I hesitate to post this, but I want to give people around the country a glimpse of what Minnesota is going through right now in the midst of an ICE surge and after the killing of Renee Good. I’m a middle-aged white guy who lives in a first-ring suburb of 20,000 people. Minneapolis is miles away and we don’t go there often. My family is not suffering like some are, but it’s far from normal.
Here’s what I’ve experienced:
Continue reading What It’s Like in Minnesota Right NowSo I already ran my total books in 2025, top 10 fiction, and top 10 nonfiction. Time to talk stats.
As noted before, I hit 211 total books this year. That’s my second highest all time.
How is that possible? I wrote a whole book about it, so it gets tiring answering that question. You have to love it and then make time for it. It’s not that hard. Put your phone down, shut off the TV.
Audio: And yes, listening to books is reading. This is a silly thing to fight over. Audiobooks accounted for almost 40% of my reading. That’s more than double since 2023. I now listen to audiobooks while doing chores. It started when I got sucked in to a good book and had to see how it ended, and now I do it all the time.
Not a flex: And I say this every year, but I’ll repeat it—I’m not bragging about reading 211 books. It’s just a number. I know people who read more. The point is just to read. However many books you can read, that’s awesome. Readers are a rare breed, and I want to celebrate any reading achievement, whether you read two books or 200. So don’t fall into the trap of comparison.
While I read a lot in 2025, nonfiction only accounted for 23% of my reads. Not as many to pick from, but still some good ones.
You can also check out my top 10 fiction and my reading stats/goals.
If you want to read more, check out my booklet 137 Books in One Year: How to Fall in Love With Reading Again.
And how about previous top non-fiction lists: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012.
Another big reading year in 2025 (211 total books!), which makes it hard to compile a best-of list, but here we go.
You can also check out my top 10 nonfiction and my reading stats/goals.
Another big reading year with 211 books. Not as high as last year, but second highest overall.
You can also check out my top 10 fiction, top 10 nonfiction, and my reading stats/goals.
You can also check out my previous reading lists: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2001.
If you want to read more, check out my booklet 137 Books in One Year: How to Fall in Love With Reading Again.
I love this take. Charlotte Swasey, a self-proclaimed political data nerd, says Democrats need to get weird:
Continue reading Campaigns Should Get Weird
“Maybe what your district needs is an entirely row-boat-based campaign. There’s essentially no downside here. If you’re running in an R +20 district, that marginal 10 votes from a careful, ordinary campaign is just not going to matter. It should be hail-mary all the way.” –Charlotte Swasey
This year I listened to 41,063 minutes of music, accounting for 5,413 songs and 2,625 artists. Less than last year all the way around.
Here’s 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 data to compare.
Lots of girl-powered punk/pop vibe in my top songs, with some harmonies and Lizzo:
That top spot has half the plays of last year. Spots 2-5 are separated by two plays and #3 & #4 are tied. #4 and #5 are repeats from last year (as is #6). All of these songs feature prominently in playlists, and I’m honestly surprised about “Table for Glasses”—I couldn’t tell you what the chorus is without hearing the song first. Mostly this means I didn’t narrow in on a few songs, I just played a broad swathe of music and this is what floated to the top.
My top two artists were in last year’s list, and U2 regains the top spot. Sort of surprised to see Five Iron Frenzy fall off the list (though also not).
This year Spotify also gave you an age based on your listening habits. Mine was 18! Apparently because I listen to a lot of new music, which I guess is true. Though it cracks me up since I don’t feel like I’m into any of the music the kids are into these days (I mean, ska punk was in my top five genres).
Aside from the Paradox, I never felt like I narrowed in on a single band this year. Much of my top five songs are just from playing the same playlists over and over.
I’m wrapping up the annual fall member drive for West St. Paul Reader. Tomorrow is the last day. Whew.
These things are always a ton of work. You oscillate between letdown that no one is signing up and sheer joy when a few people join. There’s also a manic feeling that you have to keep pushing it—you never know what’s going to break through, and you’re afraid of holding something back. It’s wild.
Continue reading Level Up Local NewsGot tired of shivering tonight and turned the heat on. A few days of highs in the upper 40s and no sun really does you in.
Continue reading Turning on the Heat 2025It’s banned book week and my wife is in the midst of a campaign to buy period products for the local food shelf. So it struck me as a good time to read Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume.
This book was published 55 years ago, before I was born, and it’s been banned for its frank discussion of menstruation (“menstroo-ation,” which ironically is how I pronounce it in my head to make sure I spell it right) and religion. Thankfully, it’s not one of the top books banned these days, but it’s still jaw-dropping that people are that scared of periods.
It’s 2025. Can we stop being uptight about tampons?
And stop banning books?
So it’s a good time to read a banned book.
And help fight period poverty.
Abby and her fellow “Bleed Queens” are raising tons of money for pads, tampons, and other period products for our local food shelf, Neighbors, Inc. You can donate via Venmo to organizers Katie Dohman or Abby Hendricks. They’ll buy product in bulk at Costco and donate it to Neighbors, Inc.
They’ve done it before. To the tune of $15,000 in 2023. So when Neighbors, Inc. was running dangerously low, they asked Abby and Katie if they could work their magic.
Please consider a donation to support the cause. Or find a food shelf in your neighborhood and donate pads and tampons.
(Tampon Squirrel created by Carolyn Swiszcz in 2023.)
