The cold, snowy days and long nights of winter are prime time for curling up with a warm, soothing drink and a good book.
Whether you’re in search of a gift idea, a book to read during holiday travel or a good story for a cozy staycation, St. Louis Public Radio’s 2025 book list has you covered.
On Wednesday’s St. Louis on the Air, we’ll talk top titles with the people who select books for libraries in St. Louis and St. Louis County: Jennifer Alexander, collection development librarian at St. Louis County Library, and Lauren Brickey, manager of collection development at St. Louis Public Library.
Their favorite reads are listed below, including brief notes from each of them.
JENNIFER ALEXANDER’S LIST:
FICTION
“Automatic Noodle,” by Annalee Newitz
“Four robots work together to create tasty food for humans. Their challenges: getting supplies, finding customers, robot-phobia and navigating laws on robot-owned businesses. This delightful tale offers wisdom on problem-solving, building teams and the joy of chosen work.”
“A Guardian and a Thief,” by Megha Majumdar
“This near-future novel set in Kolkata introduces characters who are fighting for survival and working to protect their families. As their stories intersect, it becomes clear that one character’s salvation will mean the other’s downfall. This is a fable-like tale of love, hardship and community.”
“The Wilderness,” by Angela Flournoy
“Intertwining stories of five Black women finding their way into adulthood create a deeply moving portrait of friendship. Over the course of 20 years in New York and Los Angeles, Desiree, Danielle, January, Monique and Nakia face both the universal hardships of growing up and the specific challenges of 21st century America.”
“Heart the Lover,” by Lily King
“This beautiful and moving novel presents a story of a college romance and all that comes after. King beautifully evokes the sincerity and confusion of young love while reminding readers that love, heartbreak and drama persist beyond youth.”
“Tilt,” by Emma Pattee
“Annie is nine months pregnant, arguing with a salesperson in IKEA, when a major earthquake hits Portland, Oregon. As she walks through her wrecked city, she witnesses many scenes of desperation and kindness and thinks about the life she has built with her husband.”
LOCAL
“Small Town Missouri: Legends, Lore, and Attractions in the Show Me State,” by Caitlin Yager
“This richly illustrated book offers brief introductions to 50 small towns in Missouri. The entries are arranged alphabetically and feature the population, founding stories, legends and lore, attractions, events and fun facts of the state’s small towns.”
“Letters Home from World War II St. Louis: Messages of Hope and Heartbreak from the Front Lines,” by Christopher Alan Gordon
“Gordon sheds light on what life in St. Louis was like during World War II by looking at letters sent home. Each letter is presented with a description of the military units and operations of the soldiers, along with context of the families receiving the letters.”
NONFICTION
“A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck,” by Sophie Elmhirst
“Maurice and Maralyn Bailey married in England in 1963 and vowed to avoid a ‘boring’ life. In 1972, as they were sailing to New Zealand, a whale sank their ship, and they survived 118 days with a life raft and dinghy. This is a marriage story masquerading as an adventure story.”
“Mark Twain,” by Ron Chernow
“Acclaimed historian Ron Chernow turns his attention to the fascinating and complicated life of Missouri’s own Mark Twain. This 1,200-page history presents Twain’s full life — not just as a successful and beloved author, but a steamboat pilot, a political pundit, an entertainer and a poor investor.”
“The American Revolution: An Intimate History,” by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
“This companion book to the latest Ken Burns documentary series accomplishes what many great histories do — it takes a story we think we know and tells it in a new way. By widening the perspective to include the voices of enslaved people and Native Americans, the authors add depth and a greater understanding to a familiar set of facts.”
“A Long Game: Notes on Writing Fiction,” by Elizabeth McCracken
“Bestselling author McCracken has taught fiction and writing for more than 35 years, and here she distills her experience into advice for aspiring writers. In this charming book that is about so much more than writing, she gently dispels the many ‘rules’ of writing fiction.”
“Little Woodchucks: Offerman Woodshop’s Guide to Tools and Tomfoolery,” by Nick Offerman with Lee Buchanan
“This fun instruction book offers 12 woodworking projects that are suitable for younger woodworkers with adult supervision. It is written with a great deal of humor, but contains serious advice on safety, essential woodworking tools and setting up a woodworking shop.”
LAUREN BRICKEY’S LIST:
FICTION
“Sky Daddy,” by Kate Folk
“This story is centered on Linda, a neurodivergent content moderator who maintains a single extravagance: a monthly domestic flight that allows her to indulge her sexual attraction to planes. Although she has experienced unresolved trauma, Linda always finds solace in her planes, making this story delightfully weird and surprisingly heartwarming.”
“Ultramarine,” by Mariette Navarro
“In this taut, dreamlike novella, a disciplined ship captain who has built her career on order and control makes one rare exception by letting her all-male crew swim in the open sea, only to find an extra sailor aboard when they return. As the vessel’s equipment falters and the world tilts off-kilter, the story drifts into hypnotic uncertainty. Nothing is what it seems, and I’ve yet to read anything quite like it.”
“The Buffalo Hunter Hunter,” by Stephen Graham Jones
“Jones delivers a haunting, time-hopping Western that blends folklore, bloodshed and buried history into a story that refuses to look away from America’s violence against Indigenous people. Through intertwined accounts from a zealous frontier minister and an immortal Blackfeet man, the novel becomes a meditation on identity and the stories institutions choose to preserve or bury. The result is an unsettling and original gothic epic that stayed with me long after finishing it.”
“Atmosphere,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“An aspiring female astronaut in the 1980s battles sexism, forges unexpected bonds and discovers a life-changing love while training for spaceflight. There’s a nice blend of high-stakes danger and emotionally rich romance, and despite this being a fast-paced book, it still made me cry!”
“Katabasis,” by R.F. Kuang
“Hell has never been more fascinating to me. This book will appeal to a wide audience — students, teachers, academics and librarians — as well as anyone who appreciates elaborate world-building or can recognize the many allusions to famous depictions of hell, such as Dante Alighieri's ‘Inferno’ and T.S. Eliot's ‘The Waste Land.’”
LOCAL
“Will There Ever Be Another You,” by Patricia Lockwood
“The book reads like snippets from the journal of a ‘mad woman.’ For the full experience, I highly recommend the audiobook. Hearing Patricia read her own work, especially when she impersonates her husband singing his ‘transmissions,’ will make you simultaneously laugh and question what on earth she is talking about.”
“Look Out: The Delight and Danger of Taking the Long View,” by Edward McPherson
“McPherson’s book ranges widely as it considers what we gain both intellectually and emotionally by looking at the world from above. From 19th-century aerial maps to modern surveillance technology, he traces how elevated viewpoints can clarify, distort and even inspire in equal measure. It offers striking insights and several memorable moments that reward readers willing to follow.”
NONFICTION
“Things in Nature Merely Grow,” by Yiyun Li
“This book fundamentally reshapes how I consider grief — and even the definition of the term itself. It tells the story of a mother coming to terms with the suicide of her second child, years after the suicide of her first.”
“Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection,” by John Green
“Green offers a profound look at one of humanity's deadliest yet most curable diseases, an affliction that has plagued us and our ancestors for centuries. More than just a history of ‘consumption’ — i.e. tuberculosis — it's a powerful examination of social justice and the health care inequities that persist globally. I appreciated the intersectional lens.”
“Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age,” by Vauhini Vara
“A reflection on how rapid technological shifts have shaped Vara’s life, this book weaves humor, grief and sharp observation into a deeply personal narrative. Though her conclusions remain intentionally elusive, the journey through loss, digital change and ethical questioning feels authentic and resonant.”
“Immemorial,” by Lauren Markham
“Markham highlights the urgent need to mourn and remember what we stand to lose in this poignant and lyrical exploration of the climate crisis. The reflections on memory, memorials and the search for language give voice to a disappearing world. I found it incredibly moving.”
“No Less Strange or Wonderful: Essays in Curiosity,” by A. Kendra Greene
“Greene is charming and poetic through a fascinating mix of curiosities. She uncovers wonder and unexpected patterns in the everyday world with playful insight and warm humor. A truly delightful collection of essays.”
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Darrious Varner is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
