At the beginning of the year, I promised myself I would get back into reading nonfiction regularly… I did well at the beginning of the year, but as I’ve been prioritizing my physical TBR, my digital library has been neglected. (Anyone else prefer listening to nonfiction on audiobook?) Even though I haven’t read much, I have read some great books.
#5 – Finding Judge Crater by Stephen J. Riegel
In August of 1930, a well-known New York City judge vanished. To this day, Judge Crater’s remains have not been found. Was there foul play involved? Or did chose to vanish?
I bought this book after watching an episode of History’s Greatest Mysteries. With how much I’ve read and watched about this era, I’m surprised this case has never struck my ear before. Obviously, before the digital age, it was much easier for even a well-known public official to disappear without a trace, but the mind still reels.
#4 – The Power of Silence by Robert Cardinal Sarah
I’ve known about this book for a while as it’s one my mother often gifts to people and has loaner copies floating around the house. I never thought much about picking it up, but when she and a friend of hers were both reading/rereading it (and I think another person I know was also reading it around the same time), I figured I’d join in.
In our noisy world, it was good to read about the importance of stepping away from that noise and embracing the quiet. I’m someone who almost always has noise in the background (even as I’m writing this, I’ve got my favorite ambience YouTube channel playing), and this book made me realize just how much I rely on noise and distraction. I would benefit from a reread…
#3 – Alcatraz: The Last Escape by Ken Widner & Mike Lynch
Everything about Alcatraz has fascinated me since I was a teenager, but I’d never read a book about it or the famous escape until recently.
Written by a nephew of the brothers who successfully escaped Alcatraz, this book offers a unique perspective. It discusses the brothers’ crimes and ultimate escape, but it also gives a glimpse into the family they left behind.
#2 – Selected Writings of Thomas Aquinas
I’ve read some challenging books over the years, but this one takes the prize. I read Saint Augustine’s City of God a couple of years ago, so I figured I’d be all set to read another philosophical work by a saint… This was a lot, but I am so proud of myself for sticking with it.
Did I understand every word I read? Absolutely not. When mathematics came into play, I might as well have been reading a different language. But even with the gaps in my understanding, I finished the book feeling like I came away with a lot of new knowledge and insight.
#1 – Moonshot by Mike Massimino
I’ve read my fair share of memoirs by astronauts, but this is the first one that I felt offered life advice that’s relevant to everybody, not just someone looking to excel in a specific field of interest. It’s a memoir, but it’s also, in a way, a philosophy of approaching life.
I felt so uplifted while reading this book, and I’ve found some of the advice in it incredibly helpful. I only wish I’d read a physical copy for future reference.
I hope by the end of the year to have a whole new list of books! There’s still time to make good on my promise to myself.
Here are some of my other top reads of 2026! **
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