Double Tome: The Reads of '24 and '25 - Part Two
Happy 2026! I absolutely promise you that I did not mean to gaslight you with my previous blog: I had every intention of rolling the reading lists of 2024 and 2025 together, but by the time I had finished the 2024 list… I realised you may need a break, dear reader.
See the 2024 list here: https://www.markdunlop.com.au/blog/2025/12/29/double-tome-the-reads-of-24-and-25-part-one
I’ve heard it said that you only need one idea from a book that can change your career, or even your life! So, what if you miss the book that has the idea that changes your life?
I can say there’s been a few books for me in 2025 that have contained such gems.
Not that every book has to change your life per se. Some books keep you sane, some books keep you smart and some have the privilege of letting you escape to another world for a mere moment.
So on with it then, here’s 2025’s list and my commentary for each tome. I’ve also asterisked any I think are great reading for anyone.
2025
Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill (Motivation/Finance (?)/Psychology/Alleged Autobiography)
This oft referenced book is from 1937, and was written by a man whose backstory and credentials may not actually check out entirely. Nevertheless, it’s interesting to see just how many self-help/finance gurus often credit this book with getting them started – Noel Whittaker actually said he read this book multiple times in his book Making Money Made Simple. There’s plenty in it that I found entirely on point in regards to goal setting and mindset, and other parts where I had spit the bones out from the meat (there’s a chapter dedicated to transforming your “sex energy” and channelling it into your professional life). It honestly feels a little bit reading an old western snake oil salesman, but there’s certainly some good properties to the oil.
I cannot hand on heart say it is a must read, because plenty of the successor authors have been able to distil the essences into a form a lot more relevant and less strange. I am however glad I read it nonetheless.
Ghosts of Honolulu – Mark Harmon & Leon Carroll Jr (Biography/Historical)
If you don’t know by now, I am a huge NCIS fan – and Mark Harmon was/is the legendary main character Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs for 19 seasons. This was a no-brainer Christams present from Emmerson to me then.
This book is delves into the very early origins of the actual NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) and spycraft in WWII. Set predominantly between the Hawaiian Islands and Imperial Japan, it’s a fantastic look at naval spycraft and life in pre, during and post WWII. It’s a biography, written in storytelling prose, and is centered around the life of Douglas Wada: the son of Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. Worth the read if you’re into WWII history, or a bit of an NCIS die-hard like me.
Faithfully Present – Adam Ramsey (Christian Living)
This is my second Adam Ramsey book, and I really did enjoy this one. The book is split between exploring what it means to be faithfully present in your current location and calling, as well as what it means to be faithfully present with your time and presence. An easy read, and certainly worthy reminders for Christian living.
The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger (Fiction/Americana/Classic Literature)
It’s always been my goal to be a ‘well-read’ person. When I think of that kind of person, I think of someone who’s read the classics – both fiction and non-fiction. “The Catcher in the Rye” is one of those books where I’ve known the title for a long time, but finally picked it up to read.
I personally found it a little hard to get into, and didn’t find myself particularly attached to the main character who is an adolescent, who manages to find himself in a few adult circumstances. As is the case with a few 1950’s books, I found the prose difficult to follow, which certainly didn’t help stoking my interest in it. I mailed it in with this one.
Build a Business You Love – Dave Ramsey (Business/Leadership/Management)
2025 was the year that I decided to pull the trigger and start the ball rolling with opening up a real estate office in conjunction with my Principal. It’s still early days, but we expect to be up and running properly in 2026.
It was timely then that this book was released, and Dave featured on the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast which promoted this book. Dave is a very established and successful businessman in his own right, and I gel with his philosophies and ethics, so it made sense to get his wisdom around his take on the 5 stages of the life cycle of a business. Very straightforward and insightful, and I will be re-reading this book again in the future.
Elevate Your Excellence – Dave Anderson (Motivation/Self-Leadership)
Dave is a fantastic larger-than-life voice in the self-leadership space – if you ever listen to his podcast, his voice is boomy and inviting. His book is much like this, and has plenty of great advice on how to elevate your personal excellence in your everyday. There’s a couple of great quotes from this book:
“How you do anything is how you’ll do everything.”
“Success is never bought. It’s rented, and the rent is due everyday.”
Other tips on maximising your time efficiency, hydrating, breathing, sleeping and general life tips make this a great book on optimising your lifestyle so it’s fit for purpose.
Not Everything Counts… But Everything Matters – Ivan Cleary with Andrew Webster (Sport/Leadership) *
GREAT read from one of the greatest NRL coaches of all time with “4 peat” premiership winning team with the Panthers… and I can’t say that I’m a fully fledged rugby fan (up the Broncos though!). I had the privilege of being able to hear Ivan speak at the Smartre Convention, and he comes across as very humble and not overly charismatic. However, he clearly knows how to relate, communicate and lead players from very diverse backgrounds, and be able to inspire and coach them to their best. Very easy read, plenty of leadership gems with lots of great NRL stories to boot.
The War of Art – Steven Pressfield (Motivation/Art/Self-Leadership/Parable)
I’ve been recommended this book for a long time – first a recommendation from Cameron Gullo about 10 years ago, and then more recently from the Smartre Podcast. It’s a fascinating little read written in a fictional parable style of prose, and it certainly gives you some great inspiration to kick your procrastination goodbye. There’s three parts: one on Resistance – how we all have it and face it in many forms, and it’s resistance that keeps us from achieving our maximum potential whether it be art, business, sport, etc. There’s another part on becoming a “Professional” – the professional ruthlessly stares down resistance and drives through it with grit and tenacity. In the final part, the Professional is aided by his Muses (whether literal or metaphorical) to defeat the beast of Resistance.
I can’t say I resonated with every metaphor in this book, but I can definitely see why it’s been listed as a must read by others and found it to be a good little motivator.
The Art of Closing the Sale – Brian Tracy (Sales/Business/Self-Leadership)
Brian Tracy: one of the gurus of sales, up there along with Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar & Jeffrey Gitomer. It’s my first actual Tracy read, and I can’t believe I waited for so long. Brian communicates in a kind, clear and direct way and gives any salesperson who desires to achieve their best numerous ethical and effective tips on how to do so.
It's so brilliant that I read it twice in 2025, and have started it a third time in 2026. I would almost equate the book to a sales Bible: there’s that much gold to be found in this book.
Practicing the Way – John Mark Comer (Christian Living/Theology/Spirituality/Discipleship)
I found the latest book from JMC to be a great read, and it certainly gave me many a moment to grapple with. The book does a deep dive and gives a proposition on what it means to follow Jesus and apprentice in his way. It dovetails very well with Pete Scazzero’s work in “Emotionally Healthy Leadership” and “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality”. At this stage of my life, some of JMC’s suggestions for living seem rather impractical for everyday life – better fitted for a monk in a monastery rather than for the average Joe. However, it doesn’t mean that this book didn’t deliver some home truths and I was enriched because of it.
The Power of Ambition – Jim Rohn (Self-Leadership/Motivation)
This was also the first time I’ve read a Jim Rohn book. At first the title seems to make you a little uncomfortable, as the word ‘ambition’ comes loaded with a lot of presuppositions and pre-conceived ideas of what it means – generally conjuring images of the egocentric and power-money hungry person. Rohn counters this from the beginning: ambition means “an earnest desire”, and builds from the premise on how you set out to achieve the earnest desire. Rohn states that true ambition not only builds you, but it always betters others and is achieved in ways that do not harm others. Highly recommend this book if you’re looking to kick some goals this year.
Fiesta/The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway (Fiction/Classic Literature)
This is my third Hemingway read, and once again, I did really quite enjoy it! This book was actually the first novel that he published and it elevated him to prominence as a writer in 1926. It follows a few American and British ex-pats residing in 1920s Paris, and follows a rather interesting romance storyline which ultimately leads them to Pamplona and the running of the bulls. Once you’ve been drawn into the story, it really is quite a good read and Hemingway stirs a vivid imagination. I wouldn’t mind time-travelling back to 1926 to live as an ex-pat in Paris based on his writings of it!
Mindshift: It Doesn’t Take a Genius to Think Like One – Erwin McManus (Self-Leadership) *
I first heard about this book on the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast back in late 2023 as Craig hosted an interview with Erwin. I remember the interview being so stirring that I eagerly sought to find the book, but alas, it proved nigh impossible to procure. Once again, they say that teachers often come at the right time, and this book found its way to me through Secret Santa 2025!
Erwin writes in his own unique way, and whilst I had previously read “The Way of the Warrior” which I found interesting, I found this book impactful. Erwin inspires you to think and live at a greater level, and covers a few topics which help you do so. It’s not a huge read, but it contains a high frequency of gold nuggets per page capita. One line that I found to resonate was “there is a difference between not having advance notice and not being prepared.”
Brilliant take on being prepared whether it be for a sales call, your career or major life moment. Choosing to prepare for something is evidence of enacting a vision, sometimes well before the moment truly appears. This book was a great way to finish 2025 and bring in 2026.
I thought I’d finish this blog with a few current reads I began in 2025 but didn’t get to finish – I’m sure you’ll see them in the 2026 Reading Wrap Up:
- The Road Less Stupid – Keith J. Cunningham
- The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant – Terry Felber
- Poems & Prayers – Matthew McConaughey
- Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches through History – William Safire (I’ve been getting through this one slowly since late 2023!)
Happy page turning friends!
MD