Planning for 2026

My reading year begins with a review of the stack of books on my 'To Be Read' pile to see which ones I really want to read and which can be shelved a little longer. I have also recently done a major clean up and cull of my library and found many forgotten gems. So I have the following prioritised for 2026: 

• 
  Emma Donoghue - The Paris Express
• Mick Herron - Dead Lions
• Alan Hollinghurst - Our Evenings
• Dervla McTiernan - The Unquiet Grave
• Philip Pullman - The Rose Field
• Heather Rose - A Great Act of Love
• Elizabeth Strout - Abide with Me
• Graeme Macrae Burnet - Benbecula

I am looking forward to a number of new books due to be published in 2026, including:

• George Saunders - Vigil (January) 
  
• Julian Barnes - Departure(s) (January)
• Tayari Jones - Kin (February)
• Lauren Groff - Brawler: Stories (February)
• Louise Milligan - Shelleybanks (March)
• ML Steadman - A Far Flung Life (March)
• Alba De Cespedes (trans. Ann Goldstein) - There's No Turning Back (March)
• Tana French - The Keeper (March)
• Natalie Haynes - No Friend in this House (March)
• Yann Martel - Son of Nobody (March)
• Colm Tóibín - The News from Dublin (March)
• Brian Bilston - How to Lay and Egg with a Horse Inside (April)
• Kae Tempest - Having Spent Life Seeking (April)
• Elizabeth Strout - The Things We Never Say (May)
• Kristin Hannah - Between Sisters (May)
• Douglas Stuart - John of John (May)
• Maggie O'Farrell - Land (June)
• Ann Patchett - Whistler (June)
• Jennifer Saint - This Immortal Heart (June)
• Lisa See - Daughters of the Sun and Moon (June)
• Colson Whitehead - Cool Machine (July)
• Daniel Mason - Country People (July)
• Robert Harris - Agrippa (August)
• Jon Ronson - The Castle (August)
• Emily St John Mandel - Exit Party (September)
• Louise Kennedy - Stations (September)

While I won't get to all of them this year, I have preordered many from my library. 

I have renewed my Quarterly Essay subscription and am looking forward to coming issues by Michael Wesley, Anna Goldsworthy and others. I have also renewed my Audible subscription so will be able to explore audiobooks to enhance my reading.

Having nearly completed Hilary Mantel's epic Cromwell trilogy (Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies -read in 2025, and The Mirror and the Light - not quite finished by year end!), I am thinking I should complete some other big series that I have started - like Frank Moorhouse's Edith Campbell Berry series, Robertson Davies' Cornish Trilogy, or Colson Whitehead's Harlem Trilogy. Or maybe I should start something new like Solvej Balle's seriers On the Calculation of Volume.

For the past few years I have consistently been able to read at least 30 books a year. In 2025 I exceed this, reading 45. For 2026, I will aim for 40 books! I will continue to explore new authors, genres and subject matters, however I am also enjoying my Box Sets plan to read the back catalogues of authors I admire. I also need to get cracking on my Fifty/Five list of what I planned to read before the end of 2028 as I have not done very well so far. 

Happy reading everyone!