2025 Book List - Non-Fiction
As always at the beginning of a new year, I like to share my book list from the previous year. In 2025, I read 32 books, both fiction and non-fiction. Below you can find my non-fiction list; here you can find my fiction list. My top read in the non-fiction section was Blue Machine by Helen Czerski. I also very much enjoyed The Place of Tides by James Rebanks.
Books marked with a * were read with the Marine Social Science Book Club.
Kings of the Yukon, by Adam Weymouth
Kings of the Yukon: An Alaskan River Journey is a book about the decline of the Chinook salmon in the Yukon and what this means for the native inhabitants of Canada and Alaska - a loss of culture, a loss of invaluable traditional knowledge, and a loss of a way of life.
Although I must admit I skimmed a few pages, I’m glad I finally read it. It had been on my to-read pile for a long time, and I truly appreciate how the author, Adam Weymouth, highlights the injustices faced by Indigenous populations over time. This issue remains highly relevant today, especially given how Trump is addressing Greenland.
I also forgive Weymouth for the passages I skipped, as they are more than balanced out by my respect for an author who spent months paddling downstream on the Yukon - facing eddies, strong currents, harsh weather, and the ever-present fear of bears - just to collect the most personal stories possible. Hats off.
Een slijmzoen voor je oma, by Matthijs Meeuwsen and Paco Vink
I was a fan of this book from the very first page. We read it little by little, one story each evening. My son (11 years old) and I took turns reading aloud, while my husband sat listening with great enjoyment (and often chuckling).
An absolute recommendation for everyone, whether you already love the sea or not. After this book, you definitely will. Meeuwsen tells his stories in a vivid, flavorful way: about how anglerfish males fuse with their females; how the common venus clam is anything but common; how the cookiecutter shark nibbles chunks out of its fellow sea creatures; how the woodlouse remains a crustacean through and through; or how the largest migration on our planet takes place in the ocean. Every single day.
All of this is accompanied by the most beautiful illustrations.
A book to lick your fingers and thumbs over, whether you’re 11 or 40.
A Woman in the Polar Night, by Chistiane Ritter
The journal of a woman who decided to join her husband on Svalbard in the 1930s. Her descriptions of the wooden cabin they stay in, the bitter cold, the stormy winds, the seclusion of their lives, the loneliness at times, and especially the hardships they endure make this book definitely worth reading.
In gesprek met de Noordzee, by Arita Baaijens
A little chat with the sea: it might be something we should all do more often. And really listen while we’re at it, because that’s something we’ve become rather bad at. It used to be different, when sailors and fishing communities - and, by extension, the rest of the population - still felt awe and respect for the sea. When did that admiration disappear?, Arita Baaijens asks in this book. “And would life in the sea benefit from restoring our relationship with it?”.
In a series of essays, the author explores our bond with the sea, looks at how other cultures relate to it, and examines the role language plays in how we perceive the world.
A very enjoyable read, which I happily devoured.
The Place of Tides, by James Rebanks *
If it weren’t for the Marine Social Science Book Club, I would probably never have discovered this book, in which Rebanks tells the story of the dying tradition of eiderdown production. For this book, the author spent a season on a Norwegian island with two “duck women”.
What I loved most about this story was how Rebanks had to learn to reconnect with nature, how the bond between him and the duck women changed over the season, and the sense of anticipation that filled the pages as the ducks slowly began to arrive.
A world unknown to me, yet startling in every sense of the word.
Also read
The Blue Wonder, by Frauke Bagusche
Although occasionally a bit too technical for some readers, overall this book is a delightful read that truly inspires awe for the ocean. Filled with juicy, funky, icky and mesmerizing facts.
Ever heard of shrimp couples spending their lives trapped in glass sponges? Or living squid sperm injecting itself into the mouth tissue of a woman in Seoul who undercooked her squid? Or ostracods producing sperm cells ten times their own size?
If you want to experience true wonder, read this book!
De Wilde Noordzee: Natuur die zich niet laat temmen, by Peter Van Rodijnen & Joost Van Uffelen
Beautiful coffee table book with images from the documentary of the same name about the North Sea.
Rewild the World at Bedtime, by Emily Hawkins and Ella Beech
In this book, Hawkins' texts and Beech's drawings guide you through 20 inspiring rewilding stories from around the world - ranging from pollination highways in Norway to the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone, and from protecting New Zealand’s kākāpō from imported predators to restoring sea otter populations in Canada.
While the author is bluntly honest about how humans have caused the decline of these species in the first place - addressing threats such as invasive species, overexploitation of resources, and land use change - she brilliantly succeeds in delivering a message of hope and inspiration for the future, leaving readers in awe and wonder. An impressive accomplishment in times like these.
Indeed, highly recommended as bedtime story - even my 40-year-old husband enjoyed having these stories read to him.
Although occasionally a bit too technical for some readers, overall this book is a delightful read that truly inspires awe for the ocean. Filled with juicy, funky, icky and mesmerizing facts.
Ever heard of shrimp couples spending their lives trapped in glass sponges? Or living squid sperm injecting itself into the mouth tissue of a woman in Seoul who undercooked her squid? Or ostracods producing sperm cells ten times their own size?
If you want to experience true wonder, read this book!
De Wilde Noordzee: Natuur die zich niet laat temmen, by Peter Van Rodijnen & Joost Van Uffelen
Beautiful coffee table book with images from the documentary of the same name about the North Sea.
Rewild the World at Bedtime, by Emily Hawkins and Ella Beech
In this book, Hawkins' texts and Beech's drawings guide you through 20 inspiring rewilding stories from around the world - ranging from pollination highways in Norway to the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone, and from protecting New Zealand’s kākāpō from imported predators to restoring sea otter populations in Canada.
While the author is bluntly honest about how humans have caused the decline of these species in the first place - addressing threats such as invasive species, overexploitation of resources, and land use change - she brilliantly succeeds in delivering a message of hope and inspiration for the future, leaving readers in awe and wonder. An impressive accomplishment in times like these.
Indeed, highly recommended as bedtime story - even my 40-year-old husband enjoyed having these stories read to him.
Kings of the Yukon, by Adam Weymouth
Kings of the Yukon: An Alaskan River Journey is a book about the decline of the Chinook salmon in the Yukon and what this means for the native inhabitants of Canada and Alaska - a loss of culture, a loss of invaluable traditional knowledge, and a loss of a way of life.
Although I must admit I skimmed a few pages, I’m glad I finally read it. It had been on my to-read pile for a long time, and I truly appreciate how the author, Adam Weymouth, highlights the injustices faced by Indigenous populations over time. This issue remains highly relevant today, especially given how Trump is addressing Greenland.
I also forgive Weymouth for the passages I skipped, as they are more than balanced out by my respect for an author who spent months paddling downstream on the Yukon - facing eddies, strong currents, harsh weather, and the ever-present fear of bears - just to collect the most personal stories possible. Hats off.
Een slijmzoen voor je oma, by Matthijs Meeuwsen and Paco Vink
I was a fan of this book from the very first page. We read it little by little, one story each evening. My son (11 years old) and I took turns reading aloud, while my husband sat listening with great enjoyment (and often chuckling).
An absolute recommendation for everyone, whether you already love the sea or not. After this book, you definitely will. Meeuwsen tells his stories in a vivid, flavorful way: about how anglerfish males fuse with their females; how the common venus clam is anything but common; how the cookiecutter shark nibbles chunks out of its fellow sea creatures; how the woodlouse remains a crustacean through and through; or how the largest migration on our planet takes place in the ocean. Every single day.
All of this is accompanied by the most beautiful illustrations.
A book to lick your fingers and thumbs over, whether you’re 11 or 40.
A Woman in the Polar Night, by Chistiane Ritter
The journal of a woman who decided to join her husband on Svalbard in the 1930s. Her descriptions of the wooden cabin they stay in, the bitter cold, the stormy winds, the seclusion of their lives, the loneliness at times, and especially the hardships they endure make this book definitely worth reading.
In gesprek met de Noordzee, by Arita Baaijens
A little chat with the sea: it might be something we should all do more often. And really listen while we’re at it, because that’s something we’ve become rather bad at. It used to be different, when sailors and fishing communities - and, by extension, the rest of the population - still felt awe and respect for the sea. When did that admiration disappear?, Arita Baaijens asks in this book. “And would life in the sea benefit from restoring our relationship with it?”.
In a series of essays, the author explores our bond with the sea, looks at how other cultures relate to it, and examines the role language plays in how we perceive the world.
A very enjoyable read, which I happily devoured.
Blue Machine, by Helen Czerski *
It took me some time to finish this book, but that had more to do with me than with the book itself.
Helen Czerski is, without a doubt, the most brilliant, humorous, and intelligent science communicator I’ve read so far. Of all the ocean books I’ve already devoured, her Blue Machine was by far my favourite. My brother gave me his copy a while ago, but once I started reading, I quickly bought my own, so I could underline all the interesting passages (and a lót has been underlined...).
Czerski brilliantly captures visually observable processes that are notoriously difficult to put into words. I especially loved her description of upside-down waterfalls - I’ve reread that part over and over. She makes it seem effortless, while many would struggle to find the right words.
She uses humour generously, which makes Blue Machine not only highly informative but also engaging, entertaining, and surprisingly relaxing.
Meer dan intelligent, by Tessa Kieboom and Kathleen Venderickx
Highly recommended for fellow gifted people. Covers the pitfalls gifted individuals may encounter and offers some tools to deal with them.It took me some time to finish this book, but that had more to do with me than with the book itself.
Helen Czerski is, without a doubt, the most brilliant, humorous, and intelligent science communicator I’ve read so far. Of all the ocean books I’ve already devoured, her Blue Machine was by far my favourite. My brother gave me his copy a while ago, but once I started reading, I quickly bought my own, so I could underline all the interesting passages (and a lót has been underlined...).
Czerski brilliantly captures visually observable processes that are notoriously difficult to put into words. I especially loved her description of upside-down waterfalls - I’ve reread that part over and over. She makes it seem effortless, while many would struggle to find the right words.
She uses humour generously, which makes Blue Machine not only highly informative but also engaging, entertaining, and surprisingly relaxing.
Meer dan intelligent, by Tessa Kieboom and Kathleen Venderickx
The Place of Tides, by James Rebanks *
If it weren’t for the Marine Social Science Book Club, I would probably never have discovered this book, in which Rebanks tells the story of the dying tradition of eiderdown production. For this book, the author spent a season on a Norwegian island with two “duck women”.
What I loved most about this story was how Rebanks had to learn to reconnect with nature, how the bond between him and the duck women changed over the season, and the sense of anticipation that filled the pages as the ducks slowly began to arrive.
A world unknown to me, yet startling in every sense of the word.
Also read
- Phosphorescence, by Julia Baird *
- Langs de kustlijn, by Dorth Nors
- De wetenschap van de zee, by Evy Copejans and Michiel Smits
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