The best books of 2025

Fiction

Guardian fiction editor Justine Jordan picks the best of the year, from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Dream Count to Thomas Pynchon’s return, David Szalay’s Booker winner and a remarkable collection of short stories.

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Memoir and biography

From left: Arundhati Roy, Margaret Atwood, Tim Curry, Lionel Richie, Jacinda Ardern, Jung Chang, Helen Garner and Anthony Hopkins.

Anthony Hopkins and Kathy Burke open up about acting, a brave memoir by Arundhati Roy and Helen Dunmore’s prize-winning diaries are among the highlights chosen by Fiona Sturges.

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Crime and thrillers

Laura Wilson spotlights a new case for Mick Herron’s Slow Horses, The Good Liar by Denise Mina and a clever, creepy Japanese detective mystery from YouTuber Uketsu.

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History and politics

Radical extremists hijack the 1970s in Jason Burke’s The Revolutionists, modern Russian history seen through the eyes of women in Motherland, plus how the Tories fell apart and Keir Starmer won – the best history and politics books of the year, chosen by Pratinav Anil.

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Poetry

Rishi Dastidar picks the poetry highlights of the year, from Seamus Heaney’s collected poems and Simon Armitage’s animal spirits, to Forward prize winners Karen Solie and Vidyan Ravinthiran.

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Children’s

A new read-aloud favourite, doughnuts with world-conquering ambitions, high fantasy from Katherine Rundell, and more – the best kids books of 2025, selected by Imogen Russell Williams.

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Science and nature

From the threat of superintelligent AI to the secrets to a longer life, plus the evolution of language and the restless genius of Francis Crick – Anjana Ahuja on the must-read science and nature books of the year.

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Translated fiction

The return of Nobel laureate Han Kang, film-making under the Nazis in The Director by Daniel Kehlmann, life on loop with Solvej Balle, Scandinavian thrills, and essential stories from postwar Iraq – John Self picks the best translated fiction of 2025.

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Food

Sami Tamimi celebrates Palestine’s culinary heritage, Helen Goh uncovers the psychological benefits of baking, and Roopa Gulati reveals tricks used in the best Indian kitchens – Bee Wilson serves up the year’s standout recipe books.

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Graphic novels

Alison Bechdel and Joe Sacco return, plus Black Country cowboys, vengeful gods and an angling classic reimagined – James Smart picks the graphic novels too good to miss.

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Young adult

Space-travelling telepaths, LGBTQ+ activism, a war-torn Britain, online alter egos and feminist trailblazers feature in Imogen Russell Williams’s pick of the best YA books from 2025.

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Music

From an enraging indictment of Spotify to a compelling biography of Tupac Shakur, Alexis Petridis chooses five titles that strike a chord.

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Science fiction

Icy intrigue, cyberpunkish cyborgs, memory-eating aliens and new super-fast travel that sends the world spinning out of control feature in the best SF of the year, selected by Adam Roberts.

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Sports

From the trauma and triumphs of Olympic cyclist Bradley Wiggins to the secret life of a match fixer, here are the best sports books of the year, picked by Jonathan Liew.

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• To browse all of the Guardian’s best books of 2025, visit guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.