Ikigai "the Japanese secret to a long and happy life"
Kitchen by banana youshimoto
White nights
B
The power of your subconscious mind
The show ghost classic Japanese ghost stories
The communist manifesto
Birthday girl (short story murakami)
C
How to win friends and influence people
D
Created Jan 29, 2026
Dive into a curated ranking of essential reads from 2025, spanning self-improvement classics, Japanese literary masterpieces, and philosophical treasures. This collection features timeless wisdom from Marcus Aurelius's *Meditations* and Dale Carnegie's *How to Win Friends and Influence People*, alongside Haruki Murakami's haunting works like *Norwegian Wood* and *Sputnik Sweetheart*.
Explore Yukio Mishima's provocative *The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea*, Banana Yoshimoto's intimate *Kitchen*, and Dazai's devastating *No Longer Human*. From practical guides like *Ikigai* and *The Richest Man in Babylon* to existential tales such as Kafka's *Metamorphosis* and Dostoevsky's *White Nights*, this ranking celebrates diverse literary voices that challenge, inspire, and transform readers. Whether you're seeking personal growth or profound storytelling, these books offer something extraordinary.