What Did You Read in July 2025?

Although I failed to meet my lofty goal for July, I finished some excellent books along the way, titles published from 1321 to 2025. I hope (1) you’ll find something interesting from my reading list and that (2) you’ll share what you read.

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From the photo FICTION:

Pietr the Latvian (1930) Georges Simenon (David Bellos, trans.)

Having only read two of them, I suspect Simenon’s Detective Maigret novels are something of an acquired taste. In his first case, Maigret attempts to capture Pietr the Latvian, a smart, evasive criminal who appears to come and go at will, leaving behind dead bodies and other carnage. I can’t speak to the rest of the series, but this installment is neither formulaic nor predictable. We’re seeking to learn not only the killer’s identity but also what makes Maigret tick, giving us two problems to work on. I plan to continue reading more from the series, so stay tuned. Many thanks to my friend Michael C. for letting me know about this one.

The Divine Comedy: Paradiso (1321) Dante Alighieri

Since I’m Protestant and not Catholic, the concept of purgatory is mostly unfamiliar territory for me, yet the middle section of The Divine Comedy is a fascinating journey. I plan to finish up with Paradiso in September.

The Good Soldier (1915) Ford Madox Ford

At first I thought The Good Soldier was simply a “rich and entitled people behaving badly” story, which it is, but that’s like saying Mount Everest is a big rock. Often subtitled “A Tale of Passion,” The Good Soldier is set just before World War I and follows British Captain Edward Ashburnham (the “good soldier” of the title), his wife Leonora, and their relationship with the American couple John Dowell (the book’s narrator) and his wife Florence. The novel begins in a way we might describe as drama or melodrama, but these people and their situations are not as they seem. Just who is being honest with whom? Is anyone? I’ll want to revisit this one again in a year or two.

Breakout (2002, Parker #21) Richard Stark

Richard Stark (alias Donald Westlake) famously took a 23-year break after writing his 16th Parker novel, Butcher’s Moon, in 1974. When he published Comeback in 1997, it seemed Parker hadn’t missed a step, yet he wasn’t quite the same Parker. With Breakout readers are treated to a scenario every Parker has always wondered about: What would happen if the cops finally caught him? That’s exactly how the novel begins, and for a time, the story’s riveting, but the longer it goes, the more unbelievable it gets. The stoic protagonist seems to play less and less of a role with each book after Butcher’s Moon, and in Breakout, he’s practically a supporting player, leaving most of the heavy lifting to his pal Ed Mackey. Yet the novel contains a new and very interesting character I wasn’t expecting.

Westerns: Last Stand at Saber River, Hombre, Valdez is Coming, Forty Lashes Less One, Stories (2018) Elmore Leonard

If you’re looking for a place to start with Elmore Leonard, why not try this wonderful Library of America collection of four of his Western novels (all of which I’ve previously read) and a nice sampling of his short Western fiction, which I read this month for the first time. More on Leonard in a moment.

The Complete Dick Tracy Volume 4: 1936-1938 (2008) Chester Gould

In this fourth volume from IDW, Gould continues to refine the character of the famous detective, giving him more consistency and making his villains nastier (yet sometimes dumber). For the past 20 years I’ve found newspaper comics fascinating, and Dick Tracy is a fun crime strip. Tracy fans tell me the very best stories will begin appearing in the next few volumes, so I’m eager to keep going.

From the photo NONFICTION:

A Quiet Mind to Suffer With: Mental Illness, Trauma, and the Death of Christ (2023) John Andrew Bryant

I’ve never read anything quite like this before, and I’m recommending it to everyone, Christians or not. Although Bryant’s relationship to Christ is crucial to his story, the book is not preachy or heavy-handed. The author suffers from mental illness, primarily OCD, and even if you have no such issues, A Quiet Mind to Suffer With will help you understand those who do, maybe even some of the friends and loved-ones in your life.

Not Pictured FICTION:

Heartwood (2025) Amity Gaige

Knowing only the basics of the book’s plot - about a woman who goes missing while hiking the Appalachian Trail - I recommended Heartwood to my wife, herself a hiker who has traveled through parts of the AT. I didn’t think the novel would be for me, but after she’d finished it, she said, “You should try this.” I’m glad I did. Heartwood is not only a good survival/missing persons thriller, it’s also an examination of life and the things we often do to make sure we’re really alive. The book isn’t trying to be preachy, routine, or (the greatest of sins) formulaic. It’s just a good read.

Not Pictured NONFICTION:

Cooler Than Cool: The Life and Works of Elmore Leonard (2025) C.M Kushins

I’ve wondered for years how Elmore Leonard moved from Westerns to crime fiction and back again while making it look easy. Cooler Than Cool chronicles how Leonard did it, what drove him, and why he should be considered an American master. This is an enormously entertaining biography, but also a sobering warning for anyone who wants to write or have their works adapted for Hollywood.

Did Not Finish

“Did Not Finish” is a new category for me. Each month I start at least one book I don’t finish. Sometimes not completing a book is due to having to return it to the library before I’m done with it. Occasionally it’s the right book at the wrong time. Maybe I’m simply not in the mood for it yet. And sometimes it’s just not worth my time.

Never Flinch (2025) Stephen King

Unfortunately, Never Flinch falls into the category of “not worth my time.” I’ve enjoyed many of King’s novels and stories over the past 50 years, but this one seems more like a rant than a novel. This tale is filled with too many unbelievable situations, and I can normally embrace many of King’s unbelievable situations. While Never Flinch features one of my favorite protagonists, Holly Gibney, she’s mostly along for the ride (and quite out of character) for the first quarter of the book, which is where I stopped. This one was a big disappointment.

What Is Cinema? Volume 1 (1967) André Bazin

I know, I know… It’s a classic, but it’s not the book’s fault I stopped reading after about 40 pages. I made the mistake of trying to start this one during my vacation when I was mostly looking at wineries and waterfalls. I’ll pick it up again.

So that’s what my month looked like. The comments are open, so please tell me what you recommend and what to avoid.