2025 travel and adventure reading round-up

Kia ora,

I’m starting 2026 by looking back on 2025. Or at least, I’m looking back on the books I read, and I read a lot!

Here’s my one-ish-sentence summary of each, in the order I read them. I want to hear your opinions too, so if you’ve read any of these, reply and let me know what you thoughts!

Lebanon Days: Memories of an ancient land through economic meltdown, a revolution of hope and surviving the 2020 Beirut explosion, by Theodore Ell. Theodore has written a lovely account of what it was like to be the husband of an Australian diplomat who got posted to Lebanon, and his take as an outsider looking in. But then the port explosion happened and the uneasiness lurking below the surface erupted. 4.5 stars.

Around the World in 80 Years: A Life of Exploration, by Ranulph Fiennes. What a bonkers life this man has lead. Each chapter was an extract from one of his previous books. A great introduction to Ranulph, but there were a few too many out-dated views on women. 4 stars.

What Happens if You Keep Going?: Mostly True Travel Stories, by Tim Mathis. I love Tim’s writing. He’s funny and honest and open. This collection of travel stories is just wonderful. 5 stars.

A Training School for Elephants, by Sophy Roberts. My most anticipated read of 2025 and it lived up to my high expectations. Sophy’s prose is just gorgeous even as she writes about truly devastating events. What I love most about Sophy’s work is her dedication to research. The notes section is a thing of beauty. 5 stars.

Maurice and Maralyn, by Sophie Elmhirst. This book reinforced my belief that the ocean is no place for humans and we should really just leave it to the creatures of the deep. Beautifully written account of two fascinating people. 4.5 stars.

The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed, by John Vaillant. The subheading is spot on. This is a story about a specific tree, but it’s about much more than just the tree. 4.5 stars.

High Risk: Climbing to Extinction, by Brian Hall, Joe Simpson. Beautifully, lovingly written portraits about the climbing friends of Brian’s, most of whom have died (but not all in climbing accidents). 5 stars.

To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regret, by Jedidiah Jenkins. My top read of the year. Jed recounts his cycling adventure with such love and appreciation, even when the going is tough and his companion goes elsewhere. 5 extra sparkly stars.

Coasting: Running Around the Coast of Britain – Life, Love and (Very) Loose Plans, by Elise Downing. I finally got my hands on Coasting! Loved this account of Elise’s run around Britain. She writes in a self-aware, self-deprecating way that really adds personality to the adventure. The story’s focus is just as much about her internal journey as the actual trip, which I really enjoyed. 5 stars.

A Light Through the Cracks: A Climber’s Story, by Beth Rodden. I saw Beth speak at the Mountain Film & Book Festival and had to read her book. Beth’s memoir stayed with me for a long time. Her writing is beautiful and careful, detailed and specific. She claims her story in this book and puts her own truth forward. 5 stars.

The Outrun, by Amy Liptrot. One of you wonderful newsletter readers recommended this to me and it did not disappoint! Amy’s prose flowed easily and she really brought Orkney to life. 4 stars.

The Salt Path, by Raynor Winn. I started reading this just before The Revelations, then put it down while I dealt with all that, then felt the need to pick it up again. Whatever the truth is behind the story, Raynor’s writing itself is compelling. Love the turns of phrase and the dialogue and their need to just keep going. 4.25 stars?

Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women’s Ascent of Denali, by Cassidy Randall. Another writer I saw at the Mountain Film & Book Festival. While this story is about a huge first for women climbers, it’s also about complex personalities. Cassidy did an amazing job of navigating those personalities with compassion while telling the near-disaster of this first ascent. 5 stars.

Fallen: George Mallory and the Tragic 1924 Everest Expedition, by Mick Conefrey. Mick included lots of history by way of letters and interviews in this engaging account of Mallory and Irving. A lot has been written about these two, but I still learned new details about them and the expedition. 4 stars.

The Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines that Divide Us, by Nick Hayes. Love the narrative structure each chapter took: Nick goes trespassing on a particular property and gives a history of that property’s boundaries and owners, with plenty of info about UK property and trespass law in general. An infuriating and fascinating situation, but mostly infuriating. 5 stars.

The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot, by Robert Macfarlane. Confession: I don’t think Robert Macfarlane’s writing is for me. I’ve read a few of his books now, and I just don’t vibe with his writing style. Don’t come for me. 3.75 stars.

Got any recommendations for me? Send them my way!

Happy reading,

Cheers,

Deborah

PS: I read or listened to 28 books in total this year, more than I’ve summarised here. Check out the full list on LinkedIn.