chats with author and Tony-award winning Broadway producer about his debut novel . Sam Singer flies to Berlin for an art gallery opening, needing a break from his partner in New York. He meets enigmatic hotel receptionist Magda and ex-pat Jeremy, goes clubbing, and discovers the 2000s nostalgia for East and West Berlin. Named a GQ Editor's Pick and winner of the Barbara DiBernard Prize in Fiction, we loved this novel and recommend the audiobook read by Charlie Carver. Eric tells us some of the surprising reactions to Disco, a great game for book clubs,...
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Endling by Maria Reva
Books On The Go
Anna and Annie discuss the to pay $1.5bn to settle a book piracy lawsuit and the fiction longlist. Our book of the week is by Maria Reva. Yeva is a snail conservationist in Ukraine who becomes caught up in Nastia and Sol's scheme to disrupt the romance tour industry. A heist ensues but everything changes when Russia invades Ukraine. Longlisted for the Booker Prize and one of the New Yorker's Best Books Of The Year So Far, this is Reva's debut novel. We can't wait to see what she does next. Coming up: by Erica Schnall Follow us! Email: Instagram: and Substack: Credits...
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A Woman Talks to Her Tongue with Alison Gorman
Books On The Go
A special episode: Anna chats with award-winning poet about her debut poetry collection . These poems examine family secrets, silences and women’s voices. Beautiful and assured, we loved this book. Alison joins us fresh from her sold-out launch in Sydney to discuss the moving themes from the collection and other favourite poets, including Judith Beveridge, Eileen Chong, Sarah Holland-Batt, Audrey Molloy, Ada Limón and Sharon Olds. Alison recommends podcasts Poetry Off The Shelf, Poetry Unbound, Close Readings and The Literary Life. Coming up: by Maria Reva Follow us!...
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Flesh by David Szalay
Books On The Go
Anna and Geoff discuss to Palestine Action and the . Our book of the week is , the new novel by David Szalay which has been long-listed for the . It tells the story of Istvan, a Hungarian British man, in an episodic structure using key points in his life, moving from a poor upbringing in Hungary to the riches of London, charting his rise and fall. We both read this quickly and found much to discuss. Coming up: by Maria Reva. Follow us! Email: Instagram: Substack: Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz
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Comfort Reading Recommendations for 2025
Books On The Go
Anna and Annie discuss the . We have many comfort reading recommendations! Here are some of the books discussed: DEAD GIRL GONE by Gareth and Louise Ward THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB series and WE SOLVE MURDERS by Richard Osman IN SPITE OF YOU by Patrick Lenton CONSIDER YOURSELF KISSED by Jessica Stanley THE WEDDING FORECAST by Nina Kenwood FINE WEATHER, JEEVES by P. G. Wodehouse DIARY OF A PROVINCIAL LADY by E. M. Delafield LESS by Andrew Sean Greer THE UNCOMMON READER by Alan Bennett THE NEVERMOOR SERIES by Jessica Townsend PIPPI LONGSTOCKING by Astrid Lindgren FINN FAMILY...
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Perfection by Vincent Latronico translated by Sophie Hughes
Books On The Go
Anna and Geoff discuss by Vincent Latronico translated by Sophie Hughes. PERFECTION is a short novel about Tom and Anna, digital nomads living in Berlin. A re-telling of the cult classic 1960s novel by Georges Perec, it examines a couple who have built a stylish life but find themselves disilusioned. Perfection was shortlisted for the . Slight spoiler alert as we discuss the ending. Coming up: Comfort reading recommendations Follow us! Email: Instagram: and Substack: Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz
info_outlineAnna and Annie discuss the 2024 Goldsmiths Prize winner, Parade by Rachel Cusk, and ghostwriters in crime writing.
Our book of the week is JAMES by Percival Everett. This re-telling of Huckleberry Finn has been an instant New York Times best-seller, shortlisted for the Booker Prize and National Book award and described as 'genius' (The Atlantic).
Coming up: our comfort reading recommendations.
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Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com
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Credits
Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz