Published on 09 December 2025 under the Reading category.

For a while I have wanted to make a bookshelf page on my website but such a page comes with the feeling that I should keep it up to date, a continuing obligation. I don’t want to keep a list of all the books I have read on my website right now, but I do want to share a few titles that I have been reading lately and have enjoyed. If you’re looking for a book to read, I have a few recommendations below!

• The Timeless Way of Building by Christopher Alexander – a book that defines a theory of how to create buildings, places, spaces. I am not finished reading this yet, but it is already one of my favourite books!
• White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky – a terrific short story that tells the tale of two people who meet in the quiet evening streets of Moscow. I especially love stories with quiet but vivid scenery where the characters have rich dialogue.
• The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White – like all style guides, this book should be taken with a grain of salt, but I found it helpful to see definitions of patterns that make up language, and suggestions on how to make sentences clearer.
• Notes from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop – the second book in a series set in a Ginza stationery shop. I recommend reading the first book to set the scene – both are made of chapters each telling the story of one customer who sought out the shop for the stationary (and advice) they need to express themselves.
• A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern – with personal stories that set the foundation for how Ardern governed, information about the New Zealand political system, the journey from political opposition to leadership, responding to tragedy, governing with empathy, and more, this book is terrific read.

If you are looking for a book to read next, I recommend all of the ones above!