I started off the year reading My Next Breath and it was such an emotional rollercoaster. One of the best memoirs I have read in a long time and at some point I would love to read it again and buy the hardback for my personal library. A great way to start off the new year with an inspiring and reflective book.

This is my third time reading one of my all time favorite classics. Each time I read it, I feel that I am visited by old friends that have come to stay for several months.

My Penguin copy now is lovingly broken in. The cover shows some wear, my tears have become part of the book now. Our Mutual Friend has become a comfort read that I look forward to each year. It’s still a good copy and the pages are intact. There will be a time when I have to purchase another copy, however, not yet.

Until next year my friend

It was an absolute joy to read my first David McCullough. While challenging, at no point was the writing style dull. I found a good copy at a thrift store for $2 and it was the best money I have spent on a book.

David McCullough once said
“To me, history ought to be a source of pleasure. It isn't just part of our civic responsibility. To me, it's an enlargement of the experience of being alive, just the way literature or art or music is."

McCullough brought back the pleasure of history for me. Made me think, want to explore not only more of his books, but learn more about John Adams, the Revolutionary War, learn more about history.

Highly recommended and another best of 2026 read this year.